nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) (09/12/90)
From article <36974@ut-emx>, by clyde@emx.utexas.edu (Clyde W. Hoover): > The re-entry capusle is black ... Many thanks. > 2. There are loads of photographs to look at. There are indeed, but ... > P.S. Back in 1965, I painted my first Gemini capsule green because of the > rotten color balance in the pictures of the Gemini 4 space walk that I had > from Life magazine. My copy of "LIFE in Space" & my other books with Gemini pics made it very difficult to distinguish between blue & black, hence the posting (And this with the superb printing of said book). Meanwhile, what are the objects on the side of the reentry module of Gemini 7, attached to what look like deployable doors ? Are they cameras, targets, experiments or what ? Nick -- Dr. Nick Watkins, Space & Plasma Physics Group, School of Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Univ. of Sussex, Brighton, E.Sussex, BN1 9QH, ENGLAND JANET: nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk BITNET: nickw%syma.sussex.ac.uk@uk.ac
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (09/14/90)
In article <3449@syma.sussex.ac.uk> nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) writes: >Meanwhile, what are the objects on the side of the reentry module of >Gemini 7, attached to what look like deployable doors ? Are they cameras, >targets, experiments or what ? Interesting; I'd never noticed those before. A quick check of references turns up nothing, although my library is weak on early spaceflight. If I had to guess, my guess would be that they were radar transponders for use by Gemini 6's rendezvous radar. That would make them unique to Gemini 7, which explains why they don't show up in models and diagrams, and would also explain why there were two of them 180 degrees apart. -- TCP/IP: handling tomorrow's loads today| Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology OSI: handling yesterday's loads someday| henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry
jabishop@uokmax.uucp (Jonathan A Bishop) (09/14/90)
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article <3449@syma.sussex.ac.uk> nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) writes: [Talking about objects on side of Gemini 7 re-entry module] >Interesting; I'd never noticed those before. A quick check of references >turns up nothing, although my library is weak on early spaceflight. Isn't everybody's? It's a shame that we're already losing parts of our earlier space flight history. They may be small, but they could grow. I'll leave a message with the staff at the Aviation and Space Museum in Oklahoma City. Tom Stafford turns up there once every few months, and I'll see if they can get an answer. -- jabishop@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu "Ground Control to Major Tom: Your circuit's dead; there's something wrong. Can you hear me, Major Tom?" -- David Bowie
smithwik@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (R. Michael Smithwick -- FSN) (09/16/90)
In article <1990Sep14.044919.13801@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article <3449@syma.sussex.ac.uk> nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) writes: <>Meanwhile, what are the objects on the side of the reentry module of <>Gemini 7, attached to what look like deployable doors ? Are they cameras, <>targets, experiments or what ? < <Interesting; I'd never noticed those before. A quick check of references <turns up nothing, although my library is weak on early spaceflight. If I <had to guess, my guess would be that they were radar transponders for use <by Gemini 6's rendezvous radar. That would make them unique to Gemini 7, <which explains why they don't show up in models and diagrams, and would <also explain why there were two of them 180 degrees apart. <-- Actually the transponder was located in the nose nestled under the parachutes. I have the Mac-Dac GT-7 reference guide, and it doesn't mention those things. >> mike smithwick << Any opinions are my own since nobody else would ever want them. "Colonize Cyberspace!"
clyde@emx.utexas.edu (Clyde W. Hoover) (09/17/90)
|> >In article <3449@syma.sussex.ac.uk> nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) writes: |> <>Meanwhile, what are the objects on the side of the reentry module of |> <>Gemini 7, attached to what look like deployable doors ? Are they cameras, |> <>targets, experiments or what ? In article <1990Sep15.231930.10777@nas.nasa.gov>, smithwik@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (R. Michael Smithwick -- FSN) writes: |> Actually the transponder was located in the nose nestled under the |> parachutes. I have the Mac-Dac GT-7 reference guide, and it doesn't |> mention those things. |> Seeing as where they are placed, I assumed that they were horizon sensors used as part of the spacecraft attitude control system. I haven't seen them on any other Geminis, but I don't recall seeing any photos of that area of the spacecraft from any other flights either. Once again as to the color - I have also seen those pictures where the Reentry Module looks bluish. That is an artifact of the lighting. The RM was not painted at all, except for the "UNITED STATES" and flag emblem on the sides. -Clyde Hoover Shouter-To-Dead-Parrots @ Univ. of Texas Computation Center; Austin, Texas clyde@emx.utexas.edu; ...!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!clyde Tip #268: Don't feel insecure or inferior! Remember, you're ORGANIC!! You could win an argument with almost any rock!
henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) (09/18/90)
In article <37260@ut-emx> clyde@emx.utexas.edu writes: >Seeing as where they are placed, I assumed that they were horizon sensors used >as part of the spacecraft attitude control system. I haven't seen them on any >other Geminis, but I don't recall seeing any photos of that area of >the spacecraft from any other flights either. The photos of Gemini 6 from Gemini 7 indicate that 6 didn't have them. Photos of other Geminis from outside are scarce for obvious reasons :-). -- TCP/IP: handling tomorrow's loads today| Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology OSI: handling yesterday's loads someday| henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry
Scott.Johnson@p0.f7.n391.z1.fidonet.org (Scott Johnson) (09/20/90)
CW> the lighting. The RM was not painted at all, except for the
CW> "UNITED STATES" and flag emblem on the sides.
Maybe not, but when I saw one at Houston it sure LOOKED
midnight blue. Maybe that was the color of the metal?