Why did the lunar lander have 4 legs?
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Why did the lunar lander have 4 legs?
In particular, chapter 6.4 notes that a five-legged design was initially considered, but was changed to a four-legged one both to save weight and to simplify the design, which was already based on a four-way symmetric frame: Grumman had first considered five legs but, during 1963, decided on four.
Why did the Moon lander have wide feet and thin legs?
But the landing gear was different. The resulting revision placed heavier demands on the landing gear, and Grumman had to enlarge the foot pads from 22 to 91 centimeters in diameter. The bigger feet made the gear too large to fit into the adapter. A retractable gear therefore replaced the simpler fixed-leg gear.
Why was the lunar module covered in foil?
The foil was there to reflect sunlight and prevent overheating of fuel tanks, valves and pipes and electronic circuitry. The direct unfiltered sunlight will cause metal to heat to very high temperatures, even if painted white.
What were the three main parts of the Apollo 13 spacecraft?
The spacecraft was in three parts: The conical Command Module where the crew ate and slept on its way to the moon and home; the Service Module, supplying electricity, maneuvering power and thrust to get home from lunar orbit, and water to the spacecraft; and the Lunar Module, or LM, a two-part, totally self-contained …
How many legs did the lunar module have?
four legs
So the LM had four legs (one design configuration had five legs) and large landing pads to distribute the load across the lunar surface. In 1966, when the soft-landing Surveyor spacecraft found this situation was not so, it was way too late to change the design of the LM.
Who made the Apollo 11 landing gear?
Apollo Lunar Module
| Manufacturer | Grumman |
| Designer | Thomas J. Kelly |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Operator | NASA |
| Specifications |
|---|
How did the lunar rover stay on the moon?
The rear wheels folded out and locked in place. When they touched the ground, the front of the rover could be unfolded, the wheels deployed, and the entire frame let down to the surface by pulleys. The rover components locked into place upon opening.
What happened to the lunar module from Apollo 13?
The LM was jettisoned shortly before reaching Earth, the astronauts returning to the Command Module for the reentry. The LM re-entered and burned in the Earth’s atmosphere over the southwest Pacific, any surviving pieces impacted in the deep ocean off the coast of New Zealand.
What happened to the Lunar Module after the Moon landing?
The ascent stages of the lunar modules were also used for seismology. Once the lunar landing crew had transferred everything coming back to Earth from the lunar module and closed it out, the now useless spacecraft was jettisoned and directed by Mission Control to impact the Moon’s surface at a specific point near an ALSE.
What was the purpose of the Apollo 10 Lunar Module?
Another was used by Apollo 10 for a dress rehearsal flight in low lunar orbit, without landing. One lunar module functioned as a lifeboat for the crew of Apollo 13, providing life support and propulsion when their CSM was disabled by an oxygen tank explosion en route to the Moon, forcing the crew to abandon plans for a lunar landing.
Why did NASA change the name of the Lunar Module to Lem?
In June 1966, the name was changed to lunar module (LM), eliminating the word “excursion”. According to George Low, Manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, this was because NASA was afraid that the word “excursion” might lend a frivolous note to Apollo. After the name change from “LEM” to “LM”,…
How are seismometers used on the Moon?
Seismometers, instruments that detect and measure moonquakes and meteor impacts, were left by each lunar landing crew. Once they were no longer needed, the Lunar Module ascent stages were deliberately aimed at the lunar surface to provide scientists with a controlled seismic event.