Apollo 10 Snoopy..

[OrbitalConfusion]

SNOOOOOPY COME HOME! Makes me think of that song from the snoopy come home movie.


Anyways, I was reading about how the lunar module is still in heliocentric orbit and has been since 1969. I wonder, if you could travel out to it and go inside what it would look like today. Would you see an ancient package of Tang floating about? Or an old bic pen... How did it age all these years?

There was this house that had not been entered since 1995. The only reason Im guessing is because whomever was there set off bug bombs and put news papers under them. Anyways, everything in this house was very, very old. Out by the back sliding glass door was a garbage can made of plastic. The sun and heat has been beating down on it all these years... Upon touching it the thing literally crumbled almost like a super course dust. I wonder if thats how the plastic pieces in the module are like today.

I guess its the idea that its been floating in space where its super quiet. There had to be things left behind in it such as maybe some water in a tank or something. Did it loose its pressurization? Stupid questions, but you have to admit its kinda cool to think about!

 

[Capt_hensley]

All valid questions, Perhaps NASA could dig up an old docking ring, adapt it to a craft, plan a rendevous with it, dock and investigate. They could call it a time capsule mission, for scientific research or something.

 

[Aeadar]

The Search for Apollo 10's 'Snoopy' : Discovery News

 

[Dantassii]

All valid questions, Perhaps NASA could dig up an old docking ring, adapt it to a craft, plan a rendevous with it, dock and investigate. They could call it a time capsule mission, for scientific research or something.

Only problem is there isn't a docking ring on the LM. When they do the final undocking, the probe system from the CM is left with the LM. This is to save weight. So there's nothing to 'dock' to on the LM without first removing the probe system left from the CM. And as this system wasn't designed to be removed once it was left on the LM, it would probably require a human being or 2 to go along on the mission to remove it all. Unless you could figure out some way of attaching a docking collar to the CM side of the probe system.

It would only be the accent stage of Snoopy that they would find as the decent stage was jettisoned in lunar orbit and has long since crashed into the lunar surface. The MASCONs would make sure of that. Talk about a needle in a haystack.

I think the accent stage from Apollo 9 was also blasted into a sun orbit although I'm not 100% sure on that.

There's also the 3rd stage of the Saturn V rocket from Apollo's 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 floating around out there somewhere. I recall reading a story some time ago about a 'visitor' to Earth Orbit that was thought to have been the 3rd stage from Apollo 12. Starting with Apollo 13, all the 3rd stages were purposefully crashed into the Lunar surface.

And then there's Mariners 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 10 floating around out there in orbit around the sun. I wonder if any of them have run into something larger than a bread basket since they were launched?

Dantassii
HUMONGOUS IMS shipbuilder

 

[OrbitalConfusion]

I remember the Stage and "white iron oxide paint" identifying it. There is another forum out there that discusses the question of snoopy and location. from my understanding nobody really knows. To many variables, solar wind, leaking gasses all apparently would greatly affect orbit.


Its the curiosity of how it looks inside. Has snoopy been in a deep freeze all these years or combination of heat and cold. I guess heat and cold makes more sense. I wonder if the guys on the mission who sent her off wondered about this very thing way back when, or they assumed in 40-50 years we could easily go retrive snoopy. Then again im spitting ideas on what I dont know.


Its just really cool to think about. Snoopy is a time capsule I agree. The awesome innovative tech that lies within her. It may be primitive,old and un-cool but the tech got us to the moon and back safely! It's Quietly floating around, and will be for a very long time that captures me. perhaps one day we will come across snoopy and can bring him home. Until then I think about scifi movies with spacecraft that have spent large amounts of time unmanned.

 

[Dantassii]

Just as a side note, I recall reading about the launch of Voyager 1 and 2 back in 1977 where they had to adjust the launch date by a few hours for 1 of them (I think it was Voyager 1) because had they launched it at the original launch window, it would have slammed into the Moon less than a day into the trip.

I wonder how many of those silent unmanned ships out there have slammed into the planet they were sent to examine many orbits after their original flyby, or an asteroid, or even the Earth or Moon?

 

[Capt_hensley]

Only problem is there isn't a docking ring on the LM. When they do the final undocking, the probe system from the CM is left with the LM.

I was not aware of that little tid bit. Hmmmm!!

OK so the ring is fouled by the probe, theres always the EVA hatch. Suit transfer ship to ship, could still work.

 

[Andy44]

Considering any air inside has long ago leaked out, you're going to need a suit either way. You will also have to grapple the vehicle and stop the tumbling first, so the EVA hatch is your best bet. Since the LEM only has two small windows, the contents are probably pretty well protected against direct sunlight and the effects of UV light. Some items may be effected by outgassing in a vacuum. I would bet you that the hull has been punctured by at lest a few micrometoroids in the decades since. When you look at the exterior of Hubble's thermal blankets after 20 years in space it looked like someone was plinking at it with a .22 rifle.

 

[OrbitalConfusion]

Considering any air inside has long ago leaked out, you're going to need a suit either way. You will also have to grapple the vehicle and stop the tumbling first, so the EVA hatch is your best bet. Since the LEM only has two small windows, the contents are probably pretty well protected against direct sunlight and the effects of UV light. Some items may be effected by out-gassing in a vacuum. I would bet you that the hull has been punctured by at lest a few micrometeorites in the decades since. When you look at the exterior of Hubble's thermal blankets after 20 years in space it looked like someone was plunking at it with a .22 rifle.

OH GOSH, I didn't even think of that. The amount of damage it has sustained over the decades from impacts. Thermal cycling/radiation damage and of course it is probably safe to assume there is no atmosphere inside the craft.. Yet another thing to think about. Then again, some of these could be good things. Makes me all that more interested in SNOOOOOOOPY! I'm hoping as time goes by, in my lifetime, We get the technology to perhaps travel to snoopy or cop'a good view of him. Space porn wet dream, this is pure space porn I tell you!


On a side note, I learned a lot in this thread, thank you everyone. Seriously. I love it when people chime in with their thoughts, because I always gain something.

 

[Capt_hensley]

You'd have to grab something faily solid, a tough job as I recall, most of is pretty fragile, thin or just plain too smooth. Maybe a Thruster Quad could take the stress. I don't remember any grab irons on the exterior. Without the landing stage, there are no leggs, ladders, or grabs. Just lots of sheet metal and mylar insulation.

 

[Dantassii]

You'd have to grab something faily solid, a tough job as I recall, most of is pretty fragile, thin or just plain too smooth. Maybe a Thruster Quad could take the stress. I don't remember any grab irons on the exterior. Without the landing stage, there are no leggs, ladders, or grabs. Just lots of sheet metal and mylar insulation.

There are stories during the LM assembly process of workers dropping tools while inside the LM and having them go straight through the wall because it was so thin. It also tin-canned every time they pressurized/depressurized it. So yes, there probably isn't anything except the docking port that could be grabbed onto. Everything else (including the front door) was built super thin. There is also a story about being able to peel open the front door...

Dantassii
HUMONGOUS IMS shipbuilder

 

[Izack]

There is also a story about being able to peel open the front door...

I wonder about that one. If a man could peel open the door, how could it possibly restrain an atmosphere of pressure in a vacuum?

 

[Unstung]

I wonder how many of those silent unmanned ships out there have slammed into the planet they were sent to examine many orbits after their original flyby, or an asteroid, or even the Earth or Moon?

The heliocentric orbits for every S-IVB, lunar module, defunct interplanetary probe, and any other debris have probably been calculated and might be found with some research. Space is really big, so it's unlikely that just after a few decades the orbit of any interplanetary debris would have intersected another object orbiting the sun. These events occur over astronomical time scales, and there aren't that many artificial objects.

Many planetary missions, specifically the ones designed to impact and the orbiters, are made to end their lives by crashing into whatever they're observing.

 

[Capt_hensley]

I wonder about that one. If a man could peel open the door, how could it possibly restrain an atmosphere of pressure in a vacuum?

As a sheet metal man, in my day getting a soda pop can to take 3-6 PSI is easy. It's already a presure vessel.

Much of the LM was made from thin materials, but as you see in many photos, there is a skeleton around which the skin was attached. Ribs, Formers and Stringers are what they are called. Lot's of them were chemicaly milled Aluminum ribs. These were fairly stout, and could take "some" abuse. The floor could take quite a bit of weight. It was made to work on earth, in full gravity with a 250 lb man standing on any part of it. This was the primary means of assembling the rest of the interior of the craft.

A gimbal stand was made for both sections, and a man could place himself into part of the shell if it was rotated in the right position. So there were tricks used to make assembly a bit easier, but still difficult altogether.

Yes on two seperate occasions a tool was dropped and either lodged into a skin or punctured itself all the way through. An aditional 4 days of work was accomplished correcting the discrepancies. This was done on the workmans time off, and inside the assembly window of the vehicles involved.

This is why tool and body mats became standard practice. Another developement from this program was what is known as CTK. Consolidated Tool Kits. These had foam cutouts for all tools, to make inventory at shift change a breeze, and tool control become very tight after the socket wrench(extension) was found in the Capsule wall of Apollo 1.

While working on the B-2 we hadd to account for everything, from rivit washers and stem debris, to rimple cloth sections, to razor blade cardboard encasements. It's just a paper protector but it's FOD just the same.

The HBO mini series, episode "Spider" illustrated why FOD control is important, when they(astronauts in orbit) found a free floating 1/2" steel washer.

"a few odds and ends" were found in all the vehicles, from chewing gum, hair, finger nails, and tyvik suit ties, to things like hardware and tools. A stray 3" wire segment was found with eyelet loops attached, but no one knew what part of the spacecraft it attached to. Unexplained dust, and some drill shavings were also found in a locker. Not all the shake-out tests got everything out before flight.

One account even talks about a "remove before flight" flag wrapped around a tube in a bow. Found on orbit, but did not pose any real danger other than being unauthorized for flight.

A circuit breaker ring was also found, but was later used to lock out a breaker, a fortunate happenstance. Duct tape would have been used instead if this ring had not been found.

 

[Dantassii]

I wonder about that one. If a man could peel open the door, how could it possibly restrain an atmosphere of pressure in a vacuum?

Actually, it was held in place by air pressure for the most part, but once you got the pressure down to 0.2 PSIA, you could peel back one of the corners of the door and let out the rest of the air.

According to the transcripts now located on the WWW, this is exactly what they did on Apollo 12 I think. Check out this site for details.

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/

Another site worth checking out is:

http://history.nasa.gov/afj/

I spent the better part of 3 years worth of lunch breaks reading through these sites but they've continued to improve them since then.

Dantassii
HUMONGOUS IMS Shipbuilder