STS
Well-known member
In this thread I will post the debriefing of the flight days of Apollo 7 wich I flew realtime, as I think it will provide feedback for users trying this mission and for the NASSP Team.
I considered the Flight Days as follows, a little bit different from the flightplan numbering, and starting from FD1 as the launch day:
During flight day one, the following activities were to be performed:
Procedure was started at T-4 hours, performed via the Word Checklist (reading it on a small Kindle device to avoid printing it and wasting paper, and because I prefer to read things from paper). Added a V35 after computer power up, and completed in 51 minutes and 16 seconds. As feedback for the NASSP team: panel 227 is not modeled on the VC and some items for 600´s panels have to be completed using the 2D panels.
Prime Crew Prelaunch:
Procedure was started at T- 2:40:00 hours and was performed also via the word checklist. Concerns about the wind were discussed with the flight controllers and the launch was delayed 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
Saturn I-B Boost Procedure:
The Saturn I-B booster lifted off at 11:02:45 local time, and the boost procedure was done via the word checklist. It was observed that the cabin pressure did not decrease as expected, and that VC switches stopped working after first stage separation. SECO ocurred at 00:10:19 GET, and "Go for Orbit" was given at 00:11:03 GET. Insertion data was:
Post insertion checks & config were done also following the Word Checklists, but a mistake was done by the crew. Half a page of checklist was skipped by mistake, and the radiator temps increased. This was later worked around and no issues were caused.
S-IVB Lox Dump was as expected, but MOCR had an electrical glitch, but caused no problems to the mission. Data during the dump is as follows:
S-IVB Sep and T&D Demo:
Separation from S-IVB occured at GET 2:55:00. VC Switches stopped working. Spacecraft got a little bit of pitch rate after the +X (expected). Pitch rate was 5º/s. S-IVB and docking target were clearly visible, but one panel failed to fully extend. Maneuvering the spacecraft was not like the simulator but it was easily manageable. Demo completed without issues, not being able to close very much to the S-IVB as the SLA panel failed to open completely.
Phasing maneuver:
Maneuver was performed one minute earlier by mistake (side note, crew said that there will be no more mistakes during the mission
), at GET 3:19:00 and the orbit change was:
Retro attitude tests were "improvised" but data is as follows:
Crew took the first sleep cycle between GET 07:40:00 and GET 12:25:00. Crew felt good after the sleep cycle.
H2 Stratification test:
The first H2 stratification test was performed at 13:00:40 GET. Data is as follows:
I considered the Flight Days as follows, a little bit different from the flightplan numbering, and starting from FD1 as the launch day:
- FD1 (07/11/2021) GET -04:37:45 to GET 13:58:15
- FD2 (08/11/2021) GET 13:58:15 to GET 36:58:15
- FD3 (09/11/2021) GET 36:58:15 to GET 60:58:15
- FD4 (10/11/2021) GET 60:58:15 to GET 84:58:15
- FD5 (11/11/2021) GET 84:58:15 to GET 108:58:15
- FD6 (12/11/2021) GET 108:58:15 to GET 132:58:15
- FD7: (13/11/2021) GET 132:58:15 to GET 156:58:15
- FD8: (14/11/2021) GET 156:58:15 to GET 180:58:15
- FD9: (15/11/2021) GET 180:58:15 to GET 204:58:15
- FD10: (16/11/2021) GET 204:58:15 to GET 228:58:15
- FD11: (17/11/2021) GET 228:58:15 to GET 252:58:15
- FD12: (18/11/2021) GET 252:58:15 to GET 259:56:06
During flight day one, the following activities were to be performed:
- Backup Crew Prelaunch Procedure
- Prime Crew Prelaunch Procedure
- Saturn I-B Boost Procedure
- Post Insertion checks & config, including S-IVB LOX Dump and S-IVB manual takeover demo.
- S-IVB Sep and T&D Demo.
- Phasing maneuver to start a 24 hour rendezvous with S-IVB
- Day and night retro attitude tests
- H2 Stratification Test
Procedure was started at T-4 hours, performed via the Word Checklist (reading it on a small Kindle device to avoid printing it and wasting paper, and because I prefer to read things from paper). Added a V35 after computer power up, and completed in 51 minutes and 16 seconds. As feedback for the NASSP team: panel 227 is not modeled on the VC and some items for 600´s panels have to be completed using the 2D panels.
Prime Crew Prelaunch:
Procedure was started at T- 2:40:00 hours and was performed also via the word checklist. Concerns about the wind were discussed with the flight controllers and the launch was delayed 2 minutes and 45 seconds.
Saturn I-B Boost Procedure:
The Saturn I-B booster lifted off at 11:02:45 local time, and the boost procedure was done via the word checklist. It was observed that the cabin pressure did not decrease as expected, and that VC switches stopped working after first stage separation. SECO ocurred at 00:10:19 GET, and "Go for Orbit" was given at 00:11:03 GET. Insertion data was:
N62 VI +25547
N62 H DOT +00015
N62 H PAD +01230
N44 HA +01528
N44 HP +01229
N44 TFF -59 59
LVPD During S-IVB Burn: GET 00:06:00 30 0 OXID, 29 0 Fuel
Post Insertion Checks & config, S-IVB dump, S-IVB manual takeover demo:LVPD after insertion: GET 00:15:30 0 2 OXID, 5 5 Fuel
Post insertion checks & config were done also following the Word Checklists, but a mistake was done by the crew. Half a page of checklist was skipped by mistake, and the radiator temps increased. This was later worked around and no issues were caused.
S-IVB Lox Dump was as expected, but MOCR had an electrical glitch, but caused no problems to the mission. Data during the dump is as follows:
LVPD GET 1:27:00 0 2 OXID, 5 5 Fuel
LVPD GET 1:48:30 0 1 OXID, 3 4 Fuel
S-IVB manual takeover demo went as planned, but the crew got a few seconds behind schedule. Rates and attitude were as planned.S-IVB Passivation DV
DVX +0013.3
DVY -0001.9
DVZ +0009.6
DVC +16.9
S-IVB Sep and T&D Demo:
Separation from S-IVB occured at GET 2:55:00. VC Switches stopped working. Spacecraft got a little bit of pitch rate after the +X (expected). Pitch rate was 5º/s. S-IVB and docking target were clearly visible, but one panel failed to fully extend. Maneuvering the spacecraft was not like the simulator but it was easily manageable. Demo completed without issues, not being able to close very much to the S-IVB as the SLA panel failed to open completely.
Phasing maneuver:
Maneuver was performed one minute earlier by mistake (side note, crew said that there will be no more mistakes during the mission
Day and night retro attitude tests:Before Burn (PAD Plan):
HA +0165.7
HP +0123.0
After Burn:
HA +0165.9
HP +0123.2
Retro attitude tests were "improvised" but data is as follows:
Day:
Plan: GET 6:10:00 R 179 P 138 Y 0
Actual: GET 6:10:00 R 177.60 P 130.94 Y 356.00
Night:
Plan: GET 6:50:00 R 180 P 339 Y 359
Actual: GET 6:50:45 R 183.76 P 333.63 Y 359.6
Crew took the first sleep cycle between GET 07:40:00 and GET 12:25:00. Crew felt good after the sleep cycle.
H2 Stratification test:
The first H2 stratification test was performed at 13:00:40 GET. Data is as follows:
An CRYO PRESS light was triggered as of the test, but went off a few moments later.Step 1 GET 13:00:40 H2 1 Press: 250; H2 2 Press: 250; H2 1 Qty: 94; H2 2 Qty 94;
Step 2 GET 14:55:45 H2 1 Press: 230; H2 2 Press: 230; H2 1 Qty: 93; H2 2 Qty 93;
Step 3 GET 15:23:15 H2 1 Press: 275; H2 2 Press: 275; H2 1 Qty: 93; H2 2 Qty 93;
Step 4 +1 minute: H2 1 Press: 272; H2 2 Press: 272; H2 1 Qty: 93; H2 2 Qty 93;
Step 4 +2 minute: H2 1 Press: 270; H2 2 Press: 270; H2 1 Qty: 93; H2 2 Qty 93;
Step 4 +3 minute: H2 1 Press: 270; H2 2 Press: 270; H2 1 Qty: 93; H2 2 Qty 93;
Step 4 +4 minute: H2 1 Press: 269; H2 2 Press: 269; H2 1 Qty: 93; H2 2 Qty 93;
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