What happened to Apollo 13 LM descent stage?
$begingroup$
I see in the accounts of the Apollo 13 mission that the descent stage engine of the LM were used to propel the joined spacecraft into a return trajectory to earth and that the crew remained in the LM ascent stage until shortly before reentry and return to Earth.
Here’s my question. Can we assume that the descent stage remained attached to ‘Aquarius’ all the way and so was burned up on reentry to the atmosphere with the ascent stage?
I have not seen any report indicating the descent stage was jettisoned after the engines of the descent stage were fired and its fuel supply exhausted.
Why would it not be jettisoned, if it wasn’t? It had served its purpose and would be in the way were there need to use the ascent stage engine. It would be dead weight.
apollo-program apollo-13
edited 11 hours ago
Nathan Tuggy
3,73842637
asked 12 hours ago
TomKatTomKat
612
New contributor
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I see in the accounts of the Apollo 13 mission that the descent stage engine of the LM were used to propel the joined spacecraft into a return trajectory to earth and that the crew remained in the LM ascent stage until shortly before reentry and return to Earth.
Here’s my question. Can we assume that the descent stage remained attached to ‘Aquarius’ all the way and so was burned up on reentry to the atmosphere with the ascent stage?
I have not seen any report indicating the descent stage was jettisoned after the engines of the descent stage were fired and its fuel supply exhausted.
Why would it not be jettisoned, if it wasn’t? It had served its purpose and would be in the way were there need to use the ascent stage engine. It would be dead weight.
apollo-program apollo-13
edited 11 hours ago
Nathan Tuggy
3,73842637
asked 12 hours ago
TomKatTomKat
612
New contributor
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
4
$begingroup$
The supplies for fuel, oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
12 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Dead weight isn't a problem if you're not manoeuvring.
$endgroup$
– JCRM
12 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
I see in the accounts of the Apollo 13 mission that the descent stage engine of the LM were used to propel the joined spacecraft into a return trajectory to earth and that the crew remained in the LM ascent stage until shortly before reentry and return to Earth.
Here’s my question. Can we assume that the descent stage remained attached to ‘Aquarius’ all the way and so was burned up on reentry to the atmosphere with the ascent stage?
I have not seen any report indicating the descent stage was jettisoned after the engines of the descent stage were fired and its fuel supply exhausted.
Why would it not be jettisoned, if it wasn’t? It had served its purpose and would be in the way were there need to use the ascent stage engine. It would be dead weight.
apollo-program apollo-13
edited 11 hours ago
Nathan Tuggy
3,73842637
asked 12 hours ago
TomKatTomKat
612
New contributor
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
$endgroup$
I see in the accounts of the Apollo 13 mission that the descent stage engine of the LM were used to propel the joined spacecraft into a return trajectory to earth and that the crew remained in the LM ascent stage until shortly before reentry and return to Earth.
Here’s my question. Can we assume that the descent stage remained attached to ‘Aquarius’ all the way and so was burned up on reentry to the atmosphere with the ascent stage?
I have not seen any report indicating the descent stage was jettisoned after the engines of the descent stage were fired and its fuel supply exhausted.
Why would it not be jettisoned, if it wasn’t? It had served its purpose and would be in the way were there need to use the ascent stage engine. It would be dead weight.
apollo-program apollo-13
apollo-program apollo-13
edited 11 hours ago
Nathan Tuggy
3,73842637
asked 12 hours ago
TomKatTomKat
612
New contributor
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 11 hours ago
Nathan Tuggy
3,73842637
asked 12 hours ago
TomKatTomKat
612
New contributor
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 11 hours ago
Nathan Tuggy
3,73842637
edited 11 hours ago
Nathan Tuggy
3,73842637
edited 11 hours ago
Nathan Tuggy
3,73842637
3,73842637
asked 12 hours ago
TomKatTomKat
612
New contributor
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 12 hours ago
TomKatTomKat
612
asked 12 hours ago
TomKatTomKat
612
612
New contributor
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
TomKat is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
4
$begingroup$
The supplies for fuel, oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
12 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Dead weight isn't a problem if you're not manoeuvring.
$endgroup$
– JCRM
12 hours ago
add a comment |
4
$begingroup$
The supplies for fuel, oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
12 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Dead weight isn't a problem if you're not manoeuvring.
$endgroup$
– JCRM
12 hours ago
4
4
$begingroup$
The supplies for fuel, oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
The supplies for fuel, oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
12 hours ago
3
3
$begingroup$
Dead weight isn't a problem if you're not manoeuvring.
$endgroup$
– JCRM
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
Dead weight isn't a problem if you're not manoeuvring.
$endgroup$
– JCRM
12 hours ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Lets have a look into Apollo By The Numbers:
There was a lot of unused fuel Aerozin 50 and oxidizer nitrogen tetroxide remaining in the descent stage of the Apollo 13 LM.
But the other supplies for oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
There were six batteries in the LM, four in the descent stage with 400 Ah each and two in the ascent stage with 296 Ah each. So 73 % of the available battery energy was located in the descent stage. As long as the descent stage was present, all six batteries could be switched two both DC buses individually or disconnected as neccessary.
answered 11 hours ago
UweUwe
10.9k23057
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
the oxidizer wasn't oxygen
$endgroup$
– JCRM
11 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
@JCRM The LM used hypergolic fuel, no cryogenic oxygen. But oxygen was needed for breathing by the astronauts.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
11 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Regardless of consumables, the main concern with the descent module was the RTG.
Each Apollo LM carried a small nuclear device containing nearly 4 Kg of plutonium that was to be left on the moon.
The reentry of Apollo 13 was timed so that any surviving parts of the descent module of Acuarius ended up in the Tonga trench in the southern Pacific Ocean. The plutonium casket was designed to survive re-entry and was indeed confirmed to splash down at the expected location.
answered 7 hours ago
Diego SánchezDiego Sánchez
1,011514
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
+1but please cite or link to a verifiable source for factual information in answers. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
What was this nuclear device?
$endgroup$
– Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen
18 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Aquarius' ascent and descent stages stayed together until reentry.
As described in this QA, the descent stage carried the majority of battery power, oxygen, and water supply. Battery power in particular was the limiting factor for Apollo 13's survival, so the descent stage had to be retained until the very last moment.
As Uwe notes, over half the descent stage fuel remained (using more could have shortened the flight, but would have landed the command module in the wrong ocean), so there was no need for the ascent stage engine.
answered 11 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
85.3k3287370
$endgroup$
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
Lets have a look into Apollo By The Numbers:
There was a lot of unused fuel Aerozin 50 and oxidizer nitrogen tetroxide remaining in the descent stage of the Apollo 13 LM.
But the other supplies for oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
There were six batteries in the LM, four in the descent stage with 400 Ah each and two in the ascent stage with 296 Ah each. So 73 % of the available battery energy was located in the descent stage. As long as the descent stage was present, all six batteries could be switched two both DC buses individually or disconnected as neccessary.
answered 11 hours ago
UweUwe
10.9k23057
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
the oxidizer wasn't oxygen
$endgroup$
– JCRM
11 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
@JCRM The LM used hypergolic fuel, no cryogenic oxygen. But oxygen was needed for breathing by the astronauts.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
11 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Lets have a look into Apollo By The Numbers:
There was a lot of unused fuel Aerozin 50 and oxidizer nitrogen tetroxide remaining in the descent stage of the Apollo 13 LM.
But the other supplies for oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
There were six batteries in the LM, four in the descent stage with 400 Ah each and two in the ascent stage with 296 Ah each. So 73 % of the available battery energy was located in the descent stage. As long as the descent stage was present, all six batteries could be switched two both DC buses individually or disconnected as neccessary.
answered 11 hours ago
UweUwe
10.9k23057
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
the oxidizer wasn't oxygen
$endgroup$
– JCRM
11 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
@JCRM The LM used hypergolic fuel, no cryogenic oxygen. But oxygen was needed for breathing by the astronauts.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
11 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Lets have a look into Apollo By The Numbers:
There was a lot of unused fuel Aerozin 50 and oxidizer nitrogen tetroxide remaining in the descent stage of the Apollo 13 LM.
But the other supplies for oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
There were six batteries in the LM, four in the descent stage with 400 Ah each and two in the ascent stage with 296 Ah each. So 73 % of the available battery energy was located in the descent stage. As long as the descent stage was present, all six batteries could be switched two both DC buses individually or disconnected as neccessary.
answered 11 hours ago
UweUwe
10.9k23057
$endgroup$
Lets have a look into Apollo By The Numbers:
There was a lot of unused fuel Aerozin 50 and oxidizer nitrogen tetroxide remaining in the descent stage of the Apollo 13 LM.
But the other supplies for oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
There were six batteries in the LM, four in the descent stage with 400 Ah each and two in the ascent stage with 296 Ah each. So 73 % of the available battery energy was located in the descent stage. As long as the descent stage was present, all six batteries could be switched two both DC buses individually or disconnected as neccessary.
answered 11 hours ago
UweUwe
10.9k23057
edited 10 hours ago
answered 11 hours ago
UweUwe
10.9k23057
answered 11 hours ago
UweUwe
10.9k23057
answered 11 hours ago
UweUwe
10.9k23057
10.9k23057
$begingroup$
the oxidizer wasn't oxygen
$endgroup$
– JCRM
11 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
@JCRM The LM used hypergolic fuel, no cryogenic oxygen. But oxygen was needed for breathing by the astronauts.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
11 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
the oxidizer wasn't oxygen
$endgroup$
– JCRM
11 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
@JCRM The LM used hypergolic fuel, no cryogenic oxygen. But oxygen was needed for breathing by the astronauts.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
the oxidizer wasn't oxygen
$endgroup$
– JCRM
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
the oxidizer wasn't oxygen
$endgroup$
– JCRM
11 hours ago
3
3
$begingroup$
@JCRM The LM used hypergolic fuel, no cryogenic oxygen. But oxygen was needed for breathing by the astronauts.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@JCRM The LM used hypergolic fuel, no cryogenic oxygen. But oxygen was needed for breathing by the astronauts.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
11 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Regardless of consumables, the main concern with the descent module was the RTG.
Each Apollo LM carried a small nuclear device containing nearly 4 Kg of plutonium that was to be left on the moon.
The reentry of Apollo 13 was timed so that any surviving parts of the descent module of Acuarius ended up in the Tonga trench in the southern Pacific Ocean. The plutonium casket was designed to survive re-entry and was indeed confirmed to splash down at the expected location.
answered 7 hours ago
Diego SánchezDiego Sánchez
1,011514
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
+1but please cite or link to a verifiable source for factual information in answers. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
What was this nuclear device?
$endgroup$
– Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen
18 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Regardless of consumables, the main concern with the descent module was the RTG.
Each Apollo LM carried a small nuclear device containing nearly 4 Kg of plutonium that was to be left on the moon.
The reentry of Apollo 13 was timed so that any surviving parts of the descent module of Acuarius ended up in the Tonga trench in the southern Pacific Ocean. The plutonium casket was designed to survive re-entry and was indeed confirmed to splash down at the expected location.
answered 7 hours ago
Diego SánchezDiego Sánchez
1,011514
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
+1but please cite or link to a verifiable source for factual information in answers. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
What was this nuclear device?
$endgroup$
– Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen
18 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Regardless of consumables, the main concern with the descent module was the RTG.
Each Apollo LM carried a small nuclear device containing nearly 4 Kg of plutonium that was to be left on the moon.
The reentry of Apollo 13 was timed so that any surviving parts of the descent module of Acuarius ended up in the Tonga trench in the southern Pacific Ocean. The plutonium casket was designed to survive re-entry and was indeed confirmed to splash down at the expected location.
answered 7 hours ago
Diego SánchezDiego Sánchez
1,011514
$endgroup$
Regardless of consumables, the main concern with the descent module was the RTG.
Each Apollo LM carried a small nuclear device containing nearly 4 Kg of plutonium that was to be left on the moon.
The reentry of Apollo 13 was timed so that any surviving parts of the descent module of Acuarius ended up in the Tonga trench in the southern Pacific Ocean. The plutonium casket was designed to survive re-entry and was indeed confirmed to splash down at the expected location.
answered 7 hours ago
Diego SánchezDiego Sánchez
1,011514
answered 7 hours ago
Diego SánchezDiego Sánchez
1,011514
answered 7 hours ago
Diego SánchezDiego Sánchez
1,011514
answered 7 hours ago
Diego SánchezDiego Sánchez
1,011514
1,011514
1
$begingroup$
+1but please cite or link to a verifiable source for factual information in answers. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
What was this nuclear device?
$endgroup$
– Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen
18 mins ago
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
+1but please cite or link to a verifiable source for factual information in answers. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
What was this nuclear device?
$endgroup$
– Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen
18 mins ago
1
1
$begingroup$
+1 but please cite or link to a verifiable source for factual information in answers. Thanks!$endgroup$
– uhoh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
+1 but please cite or link to a verifiable source for factual information in answers. Thanks!$endgroup$
– uhoh
7 hours ago
$begingroup$
What was this nuclear device?
$endgroup$
– Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen
18 mins ago
$begingroup$
What was this nuclear device?
$endgroup$
– Thorbjørn Ravn Andersen
18 mins ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Aquarius' ascent and descent stages stayed together until reentry.
As described in this QA, the descent stage carried the majority of battery power, oxygen, and water supply. Battery power in particular was the limiting factor for Apollo 13's survival, so the descent stage had to be retained until the very last moment.
As Uwe notes, over half the descent stage fuel remained (using more could have shortened the flight, but would have landed the command module in the wrong ocean), so there was no need for the ascent stage engine.
answered 11 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
85.3k3287370
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Aquarius' ascent and descent stages stayed together until reentry.
As described in this QA, the descent stage carried the majority of battery power, oxygen, and water supply. Battery power in particular was the limiting factor for Apollo 13's survival, so the descent stage had to be retained until the very last moment.
As Uwe notes, over half the descent stage fuel remained (using more could have shortened the flight, but would have landed the command module in the wrong ocean), so there was no need for the ascent stage engine.
answered 11 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
85.3k3287370
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Aquarius' ascent and descent stages stayed together until reentry.
As described in this QA, the descent stage carried the majority of battery power, oxygen, and water supply. Battery power in particular was the limiting factor for Apollo 13's survival, so the descent stage had to be retained until the very last moment.
As Uwe notes, over half the descent stage fuel remained (using more could have shortened the flight, but would have landed the command module in the wrong ocean), so there was no need for the ascent stage engine.
answered 11 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
85.3k3287370
$endgroup$
Aquarius' ascent and descent stages stayed together until reentry.
As described in this QA, the descent stage carried the majority of battery power, oxygen, and water supply. Battery power in particular was the limiting factor for Apollo 13's survival, so the descent stage had to be retained until the very last moment.
As Uwe notes, over half the descent stage fuel remained (using more could have shortened the flight, but would have landed the command module in the wrong ocean), so there was no need for the ascent stage engine.
answered 11 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
85.3k3287370
edited 11 hours ago
answered 11 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
85.3k3287370
answered 11 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
85.3k3287370
answered 11 hours ago
Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove
85.3k3287370
85.3k3287370
add a comment |
add a comment |
TomKat is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
TomKat is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
TomKat is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
TomKat is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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4
$begingroup$
The supplies for fuel, oxygen, water and batterie power were much bigger in the descent stage than in the ascent stage. It was therefore neccessary to keep the descent stage as long as possible, not only for fuel.
$endgroup$
– Uwe
12 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
Dead weight isn't a problem if you're not manoeuvring.
$endgroup$
– JCRM
12 hours ago