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EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM ALSEP LUNAR SURFACE OPERATIONS

EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM ALSEP LUNAR SURFACE OPERATIONS. H. Kent Hills Perot Systems Government Services.

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EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM ALSEP LUNAR SURFACE OPERATIONS

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  1. EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNED FROM ALSEP LUNAR SURFACE OPERATIONS H. Kent Hills Perot Systems Government Services

  2. 1. Dust is a problem for moving things, including people, but doesn't appear to be so for instruments. ALSEPs lasted for several years, with little apparent degradation of thermal control coatings. No way to evaluate levitated or blown dust. Surveyor didn't seem sandblasted.2. Limited mobility/agility of suited astronaut (bulky gloves, boots, helmet, suit).3. Potentially limited visibility/accessibility into dark recess between instruments on stowage pallet.4. Limited field of view of astronaut. Apollo used UHT Universal Handling Tool) for handling and for mounting bolt release.5. Apollo used built-in bubble levels, and painted arrow pointing toward or away from East. Astronauts were quite careful and able to level within limits given on bubble level. Photographed after deployment.6. Ordinary cables get stiff and springy from the cold. Flat ribbon cables were mainly used.7. 1/6 G, but mass and spring constant are same as on earth; dust cover will open quickly on moon.8. Ideally, monitor instrument output closely in real-time for first lunation at least; watch for unusual o peration. Also watch for events/results for early reports to press.

  3. 9. Consider possible commands to instrument. Consider all possible scenarios and sequences of events: (low power; night-time thermostatic heater; automatic commands sent by CS in case of low power ["standby" would turn ALSEP instrument ON if it was OFF]; controller commands sent to reset auto-OFF timer.10. Don't forget signal transit time.11. Static electricity didn't bother the release of a feather dropped from glove on Apollo 15. 12. Rapid heating and cooling at sunrise/sunset/eclipses.13. Contingency planning: What if a leg breaks off? (break off others and deploy?) What if dust cover doesn't open? (If HV on, won't want astronaut near it) What mode to command if part of the instrument fails? Get better results if time has been taken beforehand to consider implications of certain actions.14. Apollo held numerous simulation exercises where various things were simulated anomalous or failed.15. Communication: can't talk directly to crew; go through CAPCOM, but probably can't talk directly to him/her either, without talking to an intermediary first. Can listen to crew conversation. Apollo had multiple communication circuits -- could select several to listen to simultaneously, and separately select what to transmit on.16. Register the current operating mode (not just the commands sent), and insert into TM stream.

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