Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z

---

More Details for 1965-06-28

---

John H. Disher, Director of the OMSF Apollo Test Office, stressed two broad areas open to concern in the Apollo spacecraft heatshield development program.

- structural integrity, and

- flight-test confirmation of the Block II design.

The structural integrity question centered around the following problems: welding, ablative material integrity, and impact strength.

MSC had planned to qualify the Block II heatshield by flight tests of modified Block I spacecraft 017 and 020. Some of the Block II changes could not be incorporated into modified Block I spacecraft in time to meet the current schedule and limitations of facilities would not permit full evaluation of all modifications by ground testing.

Disher suggested to Apollo Program Director Samuel C. Phillips that ASPO Manager Joseph Shea be asked to present physical descriptions of the Block I and Block II heatshields, and interim versions as applied to specific spacecraft, as well as the test plan that would ensure adequacy of heatshields to meet mission requirements. Memorandum, Disher to Phillips, "Apollo Spacecraft Heat Shield," June 28, 1965.

MSC directed North American to design the CM to store one integrated thermal meteoroid garment (TMG), rather than merely the thermal covering alone. The crewmen would carry the TMG into the LEM for use during extravehicular operations.