LRO Photos and the LEM Descent Stage

Greg_in_CO · 19th July 2009, 04:38 PM

The photos NASA posted late last week that the LRO took of the Apollo landing sites are amazing.

What was the eventual fate of the ascent stages after the two astronauts boarded the Command Module?

casebro · 19th July 2009, 05:34 PM

Orbit until it crashed into the moon. But with almost no atmosphere to slow it down,it would hit at a slight angle to the ground, skidding a long ways. Maybe even bounce back up, like a skipping stone?

I assume it already has, but might be wrong. The uinitial orbital speed we enogu that the command module was in a stable orbit, stable for a few days anyhow?

DogB · 19th July 2009, 06:03 PM

Without looking it up I'm pretty sure they were deliberatly crashed as a calibration tool for the ALSEP seismometers.

Even if they weren't the mascons make long term orbit stability unlikely and you can bet that they wouldn't have lasted more than a few months.

geni · 19th July 2009, 06:33 PM

Apollo 11 ascent stage was left in orbit and probably crashed into the moon after a few months.

Greg_in_CO · 19th July 2009, 06:46 PM

Thanks for the responses. I figured that little blast to get the ascent stage off the lunar surface wasn't enough to keep it there for long!

shadron · 19th July 2009, 07:01 PM

According to wiki:

Quote:

After rendezvous with Columbia, Eagle's ascent stage was jettisoned into lunar orbit at July 21, 1969 at 23:41 UT (7:41 PM EDT). Just before the Apollo 12 flight, it was noted that Eagle was still likely to be orbiting the moon. Later NASA reports mentioned that Eagle's orbit had decayed resulting in it impacting in an "uncertain location" on the lunar surface.[37] The location is uncertain because the Eagle ascent stage was not tracked after it was jettisoned and the lunar gravity field is sufficiently uncertain to make the orbit of the spacecraft virtually unpredictable after a short time. NASA estimated that the orbit had decayed within months and would have impacted on the Moon.

Then, again, from http://www.sln.org/pieces/schutte/LMintro2.html this:

Quote:

Where are these Lunar Modules now? The Apollo Command Module Capsules are on display at various sites throughout the U.S. and the world. The Apollo Lunar Modules were deliberately targeted to impact (crash into) the Moon to provide artificial moonquake sources for seismic experiments.Impact Sites have been recorded and coordinates listed are from the Manned Space Flight Network. Apollo - Current Locations gives the locations of the any Apollo crafts on displays and the LM crash sites. (http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary...apolloloc.html)

Perhaps they are both right. The former is in the article on Apollo11 only, and the latter says the LM location is unknown.

geni · 20th July 2009, 10:37 AM

see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ts_on_the_Moon

For the various bits and pices that have ended up on the moon.

Greg_in_CO · 23rd July 2009, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by geni

see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ts_on_the_Moon

For the various bits and pices that have ended up on the moon.

Thanks for the link. I've gotta get in touch with Andy Griffith so we can start building that space-garbage truck so we can fly up there and Salvage all the cool stuff

19th July 2009, 04:38 PM	#1
Greg_in_CO Scholar Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Between the land and the sky Posts: 107	LRO Photos and the LEM Descent Stage The photos NASA posted late last week that the LRO took of the Apollo landing sites are amazing. What was the eventual fate of the ascent stages after the two astronauts boarded the Command Module?

19th July 2009, 05:34 PM	#2
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,787	Orbit until it crashed into the moon. But with almost no atmosphere to slow it down,it would hit at a slight angle to the ground, skidding a long ways. Maybe even bounce back up, like a skipping stone? I assume it already has, but might be wrong. The uinitial orbital speed we enogu that the command module was in a stable orbit, stable for a few days anyhow?
casebro Philosopher Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 6,787	__________________ Please pardon me for having ideas, not facts. Some have called me cynical, but I don't believe them. It's not how many breaths you take. It's how many times you have been breathless that counts.

19th July 2009, 06:03 PM	#3
DogB Graduate Poster Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,496	Without looking it up I'm pretty sure they were deliberatly crashed as a calibration tool for the ALSEP seismometers. Even if they weren't the mascons make long term orbit stability unlikely and you can bet that they wouldn't have lasted more than a few months.
DogB Graduate Poster Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,496	__________________ The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts. - Bertrand Russell

19th July 2009, 07:01 PM	#6
shadron Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 5,717	According to wiki: Quote: After rendezvous with Columbia, Eagle's ascent stage was jettisoned into lunar orbit at July 21, 1969 at 23:41 UT (7:41 PM EDT). Just before the Apollo 12 flight, it was noted that Eagle was still likely to be orbiting the moon. Later NASA reports mentioned that Eagle's orbit had decayed resulting in it impacting in an "uncertain location" on the lunar surface.[37] The location is uncertain because the Eagle ascent stage was not tracked after it was jettisoned and the lunar gravity field is sufficiently uncertain to make the orbit of the spacecraft virtually unpredictable after a short time. NASA estimated that the orbit had decayed within months and would have impacted on the Moon. Then, again, from http://www.sln.org/pieces/schutte/LMintro2.html this: Quote: Where are these Lunar Modules now? The Apollo Command Module Capsules are on display at various sites throughout the U.S. and the world. The Apollo Lunar Modules were deliberately targeted to impact (crash into) the Moon to provide artificial moonquake sources for seismic experiments.Impact Sites have been recorded and coordinates listed are from the Manned Space Flight Network. Apollo - Current Locations gives the locations of the any Apollo crafts on displays and the LM crash sites. (http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary...apolloloc.html) Perhaps they are both right. The former is in the article on Apollo11 only, and the latter says the LM location is unknown.
	Last edited by shadron; 19th July 2009 at 07:09 PM.

19th July 2009, 06:33 PM	#4
geni Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: UK Posts: 26,555	Apollo 11 ascent stage was left in orbit and probably crashed into the moon after a few months.

19th July 2009, 06:46 PM	#5
Greg_in_CO Scholar Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Between the land and the sky Posts: 107	Thanks for the responses. I figured that little blast to get the ascent stage off the lunar surface wasn't enough to keep it there for long!

20th July 2009, 10:37 AM	#7
geni Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: UK Posts: 26,555	see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ts_on_the_Moon For the various bits and pices that have ended up on the moon.

23rd July 2009, 10:07 AM	#8
Greg_in_CO Scholar Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Between the land and the sky Posts: 107	Originally Posted by geni see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ts_on_the_Moon For the various bits and pices that have ended up on the moon. Thanks for the link. I've gotta get in touch with Andy Griffith so we can start building that space-garbage truck so we can fly up there and Salvage all the cool stuff