This article is about the Apollo mission. For the aircraft, see FFA AS-202 Bravo.
AS-202 (also referred to as SA-202) was the second uncrewed, suborbital test flight of a production Block I Apollo command and service module launched with the Saturn IB launch vehicle. It was launched on August 25, 1966, and was the first flight which included the spacecraft guidance, navigation control system and fuel cells. The success of this flight enabled the Apollo program to judge the Block I spacecraft and Saturn IB ready to carry men into orbit on the next mission, AS-204.
AS-202 was the third test flight of the Saturn IB, because a delay in the readiness of the Apollo spacecraft 011 pushed its launch past the July 1966 launch of AS-203. It was designed to test the rocket more than had been done on AS-201 by launching the rocket higher and having the flight lasting twice as long. It would also test the command and service module (CSM-011) by having the engine fire four times during the flight.
The flight was also designed to test the heat shield by subjecting it to 260 megajoules per square meter. Over the course of the reentry it generated equivalent energy needed to power Los Angeles for over one minute in 1966.[citation needed]
CSM-011 was basically a production model capable of carrying a crew. However it lacked the crew couches and some displays that would be included on later missions for the astronauts. This was the first flight of the guidance and navigation system as well as the fuel cell electrical system.
Flight
AS-202 was launched 25 August 1966 from Pad 34. The launch phase was perfectly nominal with the first stage burning for just under two and a half minutes, lifting the rocket to an altitude of 31.4 nautical miles (58.2 km), 30.4 nautical miles (56.3 km) downrange from the launch pad. The second stage then burned for a further seven and a half minutes, putting the spacecraft into a ballistic trajectory. The CSM was separated from the rocket stage at an altitude of 419.8 nautical miles (777.5 km).
The CSM was preprogrammed to make four burns of its service propulsion system (SPS). The first occurred a couple of seconds after separation from the S-IVB second stage. It burned for 3 minutes, 35 seconds, lifting the spacecraft apogee to 617.1 nautical miles (1,142.9 km), 874.8 nautical miles (1,620.1 km) downrange.
The second burn was 25 minutes later, lasting one minute 28 seconds. Ten seconds later, two more burns of three seconds each were done to test the rapid restart capabilities of the engine.
The command module entered the atmosphere at a speed of 28,512 feet per second (8,690 m/s). The spacecraft performed a skip reentry, first descending to 36 nautical miles (67 km), then lifting back up to 44 nautical miles (81 km). By this time it had shed 4,300 feet per second (1,300 m/s) of speed. It then continued to descend. The main parachutes deployed at 23,790 feet (7,250 m). It splashed down at 16.12° N - 168.9° E, 205 nautical miles (380 km) from the target landing site, and the aircraft carrierUSS Hornet took 8 hours and 30 minutes to reach the capsule (SouthEast of Wake Island).
Staging footage
Footage showing the separation of two stages of the Saturn IB rocket. The S-IVB pulls away from the spent S-IB, and the latter falls to Earth.
AS-202 was one of three uncrewed Apollo missions which obtained notable close-up footage of a Saturn rocket during staging, the others being Apollo 4 and Apollo 6. Ejectable cameras were mounted to each launch vehicle, technology first developed for the Saturn I.[1] On AS-202, a camera was mounted to the Saturn IB vehicle's first stage, the S-IB, looking forward. It captured footage of the vehicle's second stage, the S-IVB (200 series) pulling away and firing its single J-2 engine.[2] The upper stage is identifiable by its firing of three ullage motors; a later iteration of the S-IVB, the 500 series, had only two ullage motors, and was that used on Saturn V launches.[3][4]
Although the footage was captured during an uncrewed flight, it is frequently used as stock footage in documentaries of crewed flights, to illustrate staging.[3] The footage was used in the documentary film Apollo 11, and is sometimes erroneously attributed to Apollo 11, or other crewed missions.
^Oleszewski, Wes (2019). "Ejectable camera pods". Apollo Flight Journal.
^Saunders, Andy. Apollo Remastered: The Ultimate Photographic Record. Black Dog and Leventhal. p. 30. ISBN9780762480241.
^ abWoods, David; O'Brien, Frank. "Apollo 8, Day 1: Launch and Ascent to Earth Orbit". Apollo Flight Journal.
^LePage, Andrew (August 25, 2016). "AS-202: The Last Test Flight Before Apollo 1". Drew Ex Machina.
^"Permanent Exhibits". USS Hornet museum. December 8, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2016. the Apollo Command Module – CM-011. It was used for the uncrewed mission AS-202 on August 26, 1966
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to AS-202.
Postlaunch report for mission AS-202 (Apollo spacecraft 011) – Oct 1966 NASA (PDF format)
this, article, about, apollo, mission, aircraft, bravo, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspa. This article is about the Apollo mission For the aircraft see FFA AS 202 Bravo This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources AS 202 news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2016 Learn how and when to remove this template message AS 202 also referred to as SA 202 was the second uncrewed suborbital test flight of a production Block I Apollo command and service module launched with the Saturn IB launch vehicle It was launched on August 25 1966 and was the first flight which included the spacecraft guidance navigation control system and fuel cells The success of this flight enabled the Apollo program to judge the Block I spacecraft and Saturn IB ready to carry men into orbit on the next mission AS 204 AS 202Launch of AS 202Mission typeSuborbital test flightOperatorNASAMission duration1 hour 33 minutes 2 secondsRange25 700 kilometers 13 900 nautical miles Apogee1 142 9 kilometers 617 1 nautical miles Spacecraft propertiesSpacecraftApollo CSM 011ManufacturerNorth American AviationLaunch mass20 091 kilograms 44 294 lb Start of missionLaunch dateAugust 25 1966 17 15 32 1966 08 25UTC17 15 32Z UTCRocketSaturn IBLaunch siteCape Kennedy LC 34End of missionRecovered byUSS HornetLanding dateAugust 25 1966 18 48 34 1966 08 25UTC18 48 35Z UTCLanding siteNorth Pacific Ocean16 07 N 168 54 E 16 117 N 168 900 E 16 117 168 900 AS 202 splashdown Apollo program AS 203Apollo 1 Contents 1 Objectives 2 Flight 3 Staging footage 4 Museum display 5 References 6 External linksObjectives EditAS 202 was the third test flight of the Saturn IB because a delay in the readiness of the Apollo spacecraft 011 pushed its launch past the July 1966 launch of AS 203 It was designed to test the rocket more than had been done on AS 201 by launching the rocket higher and having the flight lasting twice as long It would also test the command and service module CSM 011 by having the engine fire four times during the flight The flight was also designed to test the heat shield by subjecting it to 260 megajoules per square meter Over the course of the reentry it generated equivalent energy needed to power Los Angeles for over one minute in 1966 citation needed CSM 011 was basically a production model capable of carrying a crew However it lacked the crew couches and some displays that would be included on later missions for the astronauts This was the first flight of the guidance and navigation system as well as the fuel cell electrical system Flight EditAS 202 was launched 25 August 1966 from Pad 34 The launch phase was perfectly nominal with the first stage burning for just under two and a half minutes lifting the rocket to an altitude of 31 4 nautical miles 58 2 km 30 4 nautical miles 56 3 km downrange from the launch pad The second stage then burned for a further seven and a half minutes putting the spacecraft into a ballistic trajectory The CSM was separated from the rocket stage at an altitude of 419 8 nautical miles 777 5 km The CSM was preprogrammed to make four burns of its service propulsion system SPS The first occurred a couple of seconds after separation from the S IVB second stage It burned for 3 minutes 35 seconds lifting the spacecraft apogee to 617 1 nautical miles 1 142 9 km 874 8 nautical miles 1 620 1 km downrange The second burn was 25 minutes later lasting one minute 28 seconds Ten seconds later two more burns of three seconds each were done to test the rapid restart capabilities of the engine The command module entered the atmosphere at a speed of 28 512 feet per second 8 690 m s The spacecraft performed a skip reentry first descending to 36 nautical miles 67 km then lifting back up to 44 nautical miles 81 km By this time it had shed 4 300 feet per second 1 300 m s of speed It then continued to descend The main parachutes deployed at 23 790 feet 7 250 m It splashed down at 16 12 N 168 9 E 205 nautical miles 380 km from the target landing site and the aircraft carrier USS Hornet took 8 hours and 30 minutes to reach the capsule SouthEast of Wake Island Staging footage Edit source source source source source source source source source source source source source source Footage showing the separation of two stages of the Saturn IB rocket The S IVB pulls away from the spent S IB and the latter falls to Earth AS 202 was one of three uncrewed Apollo missions which obtained notable close up footage of a Saturn rocket during staging the others being Apollo 4 and Apollo 6 Ejectable cameras were mounted to each launch vehicle technology first developed for the Saturn I 1 On AS 202 a camera was mounted to the Saturn IB vehicle s first stage the S IB looking forward It captured footage of the vehicle s second stage the S IVB 200 series pulling away and firing its single J 2 engine 2 The upper stage is identifiable by its firing of three ullage motors a later iteration of the S IVB the 500 series had only two ullage motors and was that used on Saturn V launches 3 4 Although the footage was captured during an uncrewed flight it is frequently used as stock footage in documentaries of crewed flights to illustrate staging 3 The footage was used in the documentary film Apollo 11 and is sometimes erroneously attributed to Apollo 11 or other crewed missions Museum display Edit AS 202 CM 011 exhibited on USS Hornet The capsule is currently on display aboard USS Hornet 5 The ship is open to the public as the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda California References Edit Oleszewski Wes 2019 Ejectable camera pods Apollo Flight Journal Saunders Andy Apollo Remastered The Ultimate Photographic Record Black Dog and Leventhal p 30 ISBN 9780762480241 a b Woods David O Brien Frank Apollo 8 Day 1 Launch and Ascent to Earth Orbit Apollo Flight Journal LePage Andrew August 25 2016 AS 202 The Last Test Flight Before Apollo 1 Drew Ex Machina Permanent Exhibits USS Hornet museum December 8 2015 Retrieved October 22 2016 the Apollo Command Module CM 011 It was used for the uncrewed mission AS 202 on August 26 1966External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to AS 202 Postlaunch report for mission AS 202 Apollo spacecraft 011 Oct 1966 NASA PDF format NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive Moonport A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations http www hq nasa gov office pao History SP 4204 cover html Chariots for Apollo A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft http www hq nasa gov office pao History SP 4205 cover html AS 202 Press Kit https web archive org web 20031205112335 http www apollosaturn com as202 as202con htm This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title AS 202 amp oldid 1142221884, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
