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Apollo 11 Lunar Lander Pre-Launch

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jr Knowing:
Hi, I would like to get everyone's thoughts on the Lunar Lander pre-launch. NASA doesn't provide a lot of documentation of the LM just prior to Apollo 11's launch. For instance, there appears to be no pictures or video of the Lunar module being inserted into the Saturn stage. (you would think this would be important to document) But there are some NASA photos of the Lunar Module just prior to insertion and post insertion as it is about to be mated to another Saturn stage. 

Here is a NASA photo of the LM post production being moved to assembly. 

And here is a NASA photo of the LM inserted in the stage as it is being lifted to be mated with another Saturn stage.
 
What is evident with these pictures is the fact the LM looks significantly different from the LM seen in space and on the moon's surface. It is missing many features such as the black and copper insulation. It is also missing the RCS plume deflectors. Even the ladder is taped differently. The undercarriage of the LM in the photo where it has already been inserted in the Saturn is completely different from the LM seen in space. Not only are the legs black and not wrapped, the underside frame is completely lacking any of the black and copper insulation. 

How was all this changed once the LM was already in the Saturn? It had a complete makeover. Even plume deflectors were added. These are not cosmetic changes. The plumes were large and had to be attached firmly and accurately. Are we to believe all these changes were done on the pad? There are one or two references that seem to suggest this is what happened. Anything is possible but this doesn't seem very plausible. Yes there is a small hatch on the Saturn stage that housed the LM, but inside was extremely tight and dark. (photos of the separation stage in space shows very little room inside the stage that housed the LM) How they added all the coverings let alone the plume deflectors escapes me. Furthermore they were desperate to cut weight to the point, I believe, they were offering contractors $50k for every pound they could shave off. And yet they go to the launch pad last second and add all this. It defies reason. The deflectors were never tested but they were added in the dark on the launch pad? The deflectors, themselves, are very problematic. You have rocket thrust literally trusting back onto the vehicle. How the ship (any ship for that matter) does not go into an uncontrolled spin is a miracle. There is even a MIT paper published in 1969 suggesting the deflectors would cause the craft to go into an uncontrolled spin in any situation short of perfect conditions. And perfect conditions would require a perfectly balanced/weighted ship and perfectly equal and timed trusts on opposite sides. Conditions they felt were not possible. Given, I believe, the Apollo 11 mission used the thrusters 3-4000 times up to 30 seconds at a time it seems truly remarkable the craft remained stable as the engines thrust back into the craft. In any event, I would love to hear people's thoughts on these issues. (and btw are there any vehicle/craft out there that thrusts back on itself like the LM?) Thanks.

Obviousman:
I don't know about there. There seems to be a bit about:







That's just Apollo 10. And there are lots more:

http://www.apolloarchive.com/apollo_gallery.html

And the LMs do look like the ones in the images. You do know that each LM looked alittle different, don't you?

https://www.apollomaniacs.com/apollo/lme.htm

onebigmonkey:
The ALSJ also has a section on vehicle assembly for each mission, eg:

https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/images11.html#Vehicle

If you're serious about the subject I can heartily recommend "Countdown to a moon launch", which details bit by bit what was done to get the complete launch vehicle to the pad:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Countdown-Moon-Launch-Preparing-Historic/dp/3319177915/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1544647045&sr=1-1&keywords=countdown+to+a+moon+launch

I haven't found a specific reference to the plume deflectors, but there is a description of ground crews working to install and check equipment on the LM once in place inside the Saturn - accessed via a hatch in the SLA, and the difficult and cramped conditions under which they worked.

jr Knowing:
Hi Obviousman,

There are many photos of the LM in production. I am not disputing that. There are few post production photos in the assembly area. And if you look closely at the photo (I recommend you download a hi resolution photo) I attached with the LM inserted in the Saturn stage you will see the undercarriage and legs do not resemble the LM in the photos seen in space or on the moon's surface.

onebigmonkey:
This page I have just scanned from the book I mention above has two interesting pictures.

Firstly it shows the LM mated with the rest of the Saturn prior to the upper SLA covering it up. There is evidently room to work on the LM there, although the LM was not apparently exposed for long.

Secondly, it shows the arrangement of working platforms inside the SLA once that has been mated with the rest of the rocket.

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