Author Topic: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover  (Read 5147 times)

Offline bknight

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Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« on: April 12, 2016, 06:08:54 PM »
I looked all over the net today, looking for how many windows were in the BPC, I got lots of diagrams without any information, drawings without the same and finally pictures from different angle, but I'm not sure they covered the full circumference.

So how many windows were in the BPC?

EDIT:  This was the last search I did with diagrams.
https://www.google.com/search?q=saturn+v+boost+protective+cover&biw=1366&bih=623&tbm=isch&imgil=rmobO5jJZCBIuM%253A%253BHnyAHqm2rR-byM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.schonbok.net%25252Fjoe%25252Fnasa_saturn_v.htm&source=iu&pf=m&fir=rmobO5jJZCBIuM%253A%252CHnyAHqm2rR-byM%252C_&usg=__XPTODGXczb3Kxn5VBuC2ZgffAPc%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiMs6Cs14nMAhXH7CYKHTwtCqMQyjcINQ&ei=HjgNV4ysAcfZmwG82qiYCg#imgdii=-Hw1Hy70jLpuLM%3A%3B-Hw1Hy70jLpuLM%3A%3BwfdpCSLRQgjJJM%3A&imgrc=-Hw1Hy70jLpuLM%3A
« Last Edit: April 12, 2016, 06:10:49 PM by bknight »
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Offline ka9q

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2016, 03:10:16 AM »
Remember the exchange just after tower/BPC jettison during the Apollo 11 launch:

000:03:28 Armstrong: Houston, be advised the visual is Go today.

000:03:32 McCandless: This is Houston. Roger. Out.

000:03:36 Collins: Yeah, they finally gave me a window to look out. [Pause.]

Although the CMP normally sat in the middle seat during launch, on Apollo 11 Collins sat in the right seat and Aldrin was in the middle seat. So Collins' window was covered by the BPC.

The AFJ has this comment: [Although Armstrong as Commander has his own window through the Boost Protection Cover attached to the Launch Escape Tower, and Aldrin in the center couch can see through the hatch window above his head, Collins in the right-hand couch has had his windows covered up to this point.]



Offline bknight

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2016, 09:54:28 AM »
Ok, then make it two.
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Offline Dr_Orpheus

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #3 on: April 19, 2016, 06:43:46 PM »
How did the hatch open with the cover on?

Offline bknight

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #4 on: April 19, 2016, 06:52:36 PM »
How did the hatch open with the cover on?
Yes, crew loading was effected through open hatches, prior to launch.
Truth needs no defense.  Nobody can take those footsteps I made on the surface of the moon away from me.
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Offline BazBear

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2016, 08:57:15 PM »
How did the hatch open with the cover on?
The BPC had it's own hatch.

http://www.apollosaturn.com/boost.htm
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Offline Dr_Orpheus

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2016, 10:43:41 AM »
Thanks.

Offline bknight

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2016, 10:53:25 AM »
Thanks.

What is interesting is that the three engines of the BPC had more combined thrust than the Redstone rocket.

http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19730010175.pdf
Truth needs no defense.  Nobody can take those footsteps I made on the surface of the moon away from me.
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Offline ka9q

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2016, 02:45:16 AM »
For a very short time.

Offline bknight

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Re: Windows in the Boost Protective Cover
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2016, 08:40:12 AM »
For a very short time.

Of course the purpose was to get the capsule away from harm, not get into space.
Truth needs no defense.  Nobody can take those footsteps I made on the surface of the moon away from me.
Eugene Cernan