Echoes-From-Apollo

Apollo 9 Astronaut Conversations

 

Think about being cooped up with two other people for ten days in a space no bigger than a small walk in closet. Then think about all the personal hygiene you normally do each day/night and multiply that by three. You better have a sense of humor (or develop one fast), and the patience of Job, because you will need both to last for ten days in that cramped environment without alienating those other two people. While reviewing Apollo 9 transcripts for the 'Apollo 9 Flown Checklist for Docking and Post Docking Leading to LM Jettison' in a previous post, I came across some conversations between these heroes which demonstrated their sense of humor, and which provided a glimpse into how they dealt with some basic biological functions. They took place on day one and day six of the mission.

 

 

  

 

 

Gemini V Vintage Manual 'Operations Handbook, Spacecraft 5, Original, Section II, Controls and Displays' Dated June 25, 1965

 

This is typical of the type of item I love to collect. A bit rough around the edges and obviously used at the time, with 'R M McCafferty' printed in the upper right corner. It came in a three ring binder which had seen better days, but has 'RDMc' printed on it as shown in the picture below. As can be seen here, the manual is dated June 25th, 1965 and is divided into the following tabbed sections: 2.1 SEQUENTIAL, 2.2 ELECTRICAL, 2.3 ENVIRONMENTAL,
2.4 CONTROL, 2.5 NAVIGATION, 2.6 COMMUNICATIONS, 2.7 INSTRUMENTATION, 2.8 MISCELLANEOUS, 2.9 GLV-MDS, INDEX. 

 

 

Gemini 5, manned by Astronauts Gordon Cooper and Pete Conrad, was the third Earth-orbiting spacecraft of the Gemini Program. It launched on August 21st, 1965. The flight was designed to last eight days and test rendezvous procedures. The major objectives of this mission were to demonstrate a long-duration manned flight, evaluate the effects of long periods of weightlessness on astronauts, and test rendezvous capabilities and maneuvers using a rendezvous evaluation pod. Secondary objectives included demonstration of all phases of guidance and control systems to support rendezvous and controlled reentry guidance, to evaluate the fuel cell power system and rendezvous radar, to test the capability of either astronaut to maneuver the spacecraft in orbit to close proximity with another object, and to conduct 17 experiments.

 

This is the Foreword. Unfortunately I do not have the distribution list.

 

 

Page 2.3.4 which describes what is what on the spacesuit.

 

 

Foldout (Page 7).
What the astronauts were looking at inside the spacecraft.

 

My favorite foldout!
'Communication and Instrumentation Mission Profile'

 

 

Spacecraft 5's 'Computer Block Diagram'

 

 

'STOWAGE LIST NOTES'
  'The following items are stowed in the spacecraft' 

 

 

Parachute Landing System

 

McCafferty Pictures

In the picture below, Gus Grissom (right) and John Young (left), prime crew for the Gemini 3 mission, are shown inspecting the inside of a Gemini spacecraft at the Mission Control Center at Cape Kennedy, Florida along with a  subject identified as 'Riley McCafferty'. Based upon the research I have done I believe this is the person whose name is printed on both the manual and the binder. A google search shows a 'Riley D. McCafferty' at NASA  during this same period. As you can see on the manual, the middle initial there is 'M' not 'D', but on the binder the middle initial is 'D' not 'M'. I think there must have been a misprint by someone when the name was printed on the manual cover.

  

Below is another picture of McCafferty, this time with McDivitt,
Schweickart, Bean, Worden, and Scott. This picture
was taken shortly before the launch of Apollo 9.
McCafferty was 'Chief of Flight Crew Operations MSC' at the time of this picture. 

 

 

Gemini V Flown Page 'Gemini V Experimental Procedure Book'

 

Here is my flown page from the 'Gemini V Experimental Procedure Book'. Gordon Cooper was the Command Pilot and Pete Conrad was the Pilot on Gemini V. It was an eight day mission. The backup to Cooper was Neil Armstrong and the backup for Conrad was Elliott See. It looks like the astronauts themselves may have put this together! The 'UHF' tab is attached to this page with a piece of clear tape. It also appears that someone punched two sets of holes on the left side as can be seen in the pictures. The dark shaded  area on the left side is tape. This page, under number '3', directs the  'PILOT' (Conrad) to 'SWITCH FROM THE RNTY ANTENNA TO THE ADPT ANTENNA EVERY 20 SECONDS' and to 'REPORT EACH ANTENNA SWITCHING'. It also references 'TESTS NO'S 3 & 4' and 'TEST NO. 5'/'SEA LAB II COMM'. There are also transcript/mission report pages below that document the conversations of the astronauts while they were performing these tests/tasks.

 

 FRONT

BACK

 

Here is the photocopied LOA for the 
'Gemini V Experimental Procedure Book'
which this page came from.  

 

The below 'MISSION COMMENTARY TRANSCRIPT" pages dated 8/23/65, document Conrads' conversations as he switches between the 'RNTY ANTENNA' (reentry) and 'ADPT ANTENNA' (adapter) as directed by the above procedure page. There is some good humored conversation between Astronaut Jim McDivitt (acting as 'Houston Cap Com'), Conrad, and Cooper during this antenna switching in which McDivitt complains that Conrad talks a lot. In response, Conrad makes up a song and sings it to McDivitt.

The below 'MISSION COMMENTARY TRANSCRIPT' pages dated 8/29/65, document the conversation between Cooper and fellow astronaut Scott Carpenter while Carpenter is 200 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California in SEA LAB as per 'TEST NO. 5'/'SEA LAB II COMM' in the procedure page. Carpenter tells Cooper he is 'transmitting from 200 feet down off La Jolla' (CA). As the transcript shows, See is the lead in for the conversation between the crew of Gemini V and Carpenter in SEA LAB. In 1966, See would die in a plane crash in the St. Louis area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the cover page of the
'GEMINI PROGRAM MISSION REPORT' for
'GEMINI V', where pages 5-10 and 5-11 below came from.   

 

Page 5-10 below describes the antenna switching test in more detail. The reason for switching between the UHF reentry antenna and the adapter-mounted UHF antenna at twenty second intervals was to see which 'was more suitable for use in certain orbital conditions such as drifting flight or low elevation-angle station passes'.

 

Page 5-11 below references UHF tests 3 and 4 as per the
above procedure page.

 The below picture shows Gemini V lifting off. The procedure page in my possession was actually in that capsule with those brave astronauts at that exact time. It still amazes me when I think about it. Now this procedure book page is in my home! Thank God that America had (and still has) brave men like the ones that were inside that capsule so many years ago. 

 

 

The below is a picture of Conrad and Cooper after splashdown of Gemini V. They just look like a couple of  guys I would have loved to have had a beer with! A couple of true American heroes. From Cooper and Conrad to Pelosi and Obama in less than a generation! Definitely not a move in the right direction for the future of not only the space program, but also the nation.