Episodes Tagged with "Vance Brand"

Nov 14

Space Rocket History #278 – Apollo 13 – Leaving the Moon – Part 1

Posted on November 14, 2018

Lovell’s disappointment with Kranz’s decision to not run another star check was quickly becoming academic since the time to conduct it was running out anyway.

P3-Heading home

p2-Apollo 13’s view from Aquarius as it rounds the Moon, with the Command Module at right. Credit- NASA:Johnson Space Center.

P1-On April 14th 1970, the Apollo 13 Saturn IVB upper stage impacted the moon north of Mare Cognitum

Tagged:Haise, Kranz, Lovell, Swigert, Vance Brand

Dec 12

Space Rocket History #281 – Apollo 13 – Homeward Bound

Posted on December 12, 2018

There was now cause for optimism in Mission Control. At the TELMU station, where the Lunar Module’s environmental signs were being continually monitored, the readings of the carbon dioxide concentrations aboard Aquarius were steadily dropping all day...

P3-Apollo 13 taken while coming home

P2-Brand (standing right) during Apollo 13 crisis (April 1970)

Jack

Tagged:Griffin, Haise, Lovell, Swigert, Vance Brand

Dec 19

Space Rocket History #282 – Apollo 13 – Battery #2

Posted on December 19, 2018

At the manned spacecraft center in Houston, Don Arabian was in Building 45 when battery number two in Aquarius’ descent stage exploded.

P3-Don Arabian

P3- donarabian2014

P-2 LM Power system

P-1 She tank

Tagged:Battery 2, Don Arabian, James A Mcdivitt, Lovell, Mer, Mission Evaluation Room, Vance Brand

Dec 26

Space Rocket History #283 – Apollo 13 – Encouragement from the President

Posted on December 26, 2018

In the White House, President Nixon was very concerned for the Apollo 13 crew. Since Apollo 8’s successful lunar orbit, just one month before his inauguration, Nixon had developed a fascination with moon flight and a special admiration for the crew o...

P3-apollo8-crew

P2-Lovell Family2

P1-Nixon Phone Call

Tagged:Haise, Jack Swigert, Lovell, Marilyn Lovell, Nixon, Vance Brand

Nov 2

Space Rocket History #401 – Skylab – Training Part 1

Posted on November 2, 2022

Aside from physically training for the longest crewed missions that the United States had ever attempted, the actual training program was developed simultaneously with the hardware and experiments for the mission.

2-Pete Conrad Training

3-PeteTrainingMDA in Skylab Trainer Jsc

1-Skylab2PrelaunchTraining

Tagged:Bean, Carr, Conrad, Ed Gibson, Garriott, Gene Kranz, Lousma, Phil Shaffer, Pogue, Shepard, Skylab, Slayton, Story Musgrave, Tony England, Training, Vance Brand, Weitz

Nov 16

Space Rocket History #402 – Skylab – Training Part 2

Posted on November 16, 2022

The backup crew and some support crew participated in an interesting rescue scenario with 2 astronauts flying to Skylab to take back the crew of 3 onboard Skylab. This would mean 5 astronauts returning to earth in the command module.

1-Neutral_Buoyancy_Simulator_upper_level

3-3rdCrewMissionTrainingatJSC

2-GibsonATM

Tagged:Bean, Carr, Conrad, Don L Lind, Ed Gibson, Garriott, Shepard, Skylab, Slayton, Training, Vance Brand, Weitz

May 17

Space Rocket History #414 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Rescue Mission Part 1

Posted on May 17, 2023

“I think for me that was probably the low point of the mission because it threatened our ability to get our job done, and I wasn’t willing to come home. I’ve never been afraid of space, but that was a fear that I had (losing the mission) more than a...

P1-Skylab_rescue_cm

P2-Vance Brand and Don Lind, the crew for the unflown Skylab Rescue mission-Skylab_rescue_crew

P3-Multiple Docking Adapter

Tagged:Al Bean, Don Lind, Jack Lousma, Multiple Docking Adapter, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Thruster, Vance Brand

Jun 1

Space Rocket History #415 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – Rescue Mission Part 2

Posted on June 1, 2023

“Near the end of our preparation period, management said; Well, we believe, we can do this, now let’s set about to see how we can get them down without expending the resources for a rescue mission. So just overnight we changed goals.” Vance Brand

P1-Patch

P3-Garriott

P2-CripCSM

Tagged:Al Bean, Don Lind, Jack Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Slayton, Thruster, Tom Stafford, Vance Brand

Aug 10

Space Rocket History #420 – Skylab – Skylab 3 – De-orbit, Re-entry, & Splashdown

Posted on August 10, 2023

“The thing I remember about reentry was not positioning some RCS switches correctly. We got behind and Owen could not read my notes in the checklist because of the limited space (and my ‘unique’ penmanship). I said, ‘Give me the book, and I’ll reconf...

P2-splashdown-of-skylab-3-nasascience-photo-library

P3-Skylab_3_Command_Module_following_its_splashdown_in_the_Pacific_Ocean

P1-Skylab_3_parachute_deployment

Tagged:Al Bean, Don Lind, Helen Garriott, Jack Lousma, Owen Garriott, Skylab, Skylab 3, Vance Brand, Wally Schirra

Jan 19

Space Rocket History #431 – Skylab – Skylab 5 & Skylab B

Posted on January 19, 2024

Early in the planning stages of the Skylab flight, there was a desire to keep it in orbit long enough to use it as the core of a larger station.

P2-Skylab B Smith

P3-Saturn V Houston

P1-S5 Crew Brand, Lenoir, Lind

Tagged:Apollo 18, Apollo 19, Don Lind, Lenoir, Saturn V, Skylab, Skylab 5, Skylab B, Vance Brand

Feb 2

Space Rocket History #432 – Skylab – Reboost

Posted on February 2, 2024

The official decision to proceed with the Skylab reboost mission was made on September 1st 1977, initiating a two-year preparation period for the development and production of the required hardware and systems.

P2-Teleoperator_Retrieval_System_with_Shuttle

P3-STS-3_launchMarc

P1-Teleoperator_Retrieval_System

Tagged:Apollo 18, Fred Haise, Jack Lousma, President Carter, Robert Frosh, Skylab, Space Shuttle, Sts 3, Teleoperator Retrieval System, Vance Brand

Feb 18

Space Rocket History #433 – Skylab – Crashdown

Posted on February 18, 2024

Despite predictions, events seldom occur precisely as expected. The calculated breakup altitude of Skylab was based on its intended structural strength specifications. However, the actual vehicle was stronger than the specified strength requirements.

P3-skylab-reentry-impact-map

P2-OGarriott_Skylab_OxygenTank

P1-skylab_reentry_mcc_jul_11_1979_s79-34355

Tagged:Australia, Charles Harlan, Ed Gibson, Esperance, Garriott, Hans Kennel, Iss, Joe Kerwin, Kraft, Norad, Perth, Robert Frosh, Skylab, Space Shuttle, Teleoperator Retrieval System, Vance Brand

Dec 20

Space Rocket History #454 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Astronauts & Cosmonauts

Posted on December 20, 2024

For the first time, the Soviet Union publicly announced the crew assignments for a Soyuz mission before the flight. Previously, cosmonaut identities were kept secret until after their flights.

P1-ac

P3-Rest stop during trip from Star City to Moscow provides crewmen with a chance for a snowball fight November 1973

P2- ASTPmockat 73Paris

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Astp, Bushuyev, Deke Slaton, George Low, Glynn Lunney, Ilya Lavrov, Leonov, Makarov, Petrov, Robert Gilruth, Tom Stafford, Valeriy Kubasov, Vance Brand, Vasily Lazarev, Yeliseyev

Jan 10

Space Rocket History #455 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Spacecraft Orientation

Posted on January 10, 2025

The American astronauts acknowledged the necessity of enhancing their Russian language proficiency. They observed that their Russian counterparts, had demonstrated a remarkable commitment to learning English, dedicating 6 to 8 hours each day to indiv...

P2-Spacecraft Simulators at Star City

P1-Interior view of environmental control system

P3-Docking systems installed on a simulator

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Astp, Bob Overmyer, Bushuyev, Deke Slaton, George Low, Glynn Lunney, Ilya Lavrov, Leonov, Makarov, Petrov, Robert Gilruth, Ron Evans, Tom Stafford, Valeriy Kubasov, Vance Brand, Vasily Lazarev, Vladimir Shatalov, Yeliseyev

Mar 28

Space Rocket History #460 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Light the Candles

Posted on March 28, 2025

Reports from Baykonur indicated that the weather was perfect for the launch: clear skies, light winds, and hot July sunshine.

P3-ASTP

p1-LeonovKubasov

P2-Soyuz launch

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Astp, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Baykonur, Bushuyev, Chet Lee, Chris Kraft, Deke Slaton, George Low, Glynn Lunney, James Fletcher, Jesse Gulick, John Yardley, Jsc, Ksc, Leonov, Max Faget, Proxmire, Tom Stafford, Vance Brand, Vasily Lazarev

Apr 11

Space Rocket History #461 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Rendezvous

Posted on April 11, 2025

CapCom Truly radioed at 10:46 with the go-ahead: “I’ve got two messages for you: Moscow is go for docking; Houston is go for docking. It’s up to you guys. Have fun.”

P3-AI Generated Image of Apollo Soyuz docke

P2-Improperly installed connector on the docking latch

P1-separated from the s-ivb

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Astp, Ats 6, Baykonur, Bob Crippen, Bushuyev, Chet Lee, Chris Kraft, Deke Slaton, Dzani Bek Ov, Farouk El Baz, George Low, Glynn Lunney, James Fletcher, Jsc, Karol Bobko, Ksc, Kubasov, Leonov, Nell Hutchinson, Pyotr Klimuk, Sevastyanov, Tom Stafford, Truly, Vance Brand

Apr 25

Space Rocket History #462 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Handshake

Posted on April 25, 2025

On July 17, 1975, orbiting in space high above the French city of Metz, the American and Russian commanders shook hands. Their conversation, a mix of personal and technical remarks, reflected a casual familiarity, reminiscent of their simulator train...

P2-friendship

P3-handshake

P1-Apollo-Soyuz-handshake

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Astp, Ats 6, Baykonur, Brezhnev, Bushuyev, Deke Slaton, Dzani Bek Ov, Ford, George Low, Glynn Lunney, James Fletcher, Jsc, Ksc, Kubasov, Leonov, Nell Hutchinson, Pyotr Klimuk, Sevastyanov, Tom Stafford, Truly, Vance Brand

May 9

Space Rocket History #463 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Joint Operations

Posted on May 9, 2025

“I had thoughts I couldn’t express at the time. It felt like we weren’t just opening a hatch in space, but opening the door to a new era on Earth.” Tom Stafford.

P2-A-S-Eclipse

P3-AS second docking

P1-Eclipse

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Astp, Baykonur, Bobko, Deke Slaton, Detente, Glynn Lunney, Goddard, John F Kennedy, Jsc, Ksc, Kubasov, Leonov, Marshall Space Flight Center, Nikita Khrushchev, Solar Eclipse, Syromyatnikov, Tom Stafford, Truly, Uva, Vance Brand

May 23

Space Rocket History #464 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Coming Home

Posted on May 23, 2025

Celebrations erupted in Mission Control, with broad smiles and cigar smoke marking the successful conclusion. But, while Mission control was celebrating, it was not yet known that the crew had been exposed to toxic fumes during descent. The crew was ...

P2-Cosmonauts Leonov and Kubasov (speaking) are interviewed by Soviet newsmen shortly after their safe landing in Kazakhstan.

P1-Kubasov autographs the side of the Soyuz descent vehicle

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Astp, Ats 6, Baykonur, Bobko, Crippen, Deke Slaton, Glynn Lunney, Goddard, John F Kennedy, John Young, Jsc, Kazakhstan, Kubasov, Leonov, Neil, Sadie Link, Tom Stafford, Uss New Orleans, Vance Brand

Jun 6

Space Rocket History #465 – Apollo-Soyuz Test Project – Epilogue

Posted on June 6, 2025

Due to the deterioration of relations between the United States and the Soviet Union in the late 1970s, no follow-on missions to ASTP took place. A backup Apollo spacecraft and Saturn IB rocket were available and there were some discussions of possib...

P3-crewmembers pose with the Apollo Command Module from their mission

P2-President Ford at the White House during the tour of the United States

P1-Stafford, Leonov, Brand, Kubasov, and Slayton in Moscow during the tour of the Soviet Union

Tagged:Apollo Soyuz, Arnold Aldrich, Astp, Baykonur, Bobko, Chris Kraft, Crippen, Deke Slaton, Ellington Air Force Base, George Low, Gerald R Ford, Glynn Lunney, Iss, John F Kennedy, Jsc, Kiev, Kubasov, Leningrad, Leonov, Mir, Novosibirsk, Rockwell, Saturn Ib, Skylab, Space Shuttle, Star City, Tbilisi, Tom Stafford, Uss New Orleans, Vance Brand, Volgograd