Ye Olde Rocket Forum

Go Back   Ye Olde Rocket Forum > The Doctor is In! > Ask the Doctor
User Name
Password
Auctions Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts Search Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-15-2019, 04:20 PM
jeffyjeep's Avatar
jeffyjeep jeffyjeep is offline
Old Submariner
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Home of Wayne & Garth
Posts: 7,760
Default Apollo SM RCS units.

Does anybody have a true color photo or diagram of the RCS nozzle quads on the Apollo Service Module? I’m pretty sure they’re not suppose to be just plain white.

Thanks!
__________________
Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-15-2019, 04:50 PM
BARGeezer BARGeezer is online now
Avid Builder
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 610
Default

Looks like it's all silver (Apollo 15).
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:  apollo csm.jpg
Views: 49
Size:  42.4 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  Apollo_CSM_lunar_orbit.jpg
Views: 63
Size:  398.5 KB  
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-15-2019, 05:08 PM
Chas Russell's Avatar
Chas Russell Chas Russell is offline
Retired Missile Technician
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Posts: 1,076
Default

All of the RCS motors were test fired after manufacture. I took this picture at NARCON last year in Houston. They are sort of goldish and silver. One recommendation that I heard was a burnt platinum. I would not go straight white or silver.

Chas
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:  RCS Nozzles.JPG
Views: 73
Size:  1.50 MB  
__________________
Charles Russell, MSgt,USAF (ret.)
NAR 9790, Lvl 1
SAM "Balls Three"
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-15-2019, 06:53 PM
BEC's Avatar
BEC BEC is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Auburn, Washington
Posts: 3,643
Default

Chas beat me to it, with a better picture than the one I would have put up (but taken of the same vehicle - the full Saturn V that is on display at Space Center Houston). The nozzles look to me as if they are either titanium or stainless steel discolored by heat. Based on Chas' picture I am leaning toward the latter.
__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-15-2019, 07:15 PM
Earl's Avatar
Earl Earl is offline
Apollo Nut
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,893
Default

The ones I have photographed at KSC and NASM (in D.C.) have had silver quad 'boxes' like this one (my photos are not immedialtely accessable).

As can be seen, there is printing on the top of the box, which I forget the exact nature but seems to deal with quad firing order or something similar.

Here's a link to the photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipe...lo_RCS_quad.jpg


Earl
__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-15-2019, 07:26 PM
luke strawwalker's Avatar
luke strawwalker luke strawwalker is offline
BAR
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Needville and Shiner, TX
Posts: 6,134
Default

Hey Jeff!

Yeah, basically the quad "boxes" are white, and the nozzles are sort of a "gunmetal" color...
Actually, "gunmetal" isn't quite right... they sorta have a slightly "gold" color to them, or "brass" color maybe. I got curious in the middle of digging these up and searched for it and found the Apollo operations handbook on PDF and here's what it actually says about the thruster quad construction materials...

"Combustion chamber- The combustion chamber is constructed of unalloyed molybdenum which is coated with molybdenum disilicide to prevent oxidation of the base metal. Cooling of the chamber is by radiation and film cooling.

Nozzle extension- The nozzle extension is attached to the chamber with a waspalloy nut. The nozzle extension is machined from a cobalt base alloy (stainless steel). The stiffener rings are machined."

Here's some pics of the CSM display at Kennedy Space Center, below the Saturn V, and of the Saturn V itself.

I'll see what I have regarding the CSM on the Saturn V in Huntsville and of course the one here in Houston as well...

Later! OL J R
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6885.JPG
Views: 38
Size:  1.02 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6884.JPG
Views: 22
Size:  1.06 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6886.JPG
Views: 26
Size:  1.11 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6887.JPG
Views: 26
Size:  1.03 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6894.JPG
Views: 29
Size:  1.05 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6896.JPG
Views: 31
Size:  1.10 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6898.JPG
Views: 21
Size:  1.11 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6901.JPG
Views: 26
Size:  1.13 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6902.JPG
Views: 22
Size:  1.06 MB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF6900.JPG
Views: 27
Size:  1.07 MB  

__________________
The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-15-2019, 07:33 PM
Earl's Avatar
Earl Earl is offline
Apollo Nut
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,893
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by luke strawwalker
Hey Jeff!

Yeah, basically the quad "boxes" are white

Later! OL J R



Take a look at the photo link in my prior message and a second look at your photos (I have similar photos of those same RCS quads at KSC myself).

The quad *boxes* themselves are silver...that 'top of the box' white you see is the 'printing' I mentioned above. I think it might actually be a label applied to the top of the quad box.


Earl
__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-15-2019, 07:34 PM
luke strawwalker's Avatar
luke strawwalker luke strawwalker is offline
BAR
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Needville and Shiner, TX
Posts: 6,134
Default

Here's pics of the ones at JSC... remember these were outdoors in the terrible Texas coastal weather and salt air, hurricanes, heavy rainfall, and tons of nearby chemical plant pollution for over 30 years before they built the building over it... So that will definitely have SOME effect on things...

later! OL J R
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3630.JPG
Views: 23
Size:  867.6 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3696.JPG
Views: 27
Size:  833.3 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3697.JPG
Views: 23
Size:  858.6 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3698.JPG
Views: 23
Size:  990.4 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3698.JPG
Views: 22
Size:  990.4 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3701.JPG
Views: 27
Size:  979.3 KB  
__________________
The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-15-2019, 07:45 PM
luke strawwalker's Avatar
luke strawwalker luke strawwalker is offline
BAR
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Needville and Shiner, TX
Posts: 6,134
Default

Here's some from the Kansas Cosmosphere... these are on the CSM in the Apollo/Soyuz Test Project display, which shows a Soyuz and Apollo CSM with the docking adapter...

Note the writing and color of the nozzles... these are probably the most accurate. The others on display may have painted "boxes" or otherwise have been either weathered, refurbished, or both.

The lighting in the Cosmosphere may throw off the pics, as it's rather subdued, but you can at least get the idea... this is probably the closest I've gotten to them...

I'll see what I have in my Marshall Space Flight Center (USSRC) pics since the Davidson Center is lit mostly by natural light and will probably have the best color rendition on the camera...

later! OL J R
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3089.JPG
Views: 29
Size:  850.7 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3087.JPG
Views: 39
Size:  844.9 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF3188.JPG
Views: 35
Size:  827.1 KB  
__________________
The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 02-15-2019, 07:54 PM
luke strawwalker's Avatar
luke strawwalker luke strawwalker is offline
BAR
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Needville and Shiner, TX
Posts: 6,134
Default

Here's the pic I have of the Saturn V at Marshall in Huntsville... obviously of no use since it's some sort of mock-up to stand in for the CSM/SLA panels on top of the S-IVB. They have a trainer mockup of the CM there as well that you can actually slide into.

Later! OL J R
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:  DSCF4987.JPG
Views: 37
Size:  785.4 KB  
__________________
The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:31 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe © 1998-2024