| Trent ( @ 2004-09-02 19:53:00 |
Hi, I'v been flying the new NASSP addon for the Apollo Moon missions in the Orbiter Simulator
anyway here are the pictures :)
Apollo Moon rocket lifts off from Cape Canaveral
Almost in orbit, some 10 minutes later the second stage seperates as the SIVb third stage fires to complete the insertion of the Saturn V into orbit. The SIVb third stage stays attatched for a few orbits and then re-ignites to send the craft to the moon.

It's ride to orbit now complete, the Astronauts spend alot of time going through checklists to make sure the spacecraft is ready to make a safe journey to the moon. The Panel shown here is the real meat of the orbiter NASSP addon and works very much like the real thing did. Shown here is only 1/4 of the Command Module panel, overall there are 232 individual buttons.
The Trans Lunar Injection burn complete, and seperation checklist prepared, the Command Service module is released from the third stage. After this it will turn around and dock with the Lunar Module which is sitting inside the SIVb stage and extract it from this. The SIVb is then remotley controlled by Houston to change it's trajectory to impact the moons surface.
Command and Lunar module now docked on a backdrop of the distant earth, which the craft are speeding away from at over 35,000km/hr on their way on the long 3 day trip to the moon's orbit.

Days later, the two craft and three men enter orbit around the moon, After a lengthy burn of the Service Module Engine to slow down to orbital velocity, they have turned prograde and now watch as the Earth rises over the moons surface.
A day or so later, it is time to send the Lunar module to the Moon. The Lunar module is prepared and the landing gear system extended. Orienting so that the sun will shine on the legs after the LM turns 90 degrees to it's docked position so that the Command Module pilot can check the landing gear system visually, the Lunar Module is undocked from the CSM for it's trip down to the surface. The background of this shot is the Corneperus Crater.
Approaching the landing site (Frau Mauro) The Lunar Module of Apollo 14 (the 3rd succesfull lunar landing) can be seen here now pitched over into it's final approach attitude at it's High Gate point, 10,000ft above the lunar surface.
The moment the Lunar Module touches down the two Astronauts Alan Shephard and Edgar Mitchell go through their shutdown checklist to safe the vehicle for their 2 day stay on the surface. Arriving at local early morning to get the best shadows, during their 2 day stay, they will see the sun hardly move at all, because Sunrize to Sunrize on the moon is one month.
After the resting time on the moon, the men make their first EVA (Moonwalk) of the mission and plant the United States flag beside their vehicle which bought them here.
Hope you enjoyed the pics :)