Apollo Command and Service Module
The Apollo Command and Service Module (CSM) was one of the two main components of the Apollo Program's spacecraft, designed by NASA for human spaceflight missions to the Moon. Here is a detailed look at its various aspects:
Development
- The development of the CSM began in the early 1960s as part of NASA's effort to land humans on the Moon.
- The spacecraft was designed by North American Aviation and was built to support the lunar orbit rendezvous (LOR) mission profile.
Components
The Apollo CSM was composed of two primary parts:
- Command Module (CM): This was the crew's living quarters and control center. It was conical in shape and included:
- The crew cabin with provisions for three astronauts.
- Navigation, communication, and control equipment.
- Reentry and landing systems.
- Service Module (SM): This cylindrical module was attached to the rear of the CM and contained:
- Propulsion systems for maneuvering in space and lunar orbit insertion.
- Electrical power generation (fuel cells).
- Storage for consumables like oxygen and water.
- Environmental control systems.
Mission Profile
- The CSM was launched atop the Saturn V rocket, with the Apollo Lunar Module (LM) docked to it in the spacecraft-lunar module adapter.
- Once in Earth orbit, the CSM would separate from the third stage of the Saturn V, turn around, and dock with the LM.
- The CSM would then perform a Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) burn to propel the entire spacecraft towards the Moon.
- In lunar orbit, the astronauts would transfer to the LM for the lunar landing, leaving the CSM in lunar orbit.
- After the lunar surface activities, the LM ascent stage would rendezvous and dock with the CSM, allowing the crew to return to the Command Module.
- The Service Module would be jettisoned before Earth reentry, with the Command Module reentering the atmosphere, deploying parachutes, and splashing down in the ocean.
Notable Missions
- Apollo 11: The first manned lunar landing.
- Apollo 13: A mission famously known for its "successful failure" where the CSM's oxygen tanks ruptured, but the crew safely returned thanks to the CSM's life support capabilities.
- Apollo 17: The last manned mission to the Moon, using the CSM for scientific experiments in lunar orbit.
Legacy
The Apollo CSM was instrumental in achieving the first Moon landings, demonstrating the capability for extended human spaceflight, and has influenced subsequent spacecraft designs:
Sources
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