The Apollo VHF ranging system
Abstract
As the Apollo program proceeded, redundancy became a requirement for all crew safety functions. One critical period of the Apollo missions was the rendezvous of the Command Module and the Lunar Module. The rendezvous radar provided the critical range, range rate, and angle measurements necessary to complete the rendezvous. Use of a redundant radar for backup was out of the question because of its 80-lb weight. It was, however, found that the voice radios could be adapted to perform the ranging function. Slight modifications of the VHF voice radios and the addition of a ranging interrogator and transponder at a weight of less than 10 lbs total would provide an accuracy of 100-ft rms at several hundred miles. The Apollo VHF ranging system demonstrated that it is feasible to achieve highly accurate range measurements with conventional voice radios.
- Publication:
-
Issled. po Soln. Aktivnosti. Vladivostok
- Pub Date:
- 1977
- Bibcode:
- 1977isa..conf..429N
- Keywords:
-
- Apollo Spacecraft;
- Radio Range;
- Space Rendezvous;
- Spacecraft Communication;
- Spacecraft Instruments;
- Very High Frequency Radio Equipment;
- Radio Receivers;
- Radio Tracking;
- Radio Transmitters;
- Range Errors;
- Redundant Components;
- Voice Communication;
- Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command and Tracking