How did the guys in the LEM sleep, especially the longer missions? There were no seats to my understanding. Seems like it would be hard to sleep if you were on the moon - pretty exciting. But some of the later missions lasted 2-3 days. Did they curl up on the floor or something?
Chris
True, the seats were eliminated for weight and I believe they piloted the craft while standing. My guess would be laying on the floor as well. I have also wondered about other things, such as the basics of life, such as bodily waste. How were these things managed when you were crammed into a space as small as a car with two other guys?
They retired to their luxurious staterooms to sleep and used the PortaJohns behind the sound stage, same as the film crew…[;)]
On the Apollo 11 mission, it was thought they’d just find a place on the deck, or engine cover and try to snooze. They weren’t going to be there that long.
From Apollo 12, with the crews remaining “overnight”, they had hammocks they could rig.
One crossed over the other with the very cramped ascent stage.
Mike,
YES YES - hammocks! Now I remember Walter Cronkite or someone talking about them. Thanks for bringing back the memory.
Chris
Correct, In one NASA bio I read I want to say that Neil sat on the floor proped up gently against a wall and Buzz tried laying on top of the ascent engine. They had a rest period after landing but it was shorter than planed. Their EVA was only just over 2 hours then they had a longer rest period but neither guy said they got much if any sleep due to the dust and fans, heaters, and pumps whirring and kicking in.
I want to say that the MOCR asked them (or at least Neil) to stay in their suits incase of a rapid depressurization which didn’t help.
Nasa added the Hammocks with Apollo 12. I think things got marginally better with the J missions because they were able to tweak the layouts and stowage plus the J mission LM’s were a tad bigger to accomodate the increased duration and sample loads they brought back.
For bodily functions they used bags while on the moon which got tossed with other non essentials before liftoff.
So much for “take only pictures, leave only memories”! [:D]
You forgot the most important part of the answer…“with their eyes closed!!!”
I guess the next visitors to the moon better watch their step, or they’ll be tripping over frozen people poop[:P]
I read an article or a book or something that mentioned the archeological value of the original six lunar landing sites and how they proposed to preserve them if later we were to colonize or develop the moon further. Very interesting read.
Now that would be interesting. The 11 site would be the most historical. With virtually no erosion or weathering they should be in pristine condition. Colors may be faded and fabrics brittle due to the radation.
This has all taken me back 41 1/2 years. When is someone going to set foot on the moon again???
When we get a sense of real adventure and drive, in regards to the future again. The Space Shuttle was a stagnation of the space program.
here’s a page from the ops manual for the landing…
Don’t the ISS astronauts strap themselves to the wall or something? (so you don’t float off while asleep)
Where did you find that?
The ISS astronauts slip into a lightweight bag that is attached to the wall.
They demonstrate it in the IMAX movie about the ISS.
Not in your lifetime, or mine either.
In Earth orbit they only need simple restraints in zero gravity to secure them in one spot ‘floating’. On the Moon the astronauts had 1/6th of earth gravity Apollo 12 and after provided hammocks they rolled out on the floor.
I dont know how I would have able to sleep knowing that only a thick “mylar” separated me from a vacuum and freezing temperatures.