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> The LEM could land itself No, really it couldn’t. Someone had to reset all those 1201 alarms while manually hovering it down to a boulder free site

mulmen 5y ago
I suggest watching this excellent presentation: https://youtu.be/B1J2RMorJXM https://youtu.be/B1J2RMorJXM. He goes in to great depth in explaining how the LEM was in fact capable of landing itself. Automation was widespread in the development and execution of the Apollo program.
- EvanAnderson 5y ago
  I'm not able to check out the video right now, but I certainly will. I enjoy all things related to the Apollo program. My understanding is that the autopilot in the LEM was very capable of flying the spacecraft, but there wasn't adequate sensor or image processing technology to allow the spacecraft to precisely choose a landing site free of obstructions. The human pilot wasn't necessarily essential for the mechanical act of landing, but was (in the first missions, at least) necessary for selecting a safe landing site.
  - mulmen 5y ago
    I believe that is mostly correct. I think you will enjoy the video. It definitely taught me a lot. It has been a while since I watched the video myself but here is my understanding: The LEM had a “target” landing point and was fly-by-wire. There were two control modes, one for the descent and rendezvous (~”flight”) and one for landing. Both were fly by wire but one put the LEM in a desired orientation (as defined by astronaut input) and the second for landing. In the landing configuration the LEM actually was landing itself and Armstrong was actually updating the target with the controls. Aldrin was instrumental in this process to manage literally everything else and calling out information for Armstrong who lined up the target point using special crosshairs on the window. So in a sense all the LEMs “landed themselves”. Additionally they did have the capability to carry out (but not update) a pre-programmed landing. This was never done in reality but was simulated.

mulmen 5y ago

I suggest watching this excellent presentation: https://youtu.be/B1J2RMorJXM https://youtu.be/B1J2RMorJXM. He goes in to great depth in explaining how the LEM was in fact capable of landing itself. Automation was widespread in the development and execution of the Apollo program.

EvanAnderson 5y ago
I'm not able to check out the video right now, but I certainly will. I enjoy all things related to the Apollo program. My understanding is that the autopilot in the LEM was very capable of flying the spacecraft, but there wasn't adequate sensor or image processing technology to allow the spacecraft to precisely choose a landing site free of obstructions. The human pilot wasn't necessarily essential for the mechanical act of landing, but was (in the first missions, at least) necessary for selecting a safe landing site.
- mulmen 5y ago
  I believe that is mostly correct. I think you will enjoy the video. It definitely taught me a lot. It has been a while since I watched the video myself but here is my understanding: The LEM had a “target” landing point and was fly-by-wire. There were two control modes, one for the descent and rendezvous (~”flight”) and one for landing. Both were fly by wire but one put the LEM in a desired orientation (as defined by astronaut input) and the second for landing. In the landing configuration the LEM actually was landing itself and Armstrong was actually updating the target with the controls. Aldrin was instrumental in this process to manage literally everything else and calling out information for Armstrong who lined up the target point using special crosshairs on the window. So in a sense all the LEMs “landed themselves”. Additionally they did have the capability to carry out (but not update) a pre-programmed landing. This was never done in reality but was simulated.