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“ As far as I can tell, there isn't any direct connection between the Apollo ranging system and GPS. GPS grew out of the Transit (Naval Navigation Satellite Sys

“ As far as I can tell, there isn't any direct connection between the Apollo ranging system and GPS. GPS grew out of the Transit (Naval Navigation Satellite System), the Timation satellite program, and USAF Project 621B (history).” I can’t 100% verify this, but Transit and Timation were both US Naval Research Lab (NRL) programs. NRL has a thirty foot radio antenna on the roof of the administration building that contributed to determining the range to the moon itself prior to Apollo. IDK for certain whether that antenna was used for ranging the Apollo spacecraft, but it’s possible; certainly the NASA and NRL personnel knew each other and contributed to each others’ programs.

simne 4y ago
> it’s possible; certainly the NASA and NRL personnel knew each other and contributed to each others’ programs Yes, it is possible, but for military programs very typical, program running in 1980s forgot knowledge of 1960s. Example, Lockheed SR-71 used stealth technologies (even U-2 used), but insiders said, all these achievements was lost, when worked on F-117.
- icegreentea2 4y ago
  The specific case of SR-71 to F-117 seems incredibly unlikely - at least based on my memory of Ben Rich's (was an engineer at Lockheed Skunkworks who worked on the A-12/SR-71 program and then was Director/President for F-117 program) memoirs. What did happen was that some of the program managers who initiated the stealth fighter program were not aware initially aware of the stealth characteristics of SR-71. This was rectified.
  - simne 4y ago
    I read Ben Rich's memoirs. But fortunately, I seen very detailed photos of stealth modifications of U-2, and nothing about it was in memoirs.
- GlenTheMachine 4y ago
  But in this case, the two were being worked on literally at the same time. NRL flew the experimental precursors to GPS in the late 1960s and early 1970s. NTS-4, the first operation GPS satellite, launched in 1974. In NRL's case, the challenge would have been that the engineers were in different divisions. Radar ranging of the moon was done by Space Sciences, and Transit and Timation were done by Spacecraft Engineering.
  - simne 4y ago
    In corporation space-time 4-dimentional, different departments (divisions) near the same as different years :)

simne 4y ago

> it’s possible; certainly the NASA and NRL personnel knew each other and contributed to each others’ programs Yes, it is possible, but for military programs very typical, program running in 1980s forgot knowledge of 1960s. Example, Lockheed SR-71 used stealth technologies (even U-2 used), but insiders said, all these achievements was lost, when worked on F-117.

icegreentea2 4y ago
The specific case of SR-71 to F-117 seems incredibly unlikely - at least based on my memory of Ben Rich's (was an engineer at Lockheed Skunkworks who worked on the A-12/SR-71 program and then was Director/President for F-117 program) memoirs. What did happen was that some of the program managers who initiated the stealth fighter program were not aware initially aware of the stealth characteristics of SR-71. This was rectified.
- simne 4y ago
  I read Ben Rich's memoirs. But fortunately, I seen very detailed photos of stealth modifications of U-2, and nothing about it was in memoirs.
GlenTheMachine 4y ago
But in this case, the two were being worked on literally at the same time. NRL flew the experimental precursors to GPS in the late 1960s and early 1970s. NTS-4, the first operation GPS satellite, launched in 1974. In NRL's case, the challenge would have been that the engineers were in different divisions. Radar ranging of the moon was done by Space Sciences, and Transit and Timation were done by Spacecraft Engineering.
- simne 4y ago
  In corporation space-time 4-dimentional, different departments (divisions) near the same as different years :)