Gravity Changes approaching the moon

Just a quick question guys if you could answer it for me.
Are there any audio or written references to the changes in gravity experienced by the astronauts as the luna module descended to the moon or even as it approached to moon before taking up its orbit ?
I cant recall hearing any references to it.
Thanks

When first trying to hit the moon the calculations where a bit off. Had to get the projective spinning, like a bullet from rifling the barrel of a gun to get it more accurate.

Here is a link to some Apollo information www.bibliotecapleyades.net...

There was a running joke with the ground from various crews about crossing the equigravisphere - the point where the moon and Earth exert equal pull on the craft. They would joke about there being a 'bump' as they crossed this point.

I can't give any specifics, but they do reference changes in velocity as they enter the moon's sphere of influence.

They were also aware of what became known as 'mascons' - gravity anomalies believed to result from dense material below the surface caused by meteor impacts. These mascons cause irregularities in orbit that need to be compensated for if orbiting crafts are not to end up hitting the surface.

The 'spinning' of the CSM is more to do with temperature control than maintaining an accurate trajectory. Minor changes were made with small corrective burns at set points during each mission.

a reply to: onebigmonkey

The 'spinning' of the CSM is more to do with temperature control than maintaining an accurate trajectory.

That was denied by NASA, and it is in the mission reports. The rotation was to stabilise the the craft in order to keep the antenna for the navigation and guidance computer pointing towards Earth, so they didn't loose contact and become lost. One of the crew had had to remain awake at all times to ensure the antenna was lined up, but with the rotation they found they could all sleep at the same time and not loose contact.
There is no heat from the Sun outside of Earths armosphere, and they have never proven that there is. The 'slow cooker' thing is rubbish.

a reply to: GaryN

There is no heat from the Sun outside of Earths armosphere, and they have never proven that there is. The 'slow cooker' thing is rubbish.

Solar radiation is a problem for astronauts. When strong solar flares hit, the astronaut can see lots of bright flickers when they close their eyes due to the radiation exposure. Long term it does a lot of DNA damage.

originally posted by: GaryN
a reply to: onebigmonkey

The 'spinning' of the CSM is more to do with temperature control than maintaining an accurate trajectory.

That was denied by NASA, and it is in the mission reports.

Feel free to point out to us the relevant parts of the mission reports. Specifically the bits where they deny Passive Thermal Control as a means of maintaining an even temperature.

The rotation was to stabilise the the craft in order to keep the antenna for the navigation and guidance computer pointing towards Earth, so they didn't loose contact and become lost. One of the crew had had to remain awake at all times to ensure the antenna was lined up, but with the rotation they found they could all sleep at the same time and not loose contact.

Quotes? Sources?

There is no heat from the Sun outside of Earths armosphere, and they have never proven that there is. The 'slow cooker' thing is rubbish.

Sources? Proof of any kind? How exactly do you think heat arrives at the Earth?

a reply to: GaryN

Nonsense. The roll maneuver was called the Passive Thermal Control maneuver. From the Apollo 11 Mission Report:

All attitude control functions were satisfactorily performed throughout
the mission. The passive thermal control roll maneuver was used during
translunar and transearth coast.

The digital autopilot was used to initiate the passive thermal control
mode at a positive roll rate of 0.3 deg/sec, with the positive longitudinal
axis of the spacecraft pointed toward the ecliptic north pole
during translunar coast (the ecliptic south pole was the direction used
during transearth coast). After the roll rate was established, thruster
firing was prevented by turning off all 16 switches for the service module
thrusters. In general, this method was highly successful in that it
maintained a satisfactory spacecraft attitude for very long periods of
time and allowed the crew to sleep without fear of either entering gimbal
lock or encountering unacceptable thermal conditions.

originally posted by: GaryN
a reply to: onebigmonkey





There is no heat from the Sun outside of Earths armosphere, and they have never proven that there is. The 'slow cooker' thing is rubbish.

so the off gassing we see from comets is from their thrusters? it's actually from the solar heating as the comets get closer to the sun

a reply to: Did you see them

Great question. I'd love to see any such documentation or data too.

I have messaged Eric Jones of the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal, let's hope for a helpful reply.

And here's the reply from Eric:

They would have been weightless until they fired the decent engine. Here's a little discussion about the Thrust-to-weight indicator they had on the instrument panel in front of the LMP. www.hq.nasa.gov...

Just before the eingine was shutdown, T/W (in multiple of lunar gravity) would have been about 3.6 - or about 0.6 earth gravities.

To add my own thoughts: on the way to the Moon (including the entering of the Moon's Hill sphere), the astronauts and the Apollo capsule were in inertial motion, with no forces acting on them. Therefore there wouldn't be any "bump" or any other indication of entering the Moon's gravitational dominance. The only g-forces would be caused by deceleration using the engines.

I doubt that the Moon's variations in the gravity field would have been felt by the astronauts. Can't comment on its effect on the LM's trajectory and landing; I'll ask Eric about that, or someone here in the know might chip in.

As Eric mentioned above, decelerating prior to engine shutdown and landing created just over half of earth-gravity.