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DESTINATION MOON: A History of the
Lunar Orbiter Program
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- CHAPTER VIII: LUNAR ORBITER
MISSION OBJECTIVES AND APOLLO REQUIREMENTS
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- Flight Recording
Equipment
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- [220] On April 4
Leonard Reiffel of the Apollo Program notified Oran W. Nicks that
Apollo requirements for Lunar Orbiter data made It highly
desirable, if not necessary, to have sufficient magnetic recording
facilities to record incoming data on magnetic tape. He stated
that quantitative photometric work made the use of magnetic tape
superior to film because: "1. the quality of the data is degraded
in the ground photographic process, and 2. magnetic tape provides
higher data processing convenience and speed."75
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- [221] Reiffel
emphasized the necessity to have back-up recorders to record all
data and avoid irretrievable losses. If, however, this were not
possible, he suggested that a tape change schedule be set up which
would allow tapes on primary recorders to be changed during times
when low-resolution frames were being received at Deep Space
Network facilities. He further requested of Nicks a firm
commitment on the availability of recorders, including those for
the first mission. He stressed that Apollo site selection analysis
depended heavily on magnetically recorded data, and he requested
more specific information on the Lunar Orbiter Program's plans for
automatic data processing and. validity tests of processed
data.76
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- Nicks replied to Reiffel's memorandum on
April 26. He concurred that a meeting between technical
specialists from both programs should be called to discuss the
problem of magnetic recording of data, the availability and cost
of extra recorders, and the best way to secure Lunar Orbiter data
in a form that the Apollo Program could use at the earliest
possible date. He also pointed out that the Deep Space Network had
received three Ampex FR 900 recorders but that their necessary
amplifiers would not be delivered before June 1. This late
delivery, the period of installation and testing, and the training
of personnel to operate the [222] recorders kept
the Lunar Orbiter Program from making a firm commitment to Reiffel
for the first flight.77
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- Nicks stated that the problem of back-up
recorders had been investigated and the results showed that the
contractor, Ampex, could deliver three units by the end of October
if an order were placed by May 15, 1966. The earliest date for
their operation would be February 7. 1967, and the estimated cost
would be about $600,000. Until the Lunar Orbiter Program had more
reliable information on the performance of the FR 900 in the
field, Nicks did not believe it was advisable to ask the Deep
Space Network to purchase additional recorders. However, Boeing
had been investigating the feasibility of changing tapes during
reception of low-resolution data, and it had indicated that this
probably could be done.78
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