Apollo 9 Problems

[Max-Q]

Try slewing up or down until you get the highest signal peak, then switching to auto track and see where it is, then maneuver to center those needles and switch back to LGC.

When I do that, it locks up just fine in auto track, orbiter HUD mode shows me pointed right at the CSM, both needles centered. As soon as I go to LGC, it slews off and to the right again!

Also if it helps you can pop into the spaceflight discord where we have a dev presence....can utilize screenshots and streaming to better show you these steps as they can be convoluted to the uninitiated https://discord.gg/n8YvgGWG

Not totally comfortable with this type of thing...

 

[rcflyinghokie]

When I do that, it locks up just fine in auto track, orbiter HUD mode shows me pointed right at the CSM, both needles centered. As soon as I go to LGC, it slews off and to the right again!

Are you marking? Also remember you are getting very close to the CM so the relative changes will be pretty big.

And you should keep it in auto track with the highest signal and then maneuver to null the needles, that will boresight the CM.

Not totally comfortable with this type of thing...

Any particular reason why? We won't bite haha. Also its easier to show for some of this stuff as I don't think I am conveying it well enough here.

 

[Max-Q]

No marking. So don't go back to LGC? If I don't go back to LGC, I get a 50 25 with 00201 in R1.

Any particular reason why?

Just don't really like screen streaming type of thing.

 

[rcflyinghokie]

Well you need to be marking to adjust the state vector after confirming a good lock on. I will try to outline this as best I can without showing you....

-While in P00, RR SLEW, slew up and down until you peak the signal strength (should be about 2.2 or so)
-Switch RR to AUTO TRACK, make sure it gets a good lock on and the signal strength meter stays high
-Maneuver the LM to center the RR needles as best you can (this boresights the CSM)
-Run P20, bypass auto maneuver, and when you get a 201, switch from AUTO TRACK to LGC and hit PRO

This should let the LGC lock the CSM properly. Once you have confirmed a good lock, type V80 to begin marking. You will get a few small state vector adjustments. Also you need to be constantly moving the LM to keep the RR needles mostly centered so you dont go >3 degrees beyond LOS.

Just don't really like screen streaming type of thing.

To each their own I suppose, it does help tremendously with this sort of thing.

 

[Max-Q]

-While in P00, RR SLEW, slew up and down until you peak the signal strength (should be about 2.2 or so)
-Switch RR to AUTO TRACK, make sure it gets a good lock on and the signal strength meter stays high
-Maneuver the LM to center the RR needles as best you can (this boresights the CSM)
-Run P20, bypass auto maneuver, and when you get a 201, switch from AUTO TRACK to LGC and hit PRO

Ok, THAT helps! Checklist MFD was very confusing in that respect. Will try this.

 

[rcflyinghokie]

I have gone a bit further and locked it on for you.

 

[rcflyinghokie]

Ok, THAT helps! Checklist MFD was very confusing in that respect. Will try this.

Yeah I think it's because you aren't maneuvering the LM to keep the RR needles nulled. Later LGC's did this automatically but you need to manually to keep a good lock.

 

[Max-Q]

I did it EXACTLY as you said, and it still goes off and to the right! Thank you for the new scenario, I am sorry for causing so much confusion/trouble.
But you unfortunately probably haven't heard the last of this...

 

[rcflyinghokie]

I did it EXACTLY as you said, and it still goes off and to the right! Thank you for the new scenario, I am sorry for causing so much confusion/trouble.
But you unfortunately probably haven't heard the last of this...

Offer is still on the table to show you/walk you through should you change your mind It really is a great tool we have found.

You did pick one of my favorite missions, and a difficult one, so I will certainly try my best to help you through this!

 

[Max-Q]

so I will certainly try my best to help you through this!

I hope you meant that! Just got a 525 in your scenario.

 

[rcflyinghokie]

I hope you meant that! Just got a 525 in your scenario.

So either you arent boresighted and need to maneuver, or the RR and SV were slightly off and you need a mark to help converge the state vector or you let it side lobe lock. Hard to tell without seeing.

 

[Max-Q]

It happens about 5 seconds after scenario start. I didn't touch anything!

 

[rcflyinghokie]

It happens about 5 seconds after scenario start. I didn't touch anything!

Yep thats normal, the range/range rate is changing fast between the vehicles, so since you know you dont have a side lobe lock on you can proceed through and accept the mark.

 

[Max-Q]

Looks like I made it through! (Err... so far). Now on to CSI!

 

[rcflyinghokie]

Looks like I made it through! (Err... so far). Now on to CSI!

Did you burn the insertion?

 

[Max-Q]

Yes. Have followed the checklists exactly.

 

[Max-Q]

When it says "Load AGS CSI Time" does that mean the CSI time in minutes minus 90 hrs?
So if CSI time is 96:14:00, then I would enter DEDA 373+03740

 

[rcflyinghokie]

When it says "Load AGS CSI Time" does that mean the CSI time in minutes minus 90 hrs?
So if CSI time is 96:14:00, then I would enter DEDA 373+03740

All AGS mission times are biased, so yes

 

[Max-Q]

That's what I thought, I just wanted to confirm... I have done enough dumb stuff on this flight already so far, so though I would check!

What do I do about seconds? Just round them to the nearest tenth of a minute?

 

[rcflyinghokie]

That's what I thought, I just wanted to confirm... I have done enough dumb stuff on this flight already so far, so though I would check!

What do I do about seconds? Just round them to the nearest tenth of a minute?

Exactly!