Apollo Command and Service Module

An examination of the Apollo Command and Service Module, the spacecraft used to take humans from the Earth to the Moon.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• NASA
• Space
• Moon
• Lunar
• Apollo
• Spacecraft
• Capsule
• Command Module
• Service Module
• Rocket
• Engine
• Mechanical
• Engineering
• Cryogenic
• Fuel
• Hydrogen
• Oxygen

[youvebeenthunderstru]

The SPS engine - is that part of the S-IVB or is that after it has been jettisoned?

[michchap]

Good question. The Service Propulsion System was attached to the rear portion of the Service Module. The SPS was used to put the Apollo Command and Service Module into and out of lunar orbit, and for mid-course corrections between the Earth and Moon. The SPS used a single AJ10-137 engine.

[youvebeenthunderstru]

But does that include the big thruster at the back? (As pictured at the start of the video, farthest to the left) Is it part of the S-IVB?

[michchap]

The large engine at the rear of the Service Module on the far left is the Service Propulsion System engine. The SPS was attached to the Service Module, not the S-IVB stage.

[possiblybored]

Very informative. Are you a current or former NASA employee, or just an enthusiast? You certainly know your stuff. Did you make that model yourself? Good details. Looking forward to further videos.

[Rob260259]

Nice video!

[TheMickhowes]

great video and info. I am building this model at the moment and this really helps

[1MtnBoy]

Awesome video, I have this same model kit I have not assembled it yet. your example looks very nice, thanks for posting !

[FantasticBob7000]

@dcb1138 I suspect you're referring to the unmanned Apollo 4 test, where the camera on the S-II second stage is actually looking up into the S-IVB third stage engine. The fuel for that engine was H2/O2. I don't know of any film showing an SPS engine burn.

[RickyboyH]

@eljefekief Since the SPS uses hypergolic propellant (instantly ignintes when they come into contact with each other) I would guess the color would have been pretty transparent, just like the footage you see of the LM taking off from the lunar surface.

[dcb1138]

@eljefekief - There is film footage of this !! From an on-board camera mounted in an early saturn test flight (Apollo 4?) - They burned the SPS to put the CMS into a high orbit, then slammed the CM thru the atmosphere to test the heat shield at 22,000 mph. The camera is looking straight down the SPS engine as it turns on. The color is white/blue.. As the CSM moves away, you can't see any flame in space. I;m sure you have seen this video sometime in your life...its a classic.

[AbsurdBrane]

The Illustration makes it appear that the astronauts sat very close to the lower end of the Apollo capsule. I was in both the Cape and the Houston Apollo Mission Simulators and was surprised at the room (4 feet?) behind my back. It was unfortunately not accessible to the astronauts as it was filled with instruments/wiring in actual missions. Great video!

[eljefekief]

Bit of an odd question: is anyone able to tell me what colour the burn would've been from the SPS? By that I mean if you looked into the engine bell, what colour would the 'flame' have been, if there was one at all? Cheers