iI

plea-lo/aI

MEWS
N RELEASE
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
A A>400 MARYLAND AVENUE, SW, WASHINGTON 25, D.C.
TELEPHONES: WORTH 2-4155-WORTH 3 -1110
FOR RELEASE: A.M., THURSDAY
APRIL 19, 1962
RELEASE NO. 62-93

RANGER 4 SPACECRAFT

Ranger 4 will be launched by the National Aeronautics

and Space Administration from the Atlantic Missile Range,
Cape Canaveral, Florida, within a few days. It will repre-
sent the second United States attempt to take closeup pictures
of the moon, provide information on the composition of the
lunar surface and learn more about its history by means of
an instrumented capsule designed to survive a landing on
the moon.
The mission is so difficult that NASA scheduled three
flights (Rangers 3, 4 and 5) in the hope that one would be
successful.
Ranger 3, the first of these spacecraft, was launched
by an Atlas-Agena B rocket from Cape Canaveral on January 26,
1962. A malfunction in the Atlas booster caused the space-
craft to be injected into its lunar transfer path at excessive
velocity, and, as a result, Ranger 3 arrived in tiie area of
the moon some 14 hours ahead of time. On January 28 at 3:23
p.m., P.S.T., the spacecraft passed in front of its target,
missing it by 22,862 miles, and then went into orbit around
the sun.
Despite Ranger 3's nonstandard trajectory, an attempt
was made to carry out the lunar photography experiment while
the spacecraft was approaching the orbit of the moon. The
attempt was unsuccessful, however, because the spacecraft
did not properly perform the terminal maneuver that would
have pointed its television camera at the surface of the
moon. This was caused by a malfunction in a subsystem of
the spacecraft. This also caused the spacecraft's direc-
tional antenna to lose its orientation towards earth,
resulting in a significant drop in signal strength.
Circuitry modifications in the Ranger 4 spacecraft
have been made.

(OVER)
 l
:*

Ranger 4 is a 730-pound gold and chrome-plated machine

that will be called uo,, in a 60-hour flight to the moon, to
perform a complicated series o±* events. It will be asked to:

1. Leave the earth, achieve a parking orbit and reach

escape velocity of 24,500 miles an hour.

2. Perform a three-axis maneuver in space to lock onto

the sun and the earth.

3. Accept correction commands from the earth, change

its orientation in flight and fire a mid-course motor t3
put itself on collision course with the moon.

4. Reestablish its lock on the sun and the earth.

5. Perform a terminal maneuver when it gets to within

5000 miles of the moon.

6. Take television pictures of the lunar surface as

it approaches the moon.

7. Make studies of the composition of the lunar

surface and its radar reflection characteristics.

8. Separate a retro rocket and capsule system from

the spacecraft when it is approximately 70,000 feet above
the lunar surface.

9. Fire the retro rocket to slow the capsule system

from 6000 miles an hour to zero velocity some 1100 feet
above the surface of the moon.

10. Detach an instrumented capsule containing a

seismometer from the retro rocket so that it rough lands
after a free fall from approximately 1100 feet, survives
the landing, positions itself and then sends. for 30 days
or more, informal:ion on moon quakes and meteoritic impact.

The Ranger program is being carried out for the NASA

by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, operated for the NASA
by the California Institute of Technology. In the Ranger 4
spacecraft, the Aeronutronic Division of Ford Motor Company,
Newport Beach, California, provided the lunar capsule and
radio altimeter subsystems.

Four scientific experiments carried on Ranger 4 are:

the moon quake experiment, the lunar photography experiment,
the gamma ray experiment, and the radar reflectivity experiment.

-2-
 SPACECRAFT D.C'CRIPT (411

The Ranircr 3, "Iand 5 design i, sicmilar in appearance

to their two precdecce,;.ors., Ranger I and 2, in that they use
the sainm basic hoxagonal. st;ricture and solar panels that
marked those two ,pacecraft.. JPT. englneers. who designed
the Ranger series call the basic hexagon the bis, in the
sense that It scrves a:; an omnibu.; to carry different
par-sengers In the form of (.iferent scientific and
engincering instruments.

Panger )'I is five fect In diameter at the base of the

hexagon in it.s; launch pos:lttion 'rlh the solar panel.s folded
lip in the manner of butterfly wings, In its launch position
It is 8.25 feot in height. In the cruise position, with Its
solar pancls extended and the hiph-gal.n directional. antenna
Jn It:: extended positi.on, it: is 17 feet across in span and
10.25 feet in helght.

The 730-pound weight of the spacecraft Includes 332.1

pounds for che lunar capsule and retro rocket system. The
:Lnstruinent capsul.e, designed to survive the landing on the
moon, weighs 57.1. pounds and is covered by a balsa wood
impact limiter to cushlon the shock of landing.. The lmpact
limiter weighs 32.2 pounds, m'.eking the instrumented sphere
and the limiter wei.gh a total of 89.3 pounds.
The lunar capsule rests atop a retro motor which in turn
sits on the top of the spacecraft hexagon. The retro motor,
with a thrust of 5080 poundsl, weighs 214.1 4 pounds, together
with its small spin motor that rotates the assembly for
stability just before the retro motor Is fired.
Surrounding the sphere-retro-motor assembly is a
cylindrical h-at shield, designed to provide .thermal
control for the solid propellant retromotor. The shield,
called 'he "'Yhower curtain", is made up of several layers
of silvered plastic sheet and esctends from the equator
of the sphere dorn to the top cf the spacecraft hexagon.
The shield is supported at the top by nylon lanyards
which, in turn, are hooked to the spacecraft's omni-
antenna on top of the sphere. When the omni-antenna
:Ls deployed during the terminal maneuver, these lanyards
are released and rubber eord.s pull the shield down to the
top of the hexagonal structure, thereby providing an
unfettered exit path for the capsule's escape.
Attached to the hezaagonal base are the two solar panels
which in flight will. collect solar energy which in turn will
be converted in .o electrical power to rmn the spacecraft.

-3- (OVER)
 lI

10
The panels contain )134[0 solar cells each in approximntely the
on
square feet of each panel making a total of 8680 cells
two nan.1,I. They will pick uip enough solar energy to be con-
watts,
verted into a minimum of 175 watts and a maximum of 205
unregulated.

In one of the six boxes around the base is a 25-pound

silver zinc launch and backup battery with a capac:i.ty of
povwer
1000 watt hours. This battery will be used to provide
not operatinp. such as
for Ranger 4 when the solar cells are
and prior
prior to sun acquisition, in the mid-course manuever
to landing.

Ranger 4 has three communication antennas--two on the

spacecraft (or bus) and one on the top of the instrumented
sphere that w:il.]..l land on the moon. The lunar capsule trans-
the
mitter is powered by six silver cadmium batteries to run
quake and
transmitter for at least 30 days to transmit moon
temperature information from the sphere to the earth.

The two antennas on the spacecraft are the omnidirectional

artenna positioned at the forward end of the spacecraft and the
four-foot-in-diameter high-gain directional antenna which is
hinged mounteA at the aft end,

Mounted in the hollowvied-out section in the middle of the

hexagon is the mid-course motor -:!hich was developed by JPL
Space
several years ago and has since been used in other U.S.
tests.

I-t is a liquid monopropellant engine that weighs, with

fuel and the nitrogen pressure gas system, 35 pounds. The.
hydrazine fuel is held in a rubber bladder contained inside
a football-shaped container called the pressure dome. When
the mid-course motor receives the command to fire, nitrogen
under 300 pounds of pressure per square inch is admitted
inside the pressure dome and squeezes the rubber bladder
which contains the hydrazine fiuel.

The hydrazine is thus forced into the combustion'

chamber, but because it is a monopropellant, it needs a
starting fluidl to initiate combustion and a catalyst to
maintain combustion. The starting fluid used, in this
case nitrogen tetroxide, is admitted into the combustion
chamber by means of a pressurized cartridge. The intro-
duction of the nitrogen tetroxide causes ignition, and the
burning in the combustion chamber is maintained by the
catalyst, aluminum oxide pellets stored in the chamber.
Burning stops when the valves turn off nitrogen pressure
and fuel flow.

- 1 LJ
 At the bottom of the nozzle of the mid-course motor are
four jet vane-, whLch protrude into the rocket exhaust for
attitude control of the spacecraft during the period of the
mid-course motor burn.

The mid-course motor is so precise that it can burn in

bursts of as little as 50 milliseconds and can alter velocity
in any direction by a-, little as one-tenth of a foot per second
or as much as 138 feet per second. It has a thrust of 50 pounds
for a maximum of 63 seconds.

Also in one of the six boxes around the hexagon is a solid-

state ulgital computer called the Central Computer and Sequencer
(CC&S). This :J.:; a system which allows commands to be stored in
the system for later transmission to subsystems of the space-
craft, and which also allows specific ground commands to be
stored in the CC&S after launch for later routing to perform
specific functions.

Ranger 4 will use the parking orbit technique which is a

means by which geometry imposed on moon impact flights by the
location of the Atlantic Missile Range at Cape Canaveral,
Florida, is corrected by using the Agena B second-stage
rocket as a mobile launching platform in space.

The Atlas booster lifts the Agena B and spacecraft to an

altitude of approximately 105 statute miles above the earth
and to a velocity considerably below orbital speed of 18,000
miles an hour.

During the launch phase, the Ranger spacecraft is pro-

tected against aerodynamic heating by a shroud, or nose cone,
which covers it. After Atlas cutoff, at approximately 280
seconds, the shroud is jettisoned by eight spring-loaded
bolts which shove it ahead of the vehicle. At almost the
same time, the Agena B separates from the Atlas. At this
time, the Agena B pitches down from an attitude almost 15
degrees above the local horizon to almost level with the
local horizon.

In this horizontal attitude, the Agena B fires for the

first time and burns for almost two and a half minutes to
reach orbital speed of 18,000 miles an hour. After this
burning time, Agena B shuts down and coasts in a parking
orbit for more than 6 minutes until it reaches the optimum
point in time and space in its orbit to fire for the second
time.

After the second Agena B burn, the Agena B and Ranger 4,

still as one unit, are injected at near escape velocity of
24,500 miles an hour approximately over Ascension Island in
-5- (OVER)
 lI

the South Atlantic Ocean and approximately 16 minutes after

launch. Up to this time, the events of the launch, separa-
tion of Agena from Atlas, operation of the Ranger spacecraft
system and ignition and cutoff times of Agena have been
telemetered to ground tracking stations through the Agena
telemetry system.
A little more than two minutes after second burn cutoff
(known as injection), Ranger 4 is separated from Agena, again
by spring-loaded bolts. After this occurs, Agena does a 180-
degree yaw and moves into a different and lower trajectory
from that held by Ranger 4 by means of firing a solid retro
rocket on Agena. This is done for two reasons: it would not
be desirable for the unsterilized Agena to follow Ranger 4 on
in and impact the moon, and if Agena B follows Ranger 4'too
closely, the spacecraft optical sensors might mistake reflected
sunlight from Agena B for the sun or earth and thus confuse its
optical sensor acquisition system.
Ranger 4 now is on a trajectory that will take it fairly
close to the moon. The omnidirectional antenna is working and
radiating its full three watts of power. Before and during
launch, the transmitter had been kept at half power of 1.5
watts. This was done because as the launch vehicle passes
through a critical low atmospheric density area between 150,000
and 250,000 feet, there is a tendency for devices using high
voltage to arc over and damage themselves; hence, the trans-
mitter is kept at half power until this area is passed. The
necessary switching to accomplish this change is done by the
CC&S at 23 minutes after launch.
Now it is possible to describe the sequence of events
that Ranger 4 will conduct on its 60-hour flight to the moon.
The second command is issued by the CC&S 31 minutes after
launch. Explosive pin pullers holding the solar panels in
their launch position are detonated to allow the spring-
loaded solar panels to assume their cruise position. At
launch plus 34 minutes, the CC&S turns on the attitude con-
trol system and Ranger 4 starts the process of looking for
the sun with its solar sensors. The same command extends
the gear-driven high-gain antenna at the aft end of the
spacecraft to a preset position.
There are six sun sensors mounted on Ranger 4. There
are four primary sensors on four of the six legs of the
hexagon, and two secondary sensors mounted on the backs of
the solar panels. There are light-sensitive diodes which
inform the attitude control system--gas jets and gyros--
when they see the sun. The two seoondary sensors on the
6
 back>; of tiic .s.v. pa!,h(i; infirn th attitlut3Je contro] system
that threy e tho -un, lbua; .:,-nt not to roo i t. Trhre atti tilde
control -;ysteol rc::ponli.: tot thea .ni. tLby tilrnln;g theN space-
craft in -;,ich a. ia'nner that tile l ongi twi tnal, or rol 1 a;ll ,
points to ears the -,in. To-i-jwi o' theh -acocraft for these
)n,
1
m.aneiiver.-, is provI dlae by teen -1;i;-at,;Wc1clly rlocatrd m.aL; jet<;I
whi-ch ar]e rt'! by three bott:le:- oP nitrogen a. contaning a
total. Of 2.3 nolound; of nltlrogen under pre:, aure o, 3500 pou nds;
per -.qnaro inch. Thii Siz,. calculatod to be enough nitrogcn to
operate thle ga.-ijets to maintain attitu!de control for a mlinimum
of 50 days and a mi;axi.mum of 100 days; ,.n a cruise mode.
The gyros, have first acted to cancel out the residual
separation ratcs; ;ihich affectecd Rangor 4 after it left Agena B.
The sun sensors then, working on she valves controlling the gas
jets, jockey the spacecraft about unt:il. its long axis is pointed
at the sun, thus fully illuminating the solar panels. Both the
gyro; and the sun sensors can activate the gas jet valves. In
order to conserve gas, the attitude control system permits a
pointing error toward the sun of one degree, or .5 degree on
each side of dead on. The mixing network in the atti tude con-
trol. system is calibrated to keep Ranger 4 slowlty swinging
through this one degree of arc pointed at the sun. The s -ing
takes approximately 60 miin'tes. As Ranger 4 nears the .5
degree limit on one side, the sensors signal the gas jets and
they fire again. This process :is repeated hourly through the
F effective life of Ranger 4. It i. calculated that the gas jets
wrill fire one-tenth of a second each 60 minutes to keep the
spacecraft's solar panels pointed at the sun.
The sun acquisition process is expected to take between
5 and 29 minutes. When it ;is completed, the secondary sun
sensors on the backs of the solar panels are turned off to
avoid having light from the earth confuse them. After the
solar parels are locked on the sun, the powrer system now
recognizes that it is getting electric power from the solar
panels, so it switches from the silver zinc battery and uses
the solar powrer to feed the power demands of Ranger. The
solar panels on Ranger are notiused to change the battery.
Three and a half hours after launch, the CC&S commands
Ranger 4 to start the earth acquisition process, which requires
from 5 to 30 minutes. The spacecraft maintains its Lock on the
sun, but with its high-gain directional antenna pointed at a
preset angle, it rolls on its long axis and starts to look
for the earth. It does this by means of a three-section
photo-multi.plier-tube-operated earth sensor which f.s mounted
to look parallel to the main axis of the h:tgh-gain antenna.
During the roll, the earth sensor will see:- zhe earth and
inform the gas jets. The jets will fire t- keep the earth
in view of the sensor and thus lock onto tie earth. A
slight correction in the preset hinge ang1'. may also be
required, which is also earth sensor controlled.
- 7 (OVER)
 The spaeoci-aft now is stabilizeod on two axes--the solar
panel-sun axis and the earth--dii'ecUlonal antenna axis. There
is so, ve danger that the earth sensor, during its search for the
earth may see the moon anO. lock onto that. If this happens,
the Goldstone and Johannesburg, South Africa, trackinC: stations
have the ability .o send an override command to the attitude
control system to tell it to look again for the earth.

Tle earth-sensor/high-gain antenna should have acquired

the ear'th by 4 hours after launch. At that time, South Africa
will a-rnd Ranger 4 a command to switch from the omnidirectional
anto an-ato the directional antenna. If the increase in received
signa- strength indicates that the directional antenna is locked
on the earth, no further commands in this area are necessary at;
the mordant. But if the signal strength drops, indicating that
the directional antenna is not pointed at the earth, the over-
ride roll command will be sent to Ranger 4 to look for the earth
again. If this is not sufficient, South Africa also has the
ability to send a hinge override command to change the position
of the antenna and stait the search for the earth again.

Four hours after launch, CC&S will turn on the gamma ray
experiment. This is a spectrometer contained in a 12-inch
(diameter) ball mounted on a 40-inch-long arm on the hexagon.
Later in the flight, pressurized gas will be vsed to extend
this telescoping arm to 72 inches away from the spacecraft in
order to avoid the measurement of secondary effects created by
cosmic rays hitting the main bulk of the spacecraft.

It is not deemed desirable to extend the gamma ray boom at

this time, hcwever, since Ranger 4 must still perform its mid-
course corrective maneuver to get on collision course with the
moon. In order to perform this maneuver with precision, of
course, it is necessary to know the precise center of gravity
of the spacecraft. If the gamma ray boom were ordered out to
its extended position, and it did not for some reason obey this
order, the center of gravity would be different from the calcu-
lated point, and the precision of the mid-course maneuver would
be affected. So the boom staysin the retracted position until
the mid-course maneuver is completed. Meanwhile, gammpa-ray data
is obtained while the spectrometer is still retracted, for reasons
of calibration.

From that point on, four hours after l.unch, until the
start of the mid-course maneuver approximately 16 hours after
launch, most of the activity takes place at the three Deep
Space Instrumentation Facility stations--Woomera, Australia;
Johannesburg, South Africa; Goldstone, California--and at JPL.

Tracking data from these three stations are fed into the
7090 computer at JPL in Pasadena. The computer calculates the
position of the spacecraft as it is in fact in relation to
where it should be in order to hit the moon. If it is the
case, as it is likely uo oe, that guidance errors before injec--
tion have put it off its optimum trajectory, the computer will
provide a set of figures that will tell the spacecraft how it
has to change its orientation in space in order to properly aim
the mid-course motor for its corrective maneuver.
-8-
 This Intelligence will be in the form of a foUr-word
digital
command that w:.ll be sent to the spacecraft and stored in the needed,
CC&S. One word concerns the direction and amount of pitch nec-
and another word concerns the direction and amount of be roll
spacecraft can pointed
essary. With these two maneuvers, the time of
:In any direction necessary to make a change in course,
flight; or both. The third word is the amount of velocity
words
increment needed from the mid-course motor. These three are
are sent from Goldstone to the Ranger 4 CC&S, where they in
checked to see if they are addressed to the proper places
the spacecraft. CC&S takes no action, however, until. it for
receives the "go" command from Goldstone. While walting
for
that command, the spacecraft sends back to Goldstone,changes
rechecking, then words it received. If there are no
to be made, 30 minutes after the Ranger )4CC&S has received
and stored the. commands, it recieves, at 15 hours after
launch, the "go" command from Goldstonle.
Just prior to issuing the "go command, Goldstone will
to switch from the direc-
have issued a command to Ranger Slj
tional to the omni-antenna and to move its directional antenna
out of the way of the exhaust of the mid-course motor.

The roll maneuver requires 9.5 minutes of time, including

two minutes of settling time, and the pitch maneuver requires
approximately 17 minutes. Two minutes after the pitch maneuver
motor is turned on and burns until
is completed, the mid-course
the commanded velocity increase has been effected. The attitude
stabil-
control gas jets are not powerful enough to maintain the jet-
ity of the spacecraft during mid-course maneuvering, so
vanpi extending into the exhaust of the mid-course motor con-
trol the attitude of the spacecraft in this period. The
jet-vanes are controlled by an adjucnt to the attitude con-
trol system known as the autopilot.
After the mid-course maneuver has put Ranger 4 on the
desired collision course, the spacecraft goes through the
sun and earth acquisition modes again. The double acquisi-
tion is not so difficult this time, however, because gyros
in the attitude control system provide a reference back to
the attitude position it used before the mid-course maneuver,
and it quickly moves back to that position.
Ranger 4 now is at the limit of the range at which the
omni-antenna can provide useful information, however, and
Ranger 4 has been transmitting through the omni during the
mid-course maneuver. A ground command is issued to trans-
fer back to the high-gain antenna and thii condition will
remain for the rest of the flight.
9 -(OVER).
 ll

Two and one-half hours after :tnit:iat;.on of the mid-course

maneuver, CC&S commands the gamma ray boom to extend, by means
of pressurized gas, to -its limit of '(2 inches awray from the
spacecrait. The gas contained in the boom is not allowed to
vent, since its quick escape undoubtedly would perturb the
attitude of the spacecraft. It may leak out, however, but
not at a rate that would affect the spacecraft att'"ude.
For the next 48 hours, Ranger 4 continues on its course
to the moon, telemetering conti.nuous engineering data and also
sending gamma ray reports back once every eight minutes. Track-
Ing data from all three DSIF stations are sent to JPL and the
7090 computer calculates when impact will occur.

WIhen the exact time of impact is computed, it then will

be possible to.back off in time and determine where the space-
craft ':ill. be 65 minutes before impact. The computer, using
this position of Impact minus 65 minutes, will determine the
kind of commands that have to be sent to the CC&S in order
for it to perform its terminal maneuver at that time.
These commands will. be sent by Goldstone to Ranger 4
a half hour before the spacecraft reaches this point in
time and space, or 95 minutes before impact.
The commands will be similar in nature to those sent to
govern the mid-course maneuver, with the difference that this
time there will be no motor burn. The three commands, sent
to the CC&S and stored there against the time it receives
the "go" command,.are: direction and amount of pitch turni
direction and amount of yaw turn, direction and amount of
a secohd pitch turn. These three turns are necessary to
keep the directional antenna aimed at the earth and yet
position the spacecraft properly for its lunar approach.

The "go" command sent in real time from Goldstone 65

minutes before impact initiates a series of events which
sees the spacecraft using its attitude control system gyros
and gas Jets to turn around and' orient its television camera
to the surface of the moon. When this sequence is initiated,'
Ranger 4 will be approximately 5,000 miles above the lunar
surface. In the attitude required for the terminal maneuver
the solar panels are not pointed at the sun, and from now on
power is provided by-the battery. Initiation of the terminal
maneuver also turns on the television camera for warmup; it
will not start to take pictures until later.
The last maneuvering command of the CC&S, which is to
stop the second pitch maneuver, also accomplishes three
other switching functions. These are: (1) to switch from
an engineering data telemetry mode to a scientific telemetry 0
-10-
mode, [or acquisition of the television picturcs and an
increased rate of gamma-ray data, (2) initiate a 2 minute
time delay to deploy the radio altimeter antenna, (which
is necessary for It to be looking at the lunar surface),
and to remove the protective cover from in front of the
television camera telescope and (3) to initiate a 21
minute time delay to deploy the omni-antenna which makes
an exit path for the separation of the lunar survival
capsule. The time delays for the deployments are necessary
to allow the spacecraft to stabilize from its last pitch
maneuver before introducing the motion of the deployments.
The radio altimeter antenna is deployed 30 seconds before
the omni-antenna to allow it to be out of the way at the
time the retro-motor heat shield comes dorm. the latter
happening when the omni-antenna is deployed. The tele-
scope cover, mentioned above, is used to prevent micro-
meteorite damage and as a radiation shield to husband
the heat in the television camera assembly. All of the
deployments mentioned above are operated by captive
springs, which are released by pyrotechnic "pih-pullers"
or explosive bolts.

At 2400 miles from the surface of the moon, just 40

minutes before impact, the television camera starts taking
pictures of the lunar surface and transmitting them, one
every 13 seconds, to Goldstone.
The gamma ray telemetry also is shifted from low to
high rate so that instead of sending reports once every
eight minutes, it now sends reports once every 52 seconds.
The radar altimeter, ranging its signal against the
surface of the moon and receiving the echo, initiates the
next command. At approximately 68,000 feet above the
lunar surface, and 8.1 seconds before the main spacecraft
is due to crash and destroy itself, the delay time between
the radar pulse and echo is such that the altimeter will
generate a fusing signal.
This fusing signal starts the lunar capsule launch
sequence, in this order of events:
The bus power source, the large battery, will explode
four bolt cutters on the clamp that holds the retro motor
and the lunar capsule assembly to the spacecraft. The
clamp flies out.
Simultaneously the bus power source will blow a squib
switch whi 3h activates a battery and sequencer in a small
cookie-shaped container located between the retro rocket
-11 - (OVER)
and the lunar capsule. From that point on, the events that
occur to the retro rocket and the lunar capsule are governed
by commands from this cookie-shaped sequencer.
When the squib switch is closed, the sequencer powers
three timers. The first timer, with a built-in delay of 135
milliseconds, ignites the small spin motor in the nozzle of
the retro rocket motor. This delay is programmed so that the
clamp which holds the assembly to the spacecraft has time to
fly free before the capsule starts to spin.

The spin motor, with a thrust of 20 pounds, has three

nozzles tilted down fronm the horizontal at an angle of 10
degrees, so that when it ignites and spins the retro rocket
and the lunar capsule assembly up to 300 revolutions per
minute, the downward tilt results in the entire assembly
lifting itself by approximately two and a half feet above
its cradled position in the spacecraft. The spacecraft
goes on to crash into the moon and destroy itself.
The retro motor, with a thrust of 5080 pounds, then
fires. As it fires, it ejects the spin motor rocket that
was contained in'its nozzle. The retro motor, with the
lunar capsule positioned on top, fires for 10 seconds and
cancels out approximately 6000 miles an hour velocity from
the capsule assembly.
When the retro rocket fires, it is expected to severely
affect the operation of the main spacecraft so that probably
the telemetry system will lose its lock on the earth. The
consequence of this, of course, will be a sudden loss of
transmission of television pictures.
This retro rocket ignition is initiated at 52,000
feet above the surface of the moon and comes to an end
after burnout of the retro motor so that the entire assembly
would normally come to zero velocity when it is approximately
1100 feet above the lunar surface. The 1100 foot altitude is
chosen to provide allowance for'the normal dispersions in the
system in order to insure that the retro rocket will have
time to complete its Job of removing the v locity.
After burnout, a separation timer in he sequencer
explodes a clamp holding the lunar capsul to the retro
motor, and the two units, now separated, oth start to
free fall into the moon.
The separation of the two units will be such that the
burned-out retro motor is expected to lan four or five
seconds ahead of the lunar capsule. Thislevent will occur
some 24 seconds after the main spacecraft'has 'crash landed.
-12-

i)
 The balsa wood-covered instrumented capsule is expected
to land with a speed of less than 150 miles an hour.
After it has landed, the instrument container in the
balsa wood covering will erect itself to point its antenna
back to earth and prepare to record and telemeter back tn
earth lunar body tremors it picks up from moon quakes or
meteoritic impacts. This process of preparation is expected
to take 20 minutes.

-13-
 RANGER 4 SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS

There are four scientific experiments on Ranger 4. They

involve scientists and engineers at seven institutions: The
California Institute of Technology, Columbia University, the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories,
University of Arizona, United States Geologic Survey, and the
University of California at San Diego. Scientific aspects of
the instrument system were the responsibility of Dr. Harold W.
Washburn of JPL, project scientist, and Raymond L. Heacock of
JPL was the project engineer responsible for the engineering
of the scientific hardware.

The experiments are designed to obtain scientific informa-

tion that will increase our knowledge of the history and forma-
tion of the moon and technical information that will help make
more successful future moon landings by-manned or unmanned
spacecraft. The instruments for these experiments are a vidicon
camera system, a gamma ray spectrometer, a radar altimeter and
a seismometer. The main section of the spacecraft, carrying
the television camera and telescope, the gamma ray spectrometer,
and the radar altimeter, will impact the moon at approximately
6000 miles per hour and be destroyed. The capsule containing
the seismometer and its radio transmitter will rough land at a
velocity between 80 and 120 miles an hour.

In the history of man's search for knowledge concerning

the moon, since Galileo first turned his telescope on the earth's
satellite in the 15th century, there is relatively little that
is known as hard fact. We know with some certainty that the
moon is 2160 miles in diameter, it has a mass one eightieth
of the earth's mass, it rotates around the earth approximately
once every 28 days, it has a temperature range at its surface
of approximately plus 260 degrees to minus 230 degrees Fahrenheit,
it is at a mean distance of 238,000 mi]es from the earth.

There are, of course, other things known about the moon,

such as the approximate number,'position arnd appearance of the
craters and seas, the incidents of slopes and valleys, but any
list of known facts concerning the moon would be relatively
short compared to a list of known facts concerning the earth.

What we have learned concerning the moon in the past

several centuries we have learned, not by much better observa-
tion, but rather by improving our understanding of geology and
by interpreting new discoveries made in this field. So, by
looking more closely at the eartii, we have understood better
the forces that are brought into play to shape a large body
such as the earth, and which probably also affected the
formation of the moon.

-14lF- oh
 Our studies of geochemistry have told us more about the
i nature of rocks which might be on the moon. But despite all
these advances, detailed observations of the moon are as dif-
ficult. .to. make now-.as they ever have been. The filtering effect
of the earth's atmosphere has had an adverse effect on the qual-
ity of photographs taken by earth-based telescopes, even under
the best conditions of seeing. Consequently, we have never
seen the moon from the earth with better than a kilometer, or
six-tenths of a mile, of resolution. This means that objects
smaller than this in size cannot be distinguished on the lunar
surface.

There are many controversies among scientists concerning

the formation of the moon arn the history of the forces which
subsequently have changed it3 structure and appearance. It is
clear that the moon :1.s diffcr-c-iA In appearance from the earth,
but the cause of these differences is the heart of the contro-
versy.

Centuries ago, most astronomers believed the moon's

craters were giant extinct volcanoes and the vast.dark
plains--called maria, the Latin word for seas--were thought
of as fiel.ds of lava. Thus, these astronomers pictured the
moon as a hot body with molten rock ready to spew out onto
the surface.

As geologists began to look at the moon, however, and

turn to this riddle their knowledge Of the earth, they sug-
gested that the craters really were the result of impacts.
Of meteorites on the surface of the moon. They even sug-
gested the vast, dark plains were really the result of
impact by large meteorites. Thus, the astronomers turned
to a geologic explanation--volcanism--to describe the sur-
face of the moon, and the geologists turned to astronomy--
meteorite falls--for their description.

Very few scientists now believe that all the features of

the rmooh are the result of volcanism. Most believe that the
craters are the result of meteorite impacts and the maria are
indeed lava flow from volcanoes. Theire are a few who believe
that the moon never was hot enough t6 have lava on it surface.
and that all features of the moon are the result of meteorite
Impacts, dust particles and unfiltered sunlight.

Several of the crucial problems in this controversy are

concerned with the details of the lunar surface. Is it finely
broken up with small markings characteristic of lava flows here
on earth? Is it covered completely with shattered rock result-
ing only from impact, and is it without lava? Has the surface

-15- (OVER)
been eroerld by the tinfi- iterod high energy of sunlight .;o that
St .1s covered wl.th a layer of fine rock dust? We cannot tell
which of those pos:ih ll.ties (or which unexpected unforeseen
possibillty) 's true by looking at the moon from the earth,
no matter hew clever and ingenious scientists are at Inter-
pret;ing the observational data. Only closeup, detailed
observation vrll]. Solve the rI.d.dle.
It Is to some of these scientific questions that Ranger I1
addresses itself. 'The four scientific experiments on ehe space-
craft are expected to provide critical answers to some of the
pressing problems that block our path to understanding the moon.
Clearly, this understanding is an essential part of the program
to place a man on the moon in this decade.
The experiments:
LUNAR PHOTOGRAPHY
Most'of the useful lunar information has been obtained
from pictures of the moon's surface. One objective of the
Ranger 4 mission is to obtain pictures that contain more
deta:i.l than pictures now available, since the television-
telescope instrument on the spacecraft will be in a position
to photograph the moon's surface free of the distorting
effects of the earth's atmosphere.
From a scientific point of view, better quality pictures
will indicate 'the type of surface on which the seismometer will
land and thus will assist in performirg a better evaluation of
the seismometer data. The pictures also will give some geolog-
ical information concerning coarse surface structure, small
scale selenological land forms and features, and altitudes
and slopes of surface features. The same pictures will pro-
vide invaluable information to help in the discovery of
possible landing sites for future unmanned and manned lunar
landings.
Whereas the best earth-based moon photos taken to date
have a resolution of approximately one kilometer---meaning
objects smaller than that in size cannot be distinguished--
the Ranger 4I television camera and telescope is expected,
if it is working within its limits, to provide pictures that
will show an area a little more than 800 feet square in which
objects 12 feet in diameter can be seen, under favorable
conditions.
The difference will be comparable to the ability to
distinguish between an object the size of a large battle-
ship and an object the size of an automobile when both are
on the surface of the moon.
At Impact minus 65 minutes, a ground command will be sent
from the Goldstone Tracking Station in the Mohave Desert of
California-to perform two functions. These are: To initiate
the terminal maneuver and to turn on the television camera
.
.ystem. This occurs when Ranger 4 is 5000 miles from the
3urface of the moon.
- 16 -
 Although the television camera system will. be turncd on
at that time, :it will not Send the telemetery unt3l Impact
minus 40 minutes. This delay occurs for two reasons: It is
necessary to allow the tclevi.Sion system some time to warm
up and also to allow the spacecraft to stabilize itself again
after the oscillations that have occurred during the terminal
maneuver when the spacecraft turned around and started to back
down to the surface of the moon.

At Impact minus 40 minutes, some 2500 miles above the

surface of the moon, the TV camera system signal will be fed
into the spacecraft telemetry and the picture-sending sequence
from the spacecraft to Goldstone will commence. This sequence
will continue in an automatic mode until the destruction of
the spacecraft.by impact at approximately 6000 miles an hour,
but pictures are not expected to be received up to impact.

Each picture received at Goldstone from the spacecraft

will consist of 200 lines which are built up over a period of
10 seconds. When the picture is built up, another three seconds
is required to erase the picture and prepare for the next one.
This three second interval also is used to transmit gamma ray
and radar data. These are the steps in sequence: (1) A space-
craft command signals that a frame should start. This causes a
shutter solenoid to actuate a 20-millisecond exposure and simul-
taneously begin a slow scan of the image on the television
faceplate. (2) Ten seconds later, a second spacecraft command
indicates cessation of the readout and diverts the telemetry
input to interrupt the signal. At this time, the TV camera
begins an erase and prepare mode to restore the television
faceplate to a blank condition in preparation for the next
image. (3) Three seconds after the second command, the first
command is repeated, thus completing the cycle.

Several safety features have been incorporated in the

camera design. They are: (1) Should no spacecraft command
be sent, the camera will sequence itself automatically. How-
ever, spacecraft commands have'.priority and will, if present,
override the internal sequence command. (2) The spacecraft
clock is used to dictate the exact time that each line of
scan begins. This clock is always in control of the line,
even when the erase process is taking place. The clock is
in the form of a 400-cycle sine wave, and is also telemetered
back to Goldstone. This makes it possible to know precisely
when each line should begin. If the telemetry link becomes
noisy at any time, then, it will be possible to maintain
synchronization on an absolute reference basis, thus keeping
the pictures in a format which allows the 7090 computer at
JPL to later remove noise while searching for redundant picture
elements.

Ranger 4, from the time the TV system starts transnmitting,

will send one TV picture to Goldstone every 13 seconds, a total

-17- (OVER)

-I
of more than 100 pictures. At approximately 15 miles from
the surface of the moon, and 8.1 seconds before bus impact,
the capsule will be separated from the bus. The disturbance
resulting from this event is expected to disturb the attitude
of the spacecraft to the point where the high-gain antenna will
love its lock on Goldstone; thus transmission of TV pictures is
expected to end at this point.

The television electronics are contained in a circular

package seven inches'in diameter and three inches deep. The
electronics and tube design of the television camera were
especially developed by the Radio Corporation of America for
Ranger 4, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists developed
a special optical telescope that provides the equivalent of a
40-inch focal length instrument in a package that is only 14
inches. long. General Electro Dynamics Corporation developed
the electron gun structure.

In the Ranger 3 flight, although the spacecraft did not

provide the television camera with the position it needed to
conduct a successful lunar photography experiment, it was
possible to determine from telemetry that the television
camera equipment operated normally. Several of the frames)
received clearly show the reticle on the face of the camera,
by illumination from reflected sunlight.

Experimenters on the lunar photography experiment are

Dr. G. P. Kuiper, University of Arizona; Dr. E. M. Shoemaker,
U. S. Geologic Survey; Dr. H. C. Urey, University of California
at San Diego; Dr. A. R. Hibbs, R. L. Heacock and E. F. Dobies,
Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Dobies is the JPL cognizant scientist
for the experiment, and Richard Heyser is the cognizant engineer.
GAMMA RAY EXPERIMENT

Studies extending over several decades have shown that

the earth possesses a thin surface layer, or crust, the com-
position of which is markedly different from that of the
remainder of the earth. This difference shows up in the
distinct enrichment or depletions of many elements in this
crust as a result of chemical and physical processes that
have taken place in the earth's history.

One theory that has been widely accepted for years io

that the mean composition of the earthts mantle, excluding
the crust, is roughly the same as a class of undifferentiated
material found in meteorites and known as the chondrites.
Strong evidence to support this hypothesis is found in the
fact that the estimated heat loss of the earth is in close
agreement with the heat loss that could be expected from an
earth of chondritic composition.
-18- (')

Ii
 iI

Presumably the conditions that produced the earth are

con-Iderably different from those which acted upon the moon,
but; the Dame quostions of differentiation and heat balance
are pertinent to the moon. The surface of the moon generally
.in cons;idered to be older than the earth, but it seems l:i.kely
that the same processes of separation that are known to have
occurred in the earth's crust may have taken place to a limited
extent in the moon.

Elements found In the earth's crust include, among others,

uranium, thorium, radium and potassium. All of these possess
radioactive isotopes and put out penetrating and characteristic
radiations called gamma rays which are physically similar to
high energy, monochromatic X-rays. Thus, by detecting these
characteristic gamma rays it is possible to tell how many of
these elements are :I.n the rock. Geochemists have discovered
that the rocks in the crust of the earth contain much more
potassium 40, which emits these X-rays, than does the
chrondritic material of meteorites.
.Conequently, a measurement of the gamma ray spectrum
found in lunar surface rocks and dust will provide direct
information for the first time concerning the composition
of this material. Since the heat production of a body such
as the moon is largely determined by its radioactive content,
C) #and since those elements which possess natural radioactivity
are indicative of differentiation at least on the earth, gamma
ray spectroscopy on the moon appears to be capable of contribut-
ing evidence to both problems.
This radioactive technique of analysis has many advantages
over the ordinary chemical analysis process in which the rock
would have to be ground up, dissolved in acid and then subjected
to a series of chemical tests. For the gamma ray method, of
course, the rock sample need not be ground up or dissolved.
Another advantage of this application is that.it measures the
average composition of a large part of the moon's surface,
rather than that of a particular sample which may differ
widely from the average. Also,'the experiment can be con-
ducted without landing delicate equipment on the lunar.surface.
With these potassium 40 gamma ray data from Ranger 4, it
will be possible to determine in a broad sense if the surface
of the moon looks like the surface of the earth or if it looks
more like meteoritic material. If the surface of the moon is
indeed similar to the surface of the earth, this means that the
moon has had extensive volcanic or melting action in its history
and may be partially covered with lava. If, on the other hand,
the lunar surface material appears similar to that of meteo-
rites, this implies that a low level of volcanic activity or
that whatever volcanoes may have existed in the past have been
inactive for so long that the surface now is well covered by
meteorites.
19 (OVER)
 The gamma ray detector writh Its hi.gh voltage supp].y .1.s
located at the end of a telescoping boom mounted on the space-
craft. The detector in a thin aluminum sphere at the end of
the boom Is extended by pressurized gas to a distance of sax
fEe;t away from the spacecraft in order to reduce the effect
of' The secondary gamma rays which are produced by the inter-
action of cosmic rays with the bulk of the spacecraft. Thi.s
event is performed after Ranger 4 has undergone its mid-course
gruidance maneuver in order to preserve a known center of gravity
which is required for the guidance maneuver calculations.
Four hours after launch, the central computer and sequencer
will turn on the gamma ray experiment. As mentioned, the boom
:i not extended at this time for several reasons. First, the
counting rate of secondary gamma rays produced by interaction.
,'fcosmic rays with the spacecraft is needed in order to provide
calibration data.
Another reason has to do with the precision required for
tine mid-cQursc maneuver of the spacecraft. The mid-course motor
thrust must, of course, be through the center of gravity of the
spacecraft. If the gamma ray spectrometer boom were commanded
to the extended position before the mid-course maneuver, and if
for some reason it did not reach that position, the center of
gravity would be different form the calculated point and would
af'ect the precision of the mid-course maneuver. Consequently, s
the boom Is kept in the retracted position until after completion
of the mi.d-course maneuver.
From the time that it is turned on until.40 minutes before
impact with the moon, the spectrometer sends information to the
earth once every eight minutes. At 40 minutes before impact,
when it is in a position to detect lunar surface gamma radia-
tion, it starts to send data once every 52 seconds. When it
shifts to this more rapid mode of' transmission, the spectro-
meter uses the three-second erase mode on the television
picture channel of telemetry once in every four intervals.
The gamma ray spectrometerd., mounted on' the spacecraft,
wrill continue to send data up to the moment of separation of
the lunar capsule from the bus.
The gamma ray experiment hardware weighs a little more
than 12 pounds and occupies a volume of 850 cubic inches.
The power required is less than two watts.
In the Ranger 3 experiment, the gamma ray spectrometer
performed well. It obtained space radiation data that will
be of great value as a measure of the background upon which
any lunar signal must be superimposed. These data are now
being analyzed for Information that may be of intrinsic value.

- 20 -
 E~xpori.lentor8 arc ADA. J.
Californla at 8..n nDlcgo; Dr.
Van Dilla, of the Lorz A]amorno
Dr. A. E. Met,'zror of the Jot
Dr. Dct:.ger is the cognI7iant
JPJ..
R. Arnold, Un.l.vor..i.ty or
E. C. Anrlerzoln and Dr. 1.. A.
Sci entiJ:tc laaboro.lor;.;n-I
Proputl si on Laboratory.
-,cicnt;ist In(1 cngincor for

MOON(2UAKE EXPE:RIM'4ENT
The determination of lunar body activity, either by
moonquakes which send raves through the lunar mass, or by
the impact of meteorites will provide important new infor-
mation concerning the thermal history of the moon and the
structural proceoses which now may be taking place. The
body wave data which may result either from moonquakes or
impact by meteors will provide information on the presence
or absence of 'a solid or liquid core at the center of the
moon, and also will give information on the depth at which
moonquakes occur and the amounts of energy released.by such
quakes.

In addition, the presence or absence of a lunar crust,

similar to the crust which is known to exist on the earth,
can be determined by the presence or absence of a particular
kind of moonquake wave which could result from quakes or
meteorites.
The instrument which will perform this experiment on
the surface of the moon is a small, highly sensitive seis-
mometer, many times more sensitive than any tsehat is used
for earthquake recording, yet constructed so as to be able
to withstand an impact with granite at a speed of 200 miles,
an hour--a shock the equivalent to a deceleration of 3000
times earth gravity--and continue to operate after such an
impact.
The seismometer was designed and fabricated by the
California Institute of' Technology Seismological Laboratory,
in cooperation with the Lamont iGeophysical Observatory of
Columbia University.
It is a single-axis instrument 5.27 inches long and 4.37
inches in diameter and weighs 7.8 pounds. Six silver cadmium
batteries will provide power for a period between 30 to 60
days to transmit moonquake or meteorite impact data to earth.
The seismometer is contained in a sphere slightly less
than 12 inches in diameter, and weighing 57.). pounds. This
instrumented capsule is covered by a protective balsa wood
cover designed to help absorb the iNpact energy when the
assembly lands on the moon at a velocfty' somewhat less than
- 21 - (OVER)
1.50 miles per hour. The entire a.ssjmbly, in ;trurmcnted sph;lero
and wood covering and as,.;ocia.te(d harcdwiare w-eighls a total
iva].a
oC89.3 pounds. The instrumented sphere, containing the
Momocicr, the soi-;mometer amplifier and the batteries and a
50-milliwratt radio transmitter, fits in the balsa wood cavity
:t.n a thin layer of o:1 1 between the sphere and the balsa wood
so that the sphere is free-floating in the cavity.

In the process of assemb).ing the sphere, the 50-mil.liw:ratt

transmitter Was turned on four weeks before the launch date.
The tranomitter, hotievor, is controlled by a mercury switch,
so that duringr normal handling and before launch, the trans-
mitter could be turned off merely by turning the sphere upside
domrn. Mercury siw:1.tches, however, are not reliable in zero
gr-avi.ty fields, so an inertial switch which closes under five
gravities was installed a.s a safrety precaution. Du.ring l.ift-
oCf, til:t incrtia. swin:;tch will be closed by the gravities
encountered during powered flight, and thus the seismometer
transmitter wil). be turned on permanently at that time. It
:i. cs.esntial for the seismometer transmitter to be turned on,
even though it is, of course, not recording moonqualce data
during flight, so that ground operators will know that it
is operating. Wilth this knowledge, it then will be possible
to determine if the ohu;k of the retro rocket firi.ng causes
any disturbance i.n the seismometer transmitter.
Also :i.n the instrumented sphere is a voltage control
oscillator which is temperature-sensitive. This oscillator
has been calibrated to its temperature sensitivity, and
consequently the data it sends by telemetry will enable
calculations to be made as to the range of temperatures
encountered during the 3.4-day lunar day and the 14-day
lunar night.
On top of the instrumented sphere is a turnstile antenna.
The sphere is deliberately designed writh its center of gravity
a half inch below its geometric center. This was done so that
when the capsule lands on the lunar surface and stops rolling,
the sphere will right itself, in the manner of heavy bottomed
toys, with the turnstile antenna on the top and pointed at the
earth.
During flight, the instrumented sphere is held.in a rigid
pos.Ltion in the balsa wood cavity by a set of caging pins which
impinge on the outside of the sphere. During the thrust of the
retro rocket during the terminal landing maneuver, a gravity-
sensitive switch will respond to the buildup of gravity which
the sphere will undergo and will start a timer which will
release the caging pins holding the sphere in place.
-22- .

I.
 It is not expected that the protective balsa wood cover-
ing will split on impact, and fall away from the sphere., but
the balsa wood is transparent to the radio signals from the
transmitter in the sphere. Wfhen the caging pins release the
sphere inside the balsa wood capsule and after the landing
takes place, the sphere with its low center of gravity will
take 20 minutes to position itself with the turnstile antenna
pointed toward the earth. The operation .requires that much
time because of the weak lunar gravity and the viscosity of
the oil which had served to insulate the sphere inside the
balsa wood covering.

However, now that the sphere is in position for the

seismometer to operate, another hurdle must be overcome.
That is to get rid of the oil film between the sphere and'
the balsa wood, lest it act as an insulator to the shocks
the seismometer is designed to detect. Accordingly, after
the sphere has righted itself, two pyrotechnic slugs are
blown out of the assembly and the oil is vented off..

Another problem, relating to the great temperature

range which is expected on the moon--from approximately
plus 200 degrees to minus 230 degrees Fahrenheit--is now
resolved by an ingenious solution. The survival sphere
n contains 3.6 pounds of water which is heated by the
V dissipation of electrical energy inside the sphere until
it reaches the boiling point of water under lunar vacuum
conditions, which is 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Since it is
impossible to superheat wrater beyond the boiling point,
this serves to stabilize the upper limit of the temperature
range at this 75-degree level. As the 14-day-long lunar
night arrives, the water temperature falls from this peak
but never really reaches the freezing level because of the
heat dissipation inside the capsule and the time involved.
Consequently, the water control system serves to keep the
sphere temperature within operating limits for the electronics
and batteries, seeing to it that they neither freeze nor melt.

The scientists participating in the moonquake experiment

are Dr. Frank Press, California Institute of Technology Seis-
mological Laboratory, and Dr. Maurice Ewing, Lamont Geophysical
Observatory, Columbia University. Dr. R. L. Kovach, JPL, is
the cognizant scientist for JPL, and Donald Adamski'is the
JPL cognizant engineer.
RADAR REFLECTIVITY

The radar altimeter on Ranger 4 serves a dual purpose.

Its engineering function is to initiate the capsule separa-
tion from the bus and the retro rocket ignition at a preset
( altitude above the moon's surface. Its scientific function
-23-
 I, to COllC t; n i';.via raC]' ci; v: 'dty e;:pcrilme^nt; on h;lvŽ 8ur'face
of t~ho m1loonl .I.n O1-11(:P t;o pi'ovi Jce '1infoTiu'.t3;; n)non the rnature of
the l lnaina' ;;ii'U.? 'In th(e m'1p.P.c t arclr. ;). to e.;nh] ,;h mor(
*n.'OrI;iai 6n 0on lunn' ;'a(-h-.r reJf1. cC.Ion propertXl";.

iatyllr eartlh-,.bAc rar ricnts have

h, been conl.Thcted
in an attempt 1to ctaol h ;;owethl.ng about the propcrtL c,; of'
the Iiinar -;ijrm'acc by rf lectlIon cooUlcic nt of the rotnlrncA'r,
signal. Dy nccc;;z 7,J,
L ho ever, thc arcna on the lulnar m;urface
covorod by the oairti'-ba.ed racar :.is large, i;n most ca,,c., al)out
60,000 zquare and the returns, al].o r eistimate. to be
made for the average re'lection coefficl.cnt3 (or arcas. of th; s
s~i.ze .

The Ranger 11 radar al timeter, ho'.-rever, vri].l. vievr an area

of approximately 60 sqiuare miles; or lcr;s of the l.unor surface,
and the resul.ts may serve to cstabllsh a sl,andard area for the
callbration of1 more comilple.: earth-ba:,ed radar systems to be
used in lunar .ork.

The instrument is a ;tandard pulsectype radar. The trans-

mitter is a magnetron with a peak porer output of 150 to p400
vwatts. Pu.lse width is l;;o Microseconds, pulse repetition rate
is 500 to 600 pulses per sccond, and the frequency i:s 94I00
megacycles.

The alt:tmeter wiill be turned on by ground command from

Goldstone at a distance from the lunar surface between 1.22
and 3)4 miles.

During the Ranger 3 terminal maneuver, the radar a].ti-

meter.vwas successfully turned on, but the reflectivity
experiment was not attempted.

W. E. Brown, Jr., is the experimenter in the radar

reflectivity experiment and also serves as the cognizant
-scientist. H. E. Wagner is the JPL cognizant engineer.

2.

- ' - C)
 DEE13P SPACE, INSTRUMENTATION FACI.LITY

The Dcep Space Tn-t;truniontat; on Facl.ity (TDXIF) con. sict;

of three space communication stat-ion3-, located approxi matcly
:1.20 degrees apart around the earth, and a mobile station which
can be located to suit the purpose of a particular miss:ton.
The three permanent stations arc Gol(lotone, California; Woomera,
Australia; and near Johannesburg, South Africa.
The DSIF is under the technical direction of the California
Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Dr. Eberhardt Rechtin is
JPL's DSIF Program Director.
In the lunar and planetary programs, the mission of the
DSIF is to track, receive telemetry from and send commands to
spacecraft from the time they are :injected into orbits until
they finish their missions.
Since they are located approximately 120 degrees apart
around the earth, the three stations can provide 360 degree-
coverage around the earth so that one of the three always
will be able to communicate with a distant spacecraft.

In the case of Ranger, the mobile station, under a crew

headed by Earl Martin of JPL, will locate its 10-foot-in-
diameter tracking station at a position approximately one
mile east of the DSIF station near Johannesburg.
The mobile station will be used in that location because
it has-the advantage of having a 10-degree beam width--ten
times as wide as the 85-foot-in-diameter dish--and it can
track at a rate of 10 degrees per second, also ten times as
fast as the big dishes. On the other hand, since 'its antenna
is not so large as the big dishes, it cannot match the big
dishes in range and consequently will be used' only in the
initial part of the flight.
Based on nominal performance and a nominal trajectory,
the initial Ranger 4 acquisition and loss times for the DSIF
stations are:
Mobile Station, South Africa--Acquires 10 minutes after
injection, holds for 12 hours.
DSIF, Johannesburg--Acquires 15 minutes after injection,
holds for 12 hours.
DSIF, Woomera--Acquires 65 minutes after injection, holds
for 2.5 hours.
- 25 - (OVER)
 DSIF, Goldstone--Acquires 12.5 hour:; after injection,
holds 11 hours.
The mid-cource and terminal maneuver commands will be sent
by GoJdstone, which also will send other commands as needed to
the spacecraft. Goldstone will acquire Ranger 3 approximately
61 hours after launch to hold it through the terminal maneuver
and Impact.
Each DSIF station thereafter will work a 141-hour day for
the length of the battery life in the moon capsule, estimated
to be at least 30 days. Each station will receive telemetry
from the lunar capsule for approximately eight hours and then
pass it on to another Station as the rotation of the earth and
the movement of the moon bring it within range.
Each deep space station of the DSIF is equipped with an
8 5-foot-in-diameterantenna and receiving, data handling, and
interstation communication equipment. In addition, the sta-
tions at Goldstone and Johannesburg have command capability.
Goldstone is operated for JPL by the Bendix Radio Corpora-
tion. JPL's engineer in charge is Walter Larkin.
The Australian DSIF is 15 miles from Woomera Village in
South Australia. It consists of an 85 7f'oot-in-diameter receiv-
ing antenna and supporting equipment and buildings. The Woomera
station is operated by the Australian Department of Supply,
Weapons Research Establishment. Dr. Frank Wood represents the
WRE. JPL's reqident engineer is Richard Fahnestock.
The South African station, like the Woomera station,
consists of an 85-foot-in-diameter receiving antenna and
supporting equipment and buildings and is located in a bowl-
shaped valley approximately 40 miles northwest of Johannesburg.
The South African station is operated by the South African
government through the National Institute for Telecommunica-
tions Research, Dr. Frank Hewitt, director. NITR is a division
of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. JPL's
resident engineer is Paul Jones.
The two overseas stations and Goldstone are linked by a
communications network which allows tracking and telemetry
information to be sent to the JPL Communication Center in
Pasadena for processing by JPL's IBM 7090 computer.
- 26 -
 K1.Y PERSONNEL

Rangcr 4 i..part of the National Aeronautics and Space

AdmtitratIZii' I niiiar and planetary progrdmin3 and is the
resronsi bli:tty of the Office of Space Sciences. The Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, operated for
NASA by the Cal:1fornia In-t;ilttct of Technology, is the
prime contractor for Ranger 4 and other currently author-
ized lunar and planetary prI,,jects.

NASA Headquarters personnel associated with Ranger 4

are:
Dr. Homer R. New-,ell, Director, Office of Space Sciences;
E. M. Cortright, Deputy Director, Office of Space Sciences;
Oran W. Nicks. Director of L:unar and Planetary Programs;
Newton W. Cunningham, Chief. Ranger Program; Walter Jakobowski.
Ranger Program Engineer, and Dr. Charles P. Sonett, Chief,
Sciences,0.Lunar and Planetary Program,.

Key Jet Propulsion Laboratory personnel are:

Clifford I. Cummings, Lunar Program Director; James D.

Burke, Ranger Project Manager; Allen E. Wolfe, Ranger Space-
craft Systems Manager; Dr. Nicholas A. Ienzetti, DSIF Systems
Manager; Phillip A. Tardani. DSIF Operations Manager; Marshall
S. Johnson, Data Operations and Control System Manager;
Raymond L. Heacock, Project Engineer; Dr. Harold W. Washburn,
Project Scientist; Edwin F. Dobie3, Scientist.for TV experl-
ment; Dr. Robert T...Kovach, Scientiot for the seismometer
experiment; Walter E. Brown, Jr., Scientist for the radar
reflectivity experiment; Gregory P. Cushing, Lunar Capsule
Project Engineer; Robert L. Crabtree, Spacecraft Launch
Operations; 14. Richard Mesnard, Ranger 4.project engineer;
and Dr. Albert E. Metzger, Scientist for the gamma ray
spectrometer experiment.

-27-
 SUBCONTRACTORS

Twenty-eight subcontractors to the California Institute

of Technology. Jet Propulsion Laboratory provided instruments
and hardware for Ranger 3, 4 and 5 program. These contracts
amounted to $8 million.

Aeronutronic, Div. of Ford Motor Lunar Rough Landing

Newport Beach, California Capsule

American Missile Products CC&S Flight Subsystem

Lawndale, California and Ground Support Equip,
ment; Power Switching and
Logic; Antenna Change-
Over Switch

Barry Controls Solar Panel Frames

Glendale, California

Bell'Aerosystems Company Digital Accelerometer

Cleveland, Ohio Modules

Bendix Corporation Deep Space Instrumenta-

Owings Mills, Maryland tion Facility, Goldstone,
California

California Institute of Seismometer

Technology
Pasadena, California

Electric Storage Battery Company Batteries

Missile Battery Division
Raleigh, North Carolina

Electro-Optical Systems, Inc. Booster Regulator

Pasadena, California

General Electrodynamics Scan-Converter System

Garland, Texas

Groen Associates Actuators for Solar

Panels and Omnidirec-
tional Boom, Gamma Ray
Telescoping Boom

Hercules Powder Company Capsule Retro Motor

Bacehus, Utah

Hoffman Electronics Solar Panels

El Monte, California
-28- 0
 Ilorkey Moore
Torrance, California
Internati.one.1.Telephone &
Telegraph
Industrial Products Division
San Fernando; California
Lockheed Aircraft
Van Nuys, California
Minneapolis-Honeywrell cgulator
Company
Aero Division
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Motorola
Military Elec. Division
Scottsdale, Arizona
Nortronics
Hawthorne, California
Ordnance Associates
South Pasadena, California
Radiation Instrument D:ivision
Laboratory
Northlake. Illinois
Radio Corp. of America
* Princeton, New Jersey
Rdnsom Research
San Pedro, Califbrnia
Space Electronics Corp.
Glendale, California
TE Company
Santa Barbara, California
Texas Instruments
Dallas 9., Texas
-29-
Ranger Spacecraft System
Test Stand, Pin Pullers
Stati.c Power Converter
Modules
-Sterilization of Agena
Shroud
Gyroscopes
Flight Transponder,
Flight Data Encoder
Attitude Control and
Midcourse Autooilot
Electronic Subsystems;
Sun Sensors and Earth
Sensors; Attitude Control
?Gyro Modules
Squibs
Gamma-ray Pulse Height
Analyzers and Associated
Ground Support Equipment
Lunar Impact TV Camera
Data Display Equipment
Ground Command System
Demodulators; Data
Encoder Ground Support
Equipment
Optical Collimator for
Testing Lunar Telescope
Ranger Flight Command
Subsystem and Ground
Support Equipment
(OVER)
 Tinsley Laboratories Optical Telescope for
Berkeley 10, California Lunar Probe

Wiley Electronics Radio Altimeter

Phoenix, Arizona
In addition to these subcontractors, there were 1200
industrial firms who contrzbuted to the Ranger. The cost
of these supplies W&S in excess of $5 million, which covers
all three spacecraft.

70

-30 - ()
 LAUNCIT VEIICLE

tTASA s-Tainralrvehicle for the Ranger 4- lunar landing

mission is. the Atlas Agena-B--a combination of two rockets.

The Atl.as D" serves as the booster and the Agena-B as

the vehicle's second stage.

The launch vehicle is provided to NASA by the Air Force

Systems Command's Space SystamQ Division which functions as
a "prime contractor" to the NASA vehicle group--the Marshall
Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama.

The unique relationship is spelled out in the NASA-USAF

agreement which provides for NASA procurement through the Air
Force of a number of veiicles consisting of modified Atlas
boosters with modified Agena-B's serving as second stages.
The Agena was developed for the Discoverer satellite program
in which ft has achieved a significant reliability record.

Major contractors Involved in the vehicle operation are

Lockheed Missile and Space Company and General Dynamics/
Astronautics. The vehicle is launched by these companies
under the direction of NASA's Launch Operations Center.

FLIGHT PLAN

All engines Qf the Atlas booster, sustainer and vernier,

are burning at liftoff. The booster is programmed to burn
approximately 2-1/2 minutes; the sustainer about 4-1/2 minutes
and the verniers about five minutes. At Atlas burnout, the
vehicle should be about 80 miles high.

Prior to sustainer cutoff, the Atlas ground guidance

computer determines the velocity when vernier cutoff occurs
and coast'begins. Acting on these data, the computer estab-
lishes the time when a signal to the Atlas airborne guidance
system starts a timer aboard the Agena. This timer and an
auxiliary timer in the Agena, control the sequence of events
which occur after separation from the Atlas.

When vernier cutoff occurs, the entire vehicle goes into

a coast phase of about half a minute. First the shroud pro-
tecting the Ranger spacecraft during its exit through the
earth's atmosphere is separated by a series of springs.
Next small explosive charges release the Agena carrying the
spacecraft from the Atlas. Retrorockets on the booster fire,
slowing its upward flight and allowing the Agena to separate.

- 31 - (OVER)
Then the Agena pneumatic control system begins a pitch maneuver
to orient the vehicle into an attitude horizontal to the earth.
This pitch maneuver is programmed to be completed before the
timer. signalsignition of the Agena engine.
At engine start the hydraulic control system takes over,
keeping the vehicle horizontal during the approximately 2/1/2
minutes the engine is operating. The infrared horizon sensing
device sends minute corrections to the control system.
At Agena engine cutoff the vehicle and its Ranger payload
will be in a near circular orbit at an altitude of about 100
miles. This first orbit is called a "parking orbit."
The Agena now coasts in its parking orbit for approximately
14 minutes. The pneuma>-4 control system again takes over, main-
taining the vehicle in the proper attitude with respect to the
earth. At the proper instant, the timer again signals the Agena
engine to begin operation. This second burn is programmed for
approximately 1-1/2 minutes.
About 2-1/2 minutes after the finai engine shutdown, the
Ranger spacecraft is separated from the Agena by springs. This
occurs about 25 minutes after liftoff.
At separation from the Agena, the Ranger spacecraft should
be traveling about 23,800 miles per hour. This velocity will
place it in a trajectory that will carry it to the moon. The
trip, from liftoff, will take about 60 hours.
On the Ranger III flight, January 26, 1962, excess velocity
was-imparted to the spacecraft by the Atlas Agena B vehicle. It
was not possible, even with the spacecraft's midcourse trajectory
correction capability, to take out enough velocity to achieve a
lunar impact.

AGENA-B SECOND STAGE

The Agena-B stage of the lhunch vehicle is an improved
and enlarged version of the Agena-A, which was used in the
Discoverer satellite program.
The Agena-B vehicle has integral, load-carrying propel-
lant tanks with twice the capacity of Agena-A tanks and is
powered by a Bell Aerospace turbopump-fed engine. It burns
unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) as fuel and inhibited
red fuming nitric acid (IRFNA) as the oxidizer.
The new engine develops substantially higher performance
than prioi Agena engines and has a dual start capability.

- 32 - ( -3
 The'Agena's guidance system is capable of establishing
attitude references and aligning the vehicle with them during
the coast and engine operation phases. It also initiates
programmed~aignaas..for the starting, stopping and maintaining
of various equipment during flight.
Here is .a des5cription of the Agena B:
Propulsion: Single rocket engine using liquid propel-
]ant--inhibited red fuming nitric acid and unsymmetrical
dimethlhydrazine;
Thrust: 15,000 pounds at altitude.
Size: Approximately 22 feet long including Ranger space-
craft adapter.
Control Systems: Pneumatic using high-pressure gas metered
through external jets for use during coast phases. Hydraulic
through gimballing rocket engine for pitch and yaw control dur-
iliAg powered portions of flight. Both fed by programmer initiated
by airborne timers. Corrections provided by airborne guidance
system.
Guidance: The guidance system--which is made up of timing
devices, an inertial reference system, a velocity meter and an
infrared horizon sensing device--is entirely self-contained.
Contractors: Lockheed Missile and Space Company, prime
contractoJ'; Bell Aerosystems Co., engine.-
ATLAS "D" BOOSTER
Here is a description of the Atlas "D" space booster:
Propulsion: Three rocket engines--two boosters, one
sustainer; uses liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants.
Speed: Approximately 12,0bo statute miles per hour for
the Ranger missions.
Thrust: Total nominal thrust at sea level more than
360,000 pounds.
Size: Approximately 78 feet high including adapter for
Agena; 16 feet wide across flared engine nacelles. Ten feet
wide across tank section.
Weight: Approximately 260,000 pounds at moment of launch,
fully loaded with propellants.
-33- (OVER)
 Guidance: Radio command guidance. Airborne elements
sense velocity and vector transmitting this data to ground
computer. Computer determines corrections necessary and
transmits information to airborne unit which signals control
system. Control accomplished through engine gimbelling and
engine burning time.
Contractors: Airframe and assembly--General Dynamics/
Astronautics; propulsion--Rocketdyne Division of North American
Aviation; radio command guidance--Defense Division of General
Electric Company; ground guidance computer--Burroughs Corporation.
KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
Agena-B direction at NASA Headquarters is provided through
Dr. Homer E. Newell's Office of Space Sciences. The Agena pro-
gram manager is Dick Forsythe.
The field installation charged with managing the vehicle
program is the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.
The Marshall Center's main responsibilities in the pro-
gram are: control of changes in the system to meet NASA
mission requirements, resolving of problems encountered in
the integration of launch vehicles and spacecraft, launch
operations and overall project management. Hans Hueter
heads the Center's light and medium vehicles office.
Friedrich Duerr is the Agena systems manager.
Major John G. Albert is the director of the NASA Agena-B
program for the AF Space Systems Division, assisted by Major
Charles A. Wurster.
Harold T. Luskin is the Lockheed Missile and Space
Company manager of NASA programs.
Dr. Kurt H. Debus heads the Launch Operations Center
Which directs launchings. Charles Cope of LOC performs
liaison between Huntsville and Canaveral with respect to
launch activities.

-34-

?
 RANGER 4 FACT SHEET

LAUNCH V.E.ICL...... . Atlas-Agena B

DIMENSIONS LAUNCH VEHICLE,

Total height, with Ranger spacecraft, plus shroud . . 100 plus feet

Atlas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 66 feet

Agena B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22 feet

Ranger with shroud . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 12 feet

DI1MENSIONS RANGER

In launch position, folded

Diameter . . . a. . *. . a. . . . . . . . , . 5 feet

Height . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . .. . 8.25 feet

In cruise position, panels unfolded

Span . . . . . . . . . . ., . . . . . . ., . ., . 17 feet

Height . . . . . .a . . . . . . . ,. . . . . 10.25 feet

';.TIGHT RANGER

Structurer.. ...... ,,.. . . . .. 79.25 pounds

Solar Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42.65

Electrondes . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . 108.12

Propulsion . . . . . . . . . . . 35.00

Launch-Backup Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.64

Miscellaneous Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77.39

Scientific Experiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30.85

Lunar Capsule Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332.10

Lunar Capsule ........ 89.3

Retrorocket Equipment 220.8
Bus Mounted Equipment 22.0
332.1

GROSS WEIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 730.00 pounds

35
FI
 RANGER 4 LUNAR CAPSULE SUBSYSTEM WEIGHT SUMMARY

A. LUNAR CAPSULE Weight (pounds)

1. Survival sphere assembly
a) Electronics, antenna, batteries
wiring, structure, insulation 41.1
b) Seismometer 7.8
c Flotation fluid and outer shell 8.2
Survival sphere total ......... 57.1

2. Balsa impact limiter 32.2

Lunar Capsule Total .89.3

B. RETROROCKET EQUIPMENT
1. Retrorocket motor and igniter 214.4
2. Spin motor, igniter and attachment 2.3
3. Vibration damper and clamp 1.2
4. Ballast 0.9
5. Control timer, batteries, wiring 1.4
6. Spin balance allowance 0.6
Retrorocket Equipment Total ....... 220.8
C. BUS-MOUNTED EQUIPMENT
1. Radar altimeter and antenna 6.6
2. Radar altimeter support and deployment 2.0
3. Motor support structure and separation 4;1
4. Electrical Junction box and connectors 0.8
5. Retrorocket heat shield 3.5
6. Spin motor vent cowling 5.0
Bus-mounted Equipment Total ........ 22.0

LUNAR CAPSULE SUBSYSTEM TOTAL ... 332.1

-END-

36-