NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

1520 H STREET. NORTHWEST * WASHINGTON 25. D. C.

TELEPHONES: DUDLEY 2-6325 . EXECUTIVE 3-3260

FOR RELEASE: SUNDAY A, M.'S

RELEASE NO. 62-213 October 14, 1962

RANGER SPACECRAFT

Ranger 5 will be launched by the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration from the Atlantic Missile Range, Cape Canaveral, Florida,
between October 16 and 19. It will represent the third United States attempt
to take closeup pictures of the moon, gather information on the composition
of the lunar surface and land an instrumented capsule on the surface of the
moon.

If successful, the Ranger 5 flight will obtain scientific information

that will add to our knowledge of the history and structure of the moon, and
technical information that will help make successful future moon landings
by manned or unmanned spacecraft.
k1

Ranger 5 is a 755-pound gold-and chrome-plated spacecraft that will

be called on to perform a complicated series of events in a 66 to 72 hour
flight to the moon. It will be asked to:

1. Leave the earth with a velocity of about 24,500 miles an hour,

directed on an orbit which will arrive at the moon.

2. Perform a maneuver in space to lock onto the sun and then onto
the earth.

3. Accept correction commands from the earth, change its orientation

in flight and fire a mid-course rocket motor to put itself on collison course
with the moon.

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

5. Perform a terminal maneuver when it comes to within 5000 miles

of the moon.

(over)
Spacecraft

6. Take television pictures of the lunar surface as it approaches

the moon,

7. Observe the radar reflection characteristics of -he lunar sur-

face.

8. Separate a retrorocket and capsule system from the spacecraft

when it is approximately 68,000 feet above the lunar surface.

9. Fire the retrorocket tc 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 retrorocket so that it rough lands after a free fall from approximately
1100 feet, survives the landing, positions :self and ther sends, for 30
days or more, information on moon quakes and meteoriric Impact.

The assignment 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 ladrnched by an Atlas-

Agena B rocket from Cape Canaveral on January 26, 1962. A malfunction
in the Atlas booster caused the spacecraft to be injected into Ats lunar
transfer path at excessive velocity, and, as a result. Ranger 3 arrived
in the area of the moon some 14 hours ahead of time. On January 28 at
3:23 p.m. , PST. , the spacecraft passed in front of its target, missing it
by 22,862 miles, and then went on into orbit around the sun

Despite Ranger 3's nonstandard trajectory, an attempt was made to

carry out the lUnai photography experiment while the spacecraft was
approaching the orbit of the moon. The attempt was unsuccessful, how-
ever, because the spacecraft did not properly perform zhe 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 directional antenna to lose
its orientation towards earth, resulting in a significant drop in signal
strength.

The launch of Raniger 4 on April 23, 1962, was marked by a perfect

performance of the Atlas-Agena B rocket, Through injection and separation

- ,'a2
)3
S pacecra ft

from the Agena B, the spacecraft operated normally, BUL when the space-
craft rose over the South African horizon, tracking stations in Johannesburg
reported the absence of the spacecraft's telemetry commutation sequence.
Later it was shown that the telemetry system itself was intact, but possibly
due to loss of power to the spacecraft's Central Ccrnputer and Sequencer,
the spacecraft's master clock had stopped.

In the absence of its primary program sequencer, Ranger 4 could not

perform any of its timed functions and could no. accept commands Since
the spacecraft's solar panels could not be extended so that solar energy
could be converted to electrical energy, tracking of the spacecraft's trans-
mitter was limited to the 10-hour lifetime of the Ranger 4 backup battery.

During this 10-hour period, precise two-way Doppler tracking data

was obtained. After the battery became depleted stations of the Deep Space
Instrumentation Facilit- tracked the self-powered lunar capsule transmitter
until the spacecraft impacted the moon. Impac: occurred after a flight of
64 hours at 4:49 a. m., PST. , on April 26. at 12.9 degrees south lunar latitude,
12S.1 degrees west lunar longitude, on the far side of the moon.

The Ranger project is being carried out for the NASA by the jet Propulsion
Laboratory, operated for NASA by the California Institute of Technology. In
the Ranger 5 spacecraft, the Aeronutronic Division of Ford Motcr Company,
Newport Beach, Calif. , provided the lunar capsule and radio altimeter sub-
systems.

The four scientific experiments carried on Ranger 5 are: the moonquake

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

SPACECRAFT DE..CRIPTION
The Ranger 5 spacecraft is identical in appearance to Ranger III
and IV. JPL engineers who designed the Ranger series call the basic hexagonal
structure the bus, in the sense that it scrves as an omnibus to carry different
passengers in the form of different scientific and engineering instruments.

Ranger 5 is five feet in diameter at the base of the hexagon and in its
launch position with the solar panels folded up in the manner of butterfly wings.
In its launch position it is 8.25 feet in height. In the cruise position, with

3 -Ov bre,
Spacecraft

its solar panels extended and the high-gain directional antenna in its
extended position, it is 17 feet across in span and 10.25 feet in height.

The 755-pound weight of the spacecraft includes 338.73 pounds

for the lunar capsule and retrorocket system. The instrument capsule,
designed to survive the landing on the moon, weighs 57 pounds and is
covered by a balsa wood sphere to cushion the shock of landing. The
balsa sphere weighs 35 pounds, making the complete instrumented cap-
sule weigh a total of 92 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
pounds, weighs 221.73 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 heat

shield, designed to provide thermal control for the solid propellant
retromotor. The 3.5 pound shield, called the "shower curtain," is made
up of several layers of silvered plastic sheet and extends from the equator
of the sphere down to the top of 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 d'f the sphere. 'When the omni-antenna
is deployed during the terminal maneuver, these lanyards are released
and rubber cords 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 hexagonal base are the two solar panels which in
flight will collect solar energy which in turn will be converted into electri-
cal power to run the spacecraft. The panels contain 4340 solar cells each
in approximately 10 square feet of each panel making a total of 8680 cells
on the two panels. They will pick up enough solar energy to be converted
into 142 watts, unregulated.

In one of the six boxes around the base is a 25-pound silver zinc
launch and backup battery with a capacity of 1200 watt hours. This battery
will be used to provide power for Ranger 5 when the solar cells are not
operating, such as prior to sun acquisition, in the midcourse maneuver and
prior to la ndi ng.

-4
Spacecraft

Ranger 5 has three communications antennas--two on the space-

craft (or bus) and one on the to, of the instrumented sphere that will
land on the moon. The lunar capsule transmitter is powered by six
silver cadmium batteries to run the transmitter for at least 30 days to
transmit moonquake and temperature information from the sphere to
the earth.

The two antennas on the spacecraft are the omnidirectional

antenna positioned at the forward end of the spacecraft and the four-
foot-in diameter high-gain directional antenna which is hinge-mounted
at the aft end.

Mounted in the hollowed-out section in the middle of the hexagon

is the mid-course motor developed by JPL several years ago and since
used in other U. S. Space tests.

It is a liquid monopropellant engine that weighs, with fuel and

the nitrogen pressure gas system, 38 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 fuel.

The hydrazine is thus forced into the combustion chamber, but

because it is a monopropellant, it needs a starting fluid 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 introduction 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 stcps when the valves turn off nitrogen pressure
and fuel flow.

At the bottom of the nozzle of the mid-course motor are four jet
vanes which protrude into the rocket exhaust for attitude control Af 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 as little
as one-tenth of a foot per second or as much as 132 feet per second. It
has a thrust of 50 pounds for a maximum of 63 seconds.
(, 5 - (Over)
Spacecraft

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

digital computer called the Central Computer and Sequencer (CC&S).
This is a system which allows commands to be stored in the system
for later transmission to subsystems of the spacecraft, and which also
allows specific ground commands to be stored in the CC&S after launch
for later routing to perform specific functions.

Ranger 5 will use the parking orbit technique. This technique

compensates for the penalty in launching lunar impact flights from the
Atlantic Missile Range at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The Atlas booster lifts theAgena 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 nrotected

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 25 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 5, still
as one unit, are injected at near escape velocity of 24, 500 miles an
hour approximately over Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean
and approximately 35 minutes after launch. Up to this time, the events
of the launch, separation 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 5 is separated from Agena, again by spring-loaded bolts.

-6 -
Spacecraft

After this occurs, Agena does a 180-degree yaw and moves into a
different and lower trajectory from that held by Ranger 5 by means of
firing a solid retrorocket on Agena. This is done for two reasons:
it would not be desirable for the unsterilized Agena to follow Ranger
5 on in and impact the moon, and if Agena B follows Ranger 5 too
closely, the spacecraft optical sensors might mistake reflected sun-
light from Agena B for the sun or earth and thus confuse its optical
sensor acquisition system.

Ranger 5 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 transmitter 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

5 will conduct on its 65-hour flight to the moon.

The second command is issued by the CC&S 48 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 51 minutes, the CC&S turns on the attitude control

system and Ranger 5 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 5. 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. These are light-sensitive diodes
which inform the attitude control system when they see the sun. The two
secondary sensors on the backs of the solar panels inform the attitude con-
trol system that they see the sun, but want not to see it. The attitude control

IT r(Over)
 Spacecraft

system responds to these signals by turning the spacecraft in such

a manner that the longitudinal, or roll axas, points toward the sun.
Torquing of the spacecraft for these maneuvers -s provided by ten
strategically located gas jets which are fed by four bottles of nitrogen
gas containing a total of 2.64 pounds of nitrogen under pressure of
3000 pounds per square inch. This is calculated to be enough nitrogen
to operate the gas jets to maintain attitude control for a minimum of
50 days and a maximum of 100 days in a cruise mode.

The gyros have first acted to cancel out the residual separation
rates which affected Ranger 5 after it left Agena BL The sun sensors
then, working on the valves controlling the gas jets, jockey the space-
craft about until its long axis is pointed at the sun, thus fully illuminating
the solar panels Both the gyros 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 attitude control system
is calibrated to keep Ranger 5 slowly swinging through this one degree
of arc pointed at the sun. The swing takes approximately 60 minutes.
As Ranger 5 nears the .5 degree limit on one side, the sensors signal
the gas jets and they fire again. This process is repeatea hourly
through the effective life of Ranger 5. It is calculated that .he gas jets
will 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 o-o 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 panels are locked on the sun, the power
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
power to feed the power demands of Ranger. The solar panels on Ranger
are not used to charge the battery.

Three and a half hours after launch, the CC&S commands Ranger
5 to start the earth acquisition process, which requires from 5 to 30 minutes.
The spacecraft maintains its lock on the sun, but with ts high-gain direc-
tional antenna pointed at a preset angle, it rolls on its long axis and starts

a -
Spacocraft

to look for the earth. It does this by means of a three-section photo-

multiplier-tube-operated earth sensor which is mounted to look parallel
to the main axis of the high-gain antenna. During the roll, the earth
sensor will see the earth and inform the gas jets. The jets will fire
to keep the earth in view of the sensor and thus lock ontc the earth.
A slight correction in the preset hinge angle may also be required, which
is also earth sensor controlled.

The spacecraft now is stabilized on two axes--the solar panel-sun

axis and the earth-directionai antenna axis. There is some danger that
the earth sensor, during its search for the earth, may see the moon and
lock onto it. If this happens, tracking stations at Goldstone in Califor-
nia and Johannesburg in South Africa have the ability to send an override
command to the attitude control system to tell it to look again for the
earth.

The earth-sensor/high-gain antenna should have acquired the earth

by 4 hours after launch. At that time South Africa will send Ranger 5
a command to switch from the omnidirectional antenna to the directional
antenna. If the increase in received signal strength indicates that the
directional antenna is locked on the earth, no further commands in this
area are necessary at the moment. But if the signal strength drops,
indicating that the directional antenna is not pointed at the earth, the
override roll command will be sent to Ranger 5 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 start the
search for the earth again.

Four hours after launch, CC&S will turn on the gamma ray experi-
mient. This is a spectrometer contained in a 12-inch-in-diameter ball
mounted on a 40-inch-long arm on the hexagon. Later in the flight,
pressurized gas will be used 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, however, since Ranger 5 must still perform its midcourse 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 pre-
cise center, of gravity of the spacecraft. If the gamma ray boom were

9- (Over)
Spacecraft

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 cal-
culated point and the precision of the mid-course maneuver would
be affected. So the boom stays in the retracted positron antil the mid-
course maneuver is completed. Meanwhile, gamma-ray data is obtained
while the spectrometer is still retracted, for reasons Of calibration.

From that point on, four hours after launch, un-il the start of
the midcourse maneuver approximately 16 hours after la inch, most of
the activity takes piace at the three Deep Space Instrumentation
Facility stations--Woomera, Australia; Johannesburg, South Afrnca;
Goldstone, California--and at JPL.

Tracking data from these three stations are fed into the 7C90
computer at JPL in Pasadena. The computer calculates the pcsition of
the spacecraft as it is in fact Jn relat.on to where it should be in order
to hit the moon. If it is the case, as it is likely to be, that guidance
errors before injection have put it off Its optimum trajectory, the com-
puter will provide a set of figures that will tell the spacecraft hcw it
has to change its orientation in space in order to properly aim th3 mid-
course motor for its corrective maneuver.

This intelligence will be in the form of a four -word digital command

that will be sent to the spacecraft and stored in the CC&S. One word
concerns the direction and amount of pitch needed and another word con-
cerns the direction and amount of roll necessary. With these two maneu-
vers, the spacecraft can be pointed in any direction nezessary to make
a change in course, time of flight, or both. The third word is t.he amount
of velocity increment needed from the midcourse motor. rhese three
words are sent from Goldstone to the Ranger 5 CCocS where they are
checked to see if they are addressed to the proper places in the spacecraft.
CC&S takes no action, however, until :t receives to "go" command from
Goldstone. While waiting for that command, the spacecraft sends back
to Goldstone, for rechecking, the words it received. If there are no changes
to be made, 30 minutes after the Ranger 5 CC&S has r-iAved and stored
the commands, it receives, at 16 hours after launch, the "go" command
from Goldstone.

Just prior to issuing the "go" command, Golastone will send a

command to Ranger 5 to switch from the directional to the omni-antenna.

EDii
Spacecraft

After the "go" command is sent, the directional antenna is fully ex-
tended automatically so that it will be out of the way of the exhaust
of the midcourse motor.

The roll maneuver is allotted 9. 5 minutes of time, including two

minutes of settling time, and the pitch maneuver is allotted approxi-
mately 15 minutes. Two minutes after the pitch maneuver is completed,
the midcourse motor is turned on and burns until the commanded
velocity increase has been effected. The attitude control gas jets
are not powerful enough to maintain the stability of the spacecraft during
midcourse maneuvering, so jet vanes extending into the exhaust of the
midcourse motor control the attitude of the spacecraft in this period.
The jet-vanes are controlled by an adjunct to the attitude control system
known as the autopilot.

After the midcourse maneuver has put Ranger 5 on the desired

collision course, the spacecraft goes through the sun and earth acquisi-
tion modes again.

Ranger 5 now is at the limit of the range at which the omni-antenna

can provide useful information, however, and Ranger 5 has been trans-
mitting through the omni during the midcourse maneuver. A ground com-
mand is issued to transfer back to the high-gain antenna and this condition
will remain for the rest of the flight.

Two and one-half hours after initiation of the midcourse maneuver,

CC&S commands the gamma ray boom to extend, by means of pressurized
gas, to its limit of 72 inches away from the spacecraft. The gas con-
tained in the boom is not allowed to vent since its quick escape un-
doubtedly would perturb the attitude of the spacecraft. It may leak out,
however, but not at a rate that would affect the spacecraft attitude.

For the next 48 hours, Ranger 5 continues on its course to the moon,
telemetering continuous engineering data and also sending gamma ray
reports back once every eight minutes. Tracking data from all three DSIF
stations are sent to JPL and the 7090 computer calculates when impact
will occur.

When the exact time of impact is computed, it then will be possible

to back off in time and determine where the spacecraft will be 65 minutes

-12 - (over)
Spacecraft

before impact. The computer, using this position of impact minus

65 minutes, will determine the kind of commands that have :o be
sent to the CC&S in order for it to perform its terminal maneuver at
that time.

These commands will be sent by Goidstone to Ranger 5 a half

hour before the spacecraft reaches this point in time and space, or
95 minutes before impact.

The cofimands will be similar in nature to those sent to govern

the midcourse 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 turn, direction and amount of yaw tu-n, direction
and amount of a second 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 Coldstone 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 moor. When this
sequence is initiated, Ranger 5 will be approximately 5 COG miles above
the lunar surface. In the attitude required for tne terminal maneuver the
solar panels are not pointed at the sun, and from now on power is pro-
vided 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 .he CC&S, which is to stop

the second pitch maneuver, also accomplishes three other switching
function. These are: (1) to switch from an engineering data telemetry
mode to a scientific telemetry mode, for acquisition of the television
pictures 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 22 minute time delay to deploy the omni-antenna which
makes an exit path for the separation of the -rnar survival capsule. The

-2-
Spacecraft

time delays for the deployments a.a necessary to allow the space-
craft 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 down, the
latter happening when the omni-antenna is deployed. The telescope
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 "pin-pullers" or
explosive bolts.

At 2600 miles from the surface of the moon, just 35 minutes

before impact, the television camera starts taking pictures of the lunar
surface and transmitt! .,l 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, which is turned on-one minute before impact,

ranges its signal against the surface of the moon and receiving the
echo, initiates the next command. At approximately 64,000 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 su:ch 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 bolts
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

which activates a battery and sequencer in a small cookie-shaped con-
tainer located between the retrorocket and the lunar capsule. From that
point on, the events that occur to the retrorocket and the lunar capsule
are 9overned by commands from this cookie-shaped sequencer.

( 13 - (Over)
Spacecraft

When the squib switch is closed, the sequencer powers three

timers. The first timer, with a built-in delay of 215 milliseconds,
ignites the small spin motor in the nozzle of the retrorocket 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 from the horizontal at an angle of 10 degrees, so that when
it ignites and spins the retrorocket and the lunar capsule assembly up
to 285 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 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 retrorocket 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 retrorocket 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 retrorocket will have time to com-
plete its job of removing the velocity.

After burnout, a separation timer in the sequencer explodes a

clamp holding the lunar capsule to the retro-motor, and the two units,
now separated, both start to free fall into the moon. The spacecraft
goes on to crash into the moon and destroy itself.

The separation of the two units will be such that the burned-out
retro-motor is expected to land foui or five seconds ahead of the lunar

-44
 Spacecraft

capsule. This event will occur some 24 seconds after the main space-
craft has crash landed.

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 to earth lunar body tremors it picks up
from moon quakes or meteoritic impacts. This process of preparation
is expected to take 20 minutes.

KEY PERSONNEL

Ranger 5 is part of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-

tration's lunar and planetary programs and is the responsibility of the
Office of Space Sciences. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena,
California, operated for NASA by the California Institute of Technology,
is the prime contractor for Ranger 5 and other currently authorized
lunar and planetary projects.

NASA Headquarters personnel associated with Ranger 5 are:

Dr. Homer E. Newell, Director, Office of Space Sciences;

E. M. Cortright, Deputy Director, Office of Space Sciences; Oran W.
Nicks, Director of Lunar and Planetary Programs; Newton W. Cunningham,
Chief, Ranger Program, Walter Jakobowski, Ranger Program Engineer; and
Dr. Urner Liddel, Chief of Sciences, Lunar and Planetary Programs.

IL- 15-
 RANGER 5 SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS
EXPERIMENTS DESCRIPTION
Lunar Photograph To photograph lunar surface
from altitude of 2600 miles
down to altitude of 15 miles.
Gamma Ray To determine the approxi-
Measurement mate concentration of
different radioactive mate-
rials in the surface of the
moon.
Radar Reflectivity To provide information
regarding the character
of the moon's surface.
Lunar Seismic To measure the presence
Act vity or absence of moon quakes,
and meteoritic impact on
the moon.
-16-
EXPERIMENTERS
Dr. G. P. Kuiper
Univ. of Arizona;
Dr. E. M. Shoemaker,
U. S. Geological
Survey; Dr. H. C, Urey,
University of Calif.
at San Diego; Dr. A. R.
Hibbs, R, L, Heacock
and D. E, Willingham,
JPL.
Dr. JO R. Arnold,
University of Calif.
at San Diego;
Dr. 1. C. Anderson
and Dr M. A. Van
Dilla, Los Alamos
Scientific Labs; and
Dr. A. E. Metzger, JPL.
W. E. Brown, Jr., JPL.
Dr. Frank Press
California Institute of
Technology; Dr, Maurice
Ewing, Columbia Univ.
 RANGER 5 SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS

There are four scientific experiments on Ranger 5. 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. Scien-
tific 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 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 tele-
scope, the gamma ray spectrometer and the radar altimeter, will impact
on 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 revolves around the earth appro-d-
mately once every 28 days, it has a temperature range at its surface
approximately 260 degrees to minus 230 degrees Fahrenheit, it is at a
mean distance of 238,000 miles from the earth.

There are, of course, other things known about the moon, such
as the approximate number, position and appearance of the craters and
seas, the incidence 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 getting much better observation, but
rather by improving our understanding of geology and by interpreting new
discoveries made in this field. So, by looking more closely at the earth,
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 for-
mation of the moon.

- (er)
(v-
 Scientific Experiments

Our studies of geochemistry have told us more about the nature

of rocks which might be on the moon. But despite all these advances,
detailed observations of the moon are as difficult to make now as they
ever have been. The filtering efiect of the earth's atmosphere has had
an adverse effect on the quality of photographs taken by earth-based
telescopes, even under the best conditions of viewing, 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 and the history of the forces which subsequently
have changed its structure and appearance. It is clear that the moon
is different in appearance from the earth, but the cause of these dif-
ferences is the part of the controversy.

Centuries ago, most astronomers believed the moon's craters

were giant extinct volcanoes and the vast dart plains--called maria,
the Latin word for seas--were thought of as fields 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 theih knowledge of the earth, they suggested that the craters
really were the result of impacts of meteorites on the surface of the moon.
They even suggested 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 surface 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 moon
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.
There are a few who believe that the moon never was hot enough to have
lava on its 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

4
Scientific Experiments

with shattered rock resulting only from impact, and is it without

lava? Has the surface been eroded by the unfiltered high energy of
sunlight so that it is covered with a layer of fine rock dust? We!
cannot tell which of these possibilities (or which unexpected unfore-
seen possibility) is true by looking at the moon from the earth. Only
closeup, detailed observation will solve the riddle.

It is to some of these scientific questions that Ranger 5

addresses itself. The four scientific experiments on the spacecraft
are expected to provide critical answers to some of the pressing
problems that block our path to understanding the moon. This under-
standing is an essential part of the program to place men 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 5 mission
is to obtain pictures that contain more detail than pictures now avail-
able, 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 performing a better evaluation of the seismometer data. The
pictures also will give some geological information concerning coarse
surface structure, small scale selenological land forms and features,
and altitudes and slopes of surface features. The same pictures will
provide 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 half a mile--- meaning objects smaller than
that in size cannot be distinguished--the Ronger 5 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.

( 19 w(Over)
Scientific Experiments

The difference will be comparable to the ability to distinguish

between an object the size of a large battleship 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 system. This occurs when Ranger
5 is 5000 miles from the surface of the moon.

Although the television camera system will be turned on at

that time, it will not send the telemetry until Impact minus 35 minutes.
This delay occurs for two reasons: It is, necessary to allow the tele-
vision 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 35 minutes, some 2600 miles above the surface

of the moon, the TV camera system signal will be fed into the space-
craft telemetry and the picture-sending sequence from the spacecraft
to Goldstone will commence. This sequence will continue in an auto-
matic mode until the destruction of the spacecraft by impact at approxi-
mately 6000 miles an hour, but pictures are not expected to be rece.ved
up to impact.

Each picture received at Goldstone from the spacecraft will con-

sist of 20C 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 spacecraft command signals that a frame should start.
This causes a shutter solenoid to actuate a 20-millisecond exposure
and simultaneously begin a slow scan of the image on the television
faceplate. (2) Ten seconds late, 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.

eo
Scientific Experiments

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. However, spacecraft com-
mands 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 5, from the time the TV system starts transmitting, will

send one TV picture to Goldstone every 13 seconds, a total of more
th, a 100 pictures. At approximately 15 miles from the surface of the
moon, and 8.1 seconds before bus impact, the capsule wili 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 aatenna will lose 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 5, and Jet Propulsion
Labore,~or- scientists developed a special optical telescope that pro-
vides the equivalent of a 40-inch focal length instrument in a package
that is only 14 inches long. General Electrodynamics 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 success-
ful 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

21 (O-er)
Scientific Experiments

the camera, by illumination from reflected sunlight. A spacecraft

failure prevented activation of the television camera on the Ranger 4
flight.

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 composition 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 is that
the mean composition of the earth's 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.

Presumably the conditions that produced the earth are considerably

different from those which acted upon the moon, but the same questions
of differentiation and heat balance are pertinent to the moon. The sur-
face of the moon generally is considered to be older than that of the
earth, but it seems likely 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 posses radio-
active isotopes and put out penetrating and characteristic radiations

- 22
Scientific Experiments

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 elemenits are
in the rock. Geochemists have discovered that the rocks in the
crust of the earth conmain much more potassium 40, which emits these
X-rays, than does the chondritic material of meteorities.

Consequently, 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, 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 contributing 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 conducted without landing delicate equipment on the lunar surface.

With these potassium 40 gamma ray data from Ranger, 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 meteorites, 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.

The gamma ray detector with its high voltage supply is located
at the end of a telescoping boom mounted on the spacecraft. The detector
in a thin aluminum sphere at the end of the boom is extended by pressurized

-23 - (Over)
Scientific Experiments

gas to a distance of six feet away from the spacecraft in order to

reduce the effect of the secondary gamma rays which are produced
by the interaction ;f cosmic rays with the bulk of the spacecraft.
This e ent is performed after Ranger. 5 has undergone its midcourse
guidance maneuver.

Four hours after launch, the central computer and sequencer

will turn on the gamma ray experiment. As mentioned, the boom is
not extended at this time for several reasons. First, the counting
rate of secondary gamma rays produced by interaction of cosmic rays
with the spacecraft is needed in order to provide calibration data.

Another reason has to do with the precision required for the

midcourse maneuver of the spacecraft. The midcourse 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 midcourse maneuver, and if for some reason it
did not reach that position, the center of gravity would be different
from the calculated point and would affect the precision of the mid-
course maneuver. Consequently, the boom is kept in the retracted
position until after completion of the midcourse 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 35 minutes before impact, when
it is in a position to detect lunar surface gamma radiation, it starts
to send data once every 52 seconds. When it shifts to this more
rapid mode of transmission, the spectrometer uses the three-second
erase mode on the television picture channel of telemetry once in
every four intervals.

The gamma ray spectrometer, mounted on the spacecraft,

will 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 re-
quired is less than two watts.

. 24-

f4
Scientific Ekperiments

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. A failure in the
central clock on Ranger 4 prevented the experiment from energizing
on that flight.

Experimenters are Dr. J. R. Arnold, University of California

at San Diego; p)r. E. C. Anderson and Dr. M. A. Van Dilla, of the
Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories, and Dr. A. E. Metzger of the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Dr. Metzger is the cognizant scientist
and engineer for JPL.

SEISMOGRAPH EXPERIMENT

The scientific objectives of the seismograph experiment are:

1. To determine the presehce of absence of lunar seismicity

(frequency of tremors,.

2. To obtain preliminary information on the presence or

absence of a lunar crust and the presence of lava layers or dust layers.

3. To obtain preliminary information on the nature of the lunar

core (solid or liquid), the depth of focus of moonquakes, and rough
estimates of their energy release.

4. To obtain preliminary information on the mechanical pro-

perties of the materials which make up the moon,

The data which will be obtained from the first lunar-based

seismograph station will yield a limited amount of information com-
pared +o a conventionaL Earth-bound station since only one single
axis (vertical) spismometer will be used. However, within the
bounds of its limitations, the seismograph will determine the presence
or absence of lmnar seismic disturbances, thus providing an important
clue to the thermal history of the Moon and an insight into the tectonic
structure-making processes which might be operative. If the Moon should

-m.. - COver)

II
Scientific Experiments

prove to be seismically active, approximate travel-time curves

can be assumed for the purpose of rough calculation of distances
to the seismic source. With this information it may be possible
to determine the presence or absence of a lunar crust and the
presence of lava layers or dust layers.

Seismic body waves can contribute very rough estimates

of seismic energy release, indication of seismic wave absorption
as a clue to the nature of the Moon's interior, and information
on the presence or absence of a major shadow zone as a manifes-
tation Of a solid or liquid lunar core. Depth of focus can be obtained
from a comparison of body-wave and surface-wave amplitudes as
well as from the time interval between the principal seismic phases
and their images on the surface above the focus. Comparison of
wave spectra among the different phases of lunar seismic d] -turbances,
as well as with the corresponding phases on Earth, will yield a rough
estimate of absorptivity in lunar rocks. This data will provide infor-
mation on the mechanical properties of the materials which make up
the moon.

The device which will perform this experiment on the surface

of the moon is a small seismometer with a highly sensitive amplifier
the combination of which make an instrument approximately 10 times
more sensitive than those used for earthquake record-ng. In addition
the instrument is constructed to withstand an impact with rock at a
speed of 200 feet persecond-a shock equivalent to a deceleration of
3000 times earth gravity-and continue to operate after such an impact.

The seismometer is a single axis instrument 5. 25 inches

long and 4.37 inches in dioneter and weighs 8.2 pounds, It contains
a self cal'brating device which is powered by six n.ckel cadmium
batter'es designed to last the lifetime of the experiment. The interior
of the seismometer is filled with a fluid (n-heptane) to prevent rapid
movement of its inertial mass during impact with the moon.

The fluid filled seismometer is contained in a instrumented

sphere 12 inches in diameter and weighing 57 pounds. This instru-
mented sphere is covered by a protective balsa wood sphere, The
assembly then constitutes the lunar landing capsule. The balsa wood
cover is designed to help absorb the impact energy when the assembly

-26°
Scientific Experiments

lands on the moon at a velocity of somewhat less than 150 feet

per second. The entire assembly, instrumented sphere and balsa
wood covering weighs a total of 92 pounds. The instrumented
sphere, containing the seismometer, the seismometer amplifier,
batteries, a 50-milliwatt radio transmitter and a turnstile antenna
is suspended in the balsa wood sphere by a thin layer of Freon
between the sphere and balsa wood so that the instrumented capsule
is free floating in the impact limiting outer sphere. The instrumented
sphere is designed with 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 inner instrumented sphere
will right itself in the manner of heavy bottom toys with the antenna
on the top and pointed in the general direction of the earth.

In the process of assembling the sphere, the 50 milliwatt

transmitter was turned on four weeks before the launch date. The
transmitter, however, is controlled by a mercury switch, so that
during normal handling and before launch, the transmitter could be
turned off by turning the sphere upside down. Mercury switches,
however, are not reliable in zero gravity fields, so an inertial
switch which closes under five gravities was installed as a safety
precaution. During lift-off, this inertial switch will be closed by
the acceleration encountered during powered flight, and thus the
seismometer transmitter will be turned on permanently at that time.
It is essential for the seismometer transmitter to be turned on, even
though it is, of course, not recording moonquakes data during flight,
so that ground operators will know that it is operating. With this
knowledge, it then will be possible to determine if the shock of
the retro rocket firing causes any disturbances in the seismometer
transmitter. The batteries inside the sphere are designed to pro-
vide power for operation on the moon for approximately 30 days.

During flight, the instrumented sphere is locked to the balsa

wood impact limiter by a set of caging pins. During the terminal
landing maneuver on the moon the thrust of the retro rocket closes
an acceleration-sensitive switch starting a timer and releasing the
caging pins.

It is not expected that the balsa wood impact limiter will

split on impact and fall away from the sphere, but the balsa wood
is transparent to the rada signals from the transmitter in the sphere.
After the landing takes , he sphere with uts low center of gravity

27 (over)
Scientific Experiments

may take as long as 15 minutes to position itself with the antenna

pointing toward the earth. The operation requires that much time
due to the weak lunar gravity and the viscosity of the Freon
separating the instrumented sphere and impact limiter.

However, now that the sphere is in position for the seis-

mometer to operate, another hurdle must be overcome. That is
to get ride of the Freon between the inner sphere and the impact
limiter and the n-Heptane inside the seismometer lest they act -

as insulators to the shocks the seismometer is designed to detect.

Accordingly, 15 minutes after impact on the lunar surface the instru-
mented sphere is rigidly caged within the impact limiter by three
post-impact caging pins. One minute later the impact limiter is
punctured by two pyrotechnic venting squibs permitting the fluids to
vent off. The reduction of pressure with the seismometer actuates
a pressure switch and activates the seismometer self calibrating
device. Thirty minutes after impact a servosystem is energized
by the capsule timer which centers the inertial mass within the
seismometer. This initiates the seismograph experiment.

Another problem, relating to the great temperature range

which is expected on the moon--from approximately plus 260 degrees
to minus 230 degrees Fahrenheit is now resolved by an ingenious
solution. The survival sphere contains 3. 6 pounds of water which
is heated by the dissipation of electrical energy inside the sphere
until it reaches the boiling point of water under lunar vacuum con-
ditions, which is about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Since it is impos-
sible to superheat water 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 becomes completely frozen be-
cause 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.

The seismometer was designed and fabricated by the

California Institute of Technology Seismological Laboratory in
cooperation with the Lamont Geological Observatory under a JPL
work order. The capsule including the seismometer amplifier, was

I
Scientific Experiments

designed, developed and fabricated by Aeronutronics, Division

of Ford Motor Company, under a JPL subcontract. JPL conducted
environmental tests on the seismometer, sterilized it and moni-
tored the operations of both CIT and Aeronutror.ics to insure proper
integration of the seismometer in the capsule and integration of
the capsule into the Ranger spacecraft. The seismograph ground
support data processing system was developed and assembled
jointly by the co-experimenters and JPL.

The scientists participating in the moonquake experiment

are Dr. Frank Press, California Institute of Technology Seismological
Laboratory, and Dr. Maurice Ewing, Lamont Geophysical Observa-
tory, 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 5 serves a dual purpose. Its

engineering function is to initiate the capsule separation from the
bus and the retrorocket ignition at a preset altitude above the moon's
surface. Its scientific function is to conduct a radar reflectivity
experiment on the surface of the moon in order to provide information
on the nature of the lunar surface in the impact area and to establish
more information on lunar radar reflection properties.

Many earth-based radar experiments have been conducted in

an attempt to establish something about the properties of the lunar
surface by reflection coefficient of the returned signal. By necessity,
however, the area on the lunar surface covered by the earth-based
radar is large, in most cases about 60,000 square miles, and the
returns allow estimates to be made for the average reflection coeffi-
cients for areas of this size.

The Ranger 5 radar altimeter, however, will view an area of

approximately 60 square miles or less of the lunar surface, and the
results may serve to establish a standard area for the calibration of
more complex earth-based radar systems to be used in lunar work.

- 29 - (Over)
Scientific Experiments

The instrument is a standard pulse-type radar. The trans-

mitter is a magnetron with a peak power output of 150 to 400 watts.
Pulse width is two microseconds, pulse repetition rate is 500 to
600 pulses per second, and the frequency is 9400 megacycles.

The altimeter will be turned on by ground command from

Goldstone at a distance from the lunar surface of approximately
100 miles.

During the Ranger 3 terminal maneuver, the radar altimeter

was successfully turned on, but the reflectivity experiment was
not attempted. On Ranger 4, a spacecraft clock failure prevented
activation of the altimeter.

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

tivity experiment and also serves as the cognizant scientist.
H. E. Wagtrr is the JPL cognizant engineer.
 DEEP SPACE INSTRUMENTATION FACILITY

The Deep Space Instrumentation Facility (DSIF) consists of three

permanent space communication stations, located approximately 120 de-
grees apart around the earth, a mobile station which can be located to suit
the purpose of a particular mission, and a launch tracking station at Cape
Canaveral. The three permanent stations are Goldstone, 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 complete 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

Paul Jones, of JPL, is located 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 lQ-foot-in-diameter dish with a 10-degree beam width-
ten times as wide as the 85-foot-in-diameter dish-and it can track at a
rate of 20 degrees per second, better than 20 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 communication 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 32 minutes after launch, and

tracks for 5 minutes. Reacquires 316 minutes after launch and
tracks for i0.7 hours.

(over)

(-
 DSIF, Johannesburg -- Acquires 316 minutes after launch and
tracks for 10. 7 hours.

DSIO, Woomera -- Acquires 42 minutes after launch and tracks

for 7. 3 hours.

DSIF, Goldstone -- Acquires 14.5 hours after launch and tracks

for 12. 5 hours.

The midcourse and terminal maneuver commands will be sent by

Goldstone, which also will send other commands as needed to the space-
craft, Goldstone will acquire Ranger 5 approximately 63 hours after launch
to hold it through the terminal maneuver and impact.

Each DSIF station thereafter will work a 14-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 approxi-
mately eight hours and then pass it on to another station as the rotation
of the earth and of the moon bring it within range.

Each deep space station of the DSIF is equipped with an 85-foot-

in-diameter antenna and receiving, data handling, and interstation com-
munication equipment. In addition, the stations at Gol-dstone and
Johannesburg have command capability.

Goldstone is operated for JPL by the Bendix Radio Corporation.

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-foot-in-diameter receiving 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 resident 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.

-32-
 The two overseas stations and Goldstone are linked by a com-
munications 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.

K
- - 33 '-
 S UBCONTRACTORS

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, Division of Ford Lunar Rough Landing Capsule

Motor Co., Newport Beach,
Calif.

American Missile Products CC & S Flight Subsystem and

Lawndale, Calif. Ground Support Equipment;
Power Switching and Logic;
Antenna Change-Over Switch

Barry Controls Solar Panel Frames

Glendale, Calif.

Bell Aerosystems Company Digital Accelerometer Modules

Cleveland, Ohio

Bendix Corporation Deep Space Instrumentation

Owings Mills, Maryland Facility
Goldstone, Calif.

California Institute of Seismometer

Technology
Pasadena, Calif.

Electric Storage Battery Co. Batteries

Missile Battery Division
Raleigh, North Carolina

Electro-Optical Systems, Inc. Booster Regulator

Pasadena, Calif.

General Electrodynamics Scan-Converter System

Garland, Texas

Groen Associates Actuators for Solar Panels and

Omnidirectional Boom, Gamma
Ray Telescoping Boom

-34
Subcontractors

Hercules Powder Company Capsule Retro Motor

Bacchus, Utah

Hoffman Electronics Solar Panels

El Monte, Calif.

Horkey-Moore Ranger Spacecraft System

Torrance, Calif. Test Stand, Pin Pullers

International Telephone & Static Power Converter Modules

Telegraph
Industrial Products Division
San Fernando, Calif.

Lockheed Aircraft Sterilization of Agena Shroud

Van Nuys, Calif.

Minneapolis -Honeywell Gyroscopes

Regulator Company
Aero Division
Minneapolis, Minn.

Motorola Flight Transponder,

Military Elec. Division Flight Data Encoder
Scottsdale, Arizona

Nortronics Attitude Control and Midcourse

Hawthorne, Calif. Aitopilot Electronic Subsystems;
Sun Sensors and Earth Sensors;
AttiLude Control Gyro Modules

Ordnance Associates Squibs

South Pasadena, Calif.

Radiation Instrument Division Gamma-ray Pulse Height Analyzers

Laboratory and Associated Ground Support
Northlake, Illinois Equipment

Radio Corp. of America Lunar Impact TV Camera

Princeton, New Jersey

K-35
-(over)
Subcontractors

Ransom Research Data Display Equipment

San Pedro, Calif.

Space Electronics Corp. C iund Command System

Glendale, Calif. Demodulators;
Data Encoder Ground Support
Equipment

TE Company Optical Collimator for Testing

Santa Barbara, Calif. Lunar Telescope

Texas Instruments Ranger Flight Command Subsystem

Dallas 9, Texas and Ground Support Equipment

Tinsley Laboratories Optical Telescope for Lunar Probe

Berkeley 10, Calif.

Wiley Electronics Radio Altimeter

Phoenix, Arizona

In addition to these subcontractors, there were 1200 indus trial firms

who contributed to the Ranger. The cost of these supplies was in excess of
$5 million, which covers all three spacecraft.

- 36 -
 LAUNCH VEHICLE

The Atlas-Agena-B--NASA's launch vehicle for its Ranger 5 lunar

landing mission--is a combination of two rcckets.

The Atlas "D" serves as the booster and the Agena-B as the
vehicle's serond stage. The rocket is provided to NASA by the Air Force
Syptems Command's Space Systems 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 agree-

ment which provides for NASA procurement through the Aiu Force of a
number of vehicles consisting of modified Atlas boosters with modified
Agena-B's serving as second stages. The Agena was developed for Air
Force satellite programs in which it has achieved a significant reliability
record.

Major contractors involved in the vehicle operation are Lockheed

Missile and Space Company anu General Dynamics-Astronautics. The
vehicle is launched by these companies under the direction of the Marshall
Center's Launch Operations Directorate.

All engines of the Atlas booster, sustainer and vernier, are burii-
ing at liftoff. The booster is programmed to burn approximately 22 minutes,
the sustainer about 4± minutes and the verniers about 5 minutes. At
Atlas burnout, the vehicle should be about 80 miles high.

Prior to sustainer cutoff, the Atlas ground guidance computer deter-

mines the velocity when vernier cutoff occurs arnd coast begins. Acting
on these data, the computer establishes 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 protecting the Ranger space-
c,-aft 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 up-
ward flight and allowing the Agena to se.irate. Then the Agena pneumatic

-37 (Over)
Launch Vehicle

control system begins a pitch mdneuver to orient the vehicle into an

attitude horizontal to the earth. This pitch maneuver is programmed
to be completed before the timer signals ignition of the Agena engine.

At engine start, the hydraulic control system takes over, keep-

ing the vehicle horizontal during the approximately 2' minutes the
engine is operating. The infrared horizon-sensing device sends minute
corrections to the control system.

At Agena engine cutoff, tne 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 15

to 30 minutes depending on the day and hour of launch. The pneumatic
control system again takes over, maintaining 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 1I minutes.

About 21 minutes after the final engine shutdown, the Ranger

spacecraft is separated from the Agena by springs. This occurs about 25
to 40 minutes after liftoff, depending on the day and hour of launch.

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 from 66 to 72 hours.

AGENA-B SECOND STAGE

The Agena-B stage of the rocket 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 propellant tanks

with twice the capacity of Agena-A tanks and is powered by a Bell Aero-
space Turbopump-fed engine. It burns unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine
(UDMH) as fuel and inhibited red fuming nitric acid (IRFNA) as the oxidizer.

38-
Launch Vehicle

The new engine develops substantially higher performance than

prior Agena engines and has a dual start capability.

The rocket'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 signals for the
starting, stopping and maintaining of various equipment during flight.

Here is a description of the Agena-B:

Propulsion--Single rocket engine using liquid propellants--in-

hibited red fuming nitric acid and unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine.

Thrust--15,000 pounds at altitude

Size -- Approximately 22 feet long, including Ranger spacecraft

adapter.

Control Systems--Pneumatic, using high-pressure gas metered

through external jets fcr use during coast phases. Hydraulic, through
gimballing rocket engine for pitch and yaw control during powered por-
tions 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 Missileand Space Company, prime con-

tractor; Bell Aerosystems Company, engine.

Here is a description of the Atlas "DI Space Booster:

Propulsion--Three rocket engines--two boosters,. one sustainer

using liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants.

Speed-Approximately 12,000 statute miles per hour for the Ranger

missions.

Thrust--Total nominal thrust at sea level more than 360,000 pounds.

- (Over)
Launch Vehicle

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.

Guidance--Radio command guidance. Airborne elements sense

velocity and vector, transmitting these data to ground computer. Com-
puter determines corrections necessary and transmits information to
airborne unit which signals control system. Control accomplished through
engine gimballing and engine burning time.

Contractors---General Dynamics-Astronautics, airframe and

assembly; Rocketdyne Division of North American Aviation, propulsion;
Defense Division of General Electric Company, radio command guidance;
Burroughs Corporation, ground guidance computer.

KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL

Agena-B direction at NASA headquarters is provided through

Dr. Homer E. Newell's Office of Space Sciences. The Agena program
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 program 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.

-40-
Launch Vehicle

Harold T. Luskin is the Lockheed Missile and Space Company

manager of NASA programs.

Dr. Kurt H. Debus head the Launch Operations Center which

directs launchings. Charles Cope of LOC performs liaison between
Huntsville and Canaveral with respect to launch activities.

e41
 RANGER 5 FACT SHEET

LAUNCH VEHICLE.......................................... Atlas-Agena B

DIMENSIONS LAUNCH VEHICLE

Total height, with Ranger spacecraft, plus shroud . 100 plus feet
................................................. 66
Atlas....................... feet
Agena B ............................................ 22 feet
Ranger with shroud ................................. 12 feet

DIMENSIONS RANGER

In launch position, folded

Diameter ............................................
. 5 feet
Height....................... 8.25 feet
...................................................
In cruise position, panels unfolded
Span ........... .. ........ . . . . . . . . . . . 17 feet
Height. ........................
. .......... 10.25 feet

WEIGHT RANGER

Structure ......................................... 93.45 pounds

Solar Panels ................. *. ...... 42.1
Electronics ............... ....................... . 111.31
Propulsion .................................... 38.11
Launch-Backup Battery ... .................... . 24.64
Miscellaneous Equipment ......................... 76.35
Scientific Experiments ...................... ... 30.31
Lunar Capsule Subsystem ............. *............ 338.73
Lunar Capsule .............. . .92
Retrorocket Equipment ....... 221.73
Bus Mounted Equipment ....... 25.0
338@ 73

GROSS WEIGHT ............................................ 755 pounds

42
 RANGER 5 LUNAR CAPSULE SUBSYSTEM WEIGHT SUMMERY

A. LUNAR CAPSULE Weight (pounds)

1. Survival sphere assembly

a) Electronics, antenna, batteries
wiring, structure,insulation 41.2
b) Seismometer 7.6
c) Flotation fluid and outer shell 8.2

Survival sphere total ........... O. 57.0

2. Balsa impact limiter 35

Lunar Capsule Total ........ ....... ....... 92

B. RETROROCKET EQUIPMENT

1. Retrorocket motor and igniter 214.9

2. Spin motor, igniter and attachment 2.3
3. Vibration damper and clamp 1.2
4. Ballast 1.43
5. Control timer, batteries, wiring 1.4
6. Spin balance allowance .5

Retrorocket Equipment Total ................ 221.73

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 .8
5. Retrorocket heat shield 3.5
6. Spin motor vent cowling 5.0
7. Spin restraint 3.0

Bus-mounted Equipment Total................ 25

LUNAR CAPSULE SUBSYSTEM TOTAL ........... 338.73

4i3