Astronaut Scientific Debriefings, 1962-1963

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Scientific Debriefing
-19­
Cooper: ~finite~: The ideal would be a series of lights. A better
combination would be a series ot flashing ·lights arranged in .some pattern. ,
~e like a running rabbit strobe pattern.
I am sure it wouldn't have to
be synchronized.
Bill: 'You mentioned how fast :fast you were moving.
Do you think you had
enough time to make use of some sighting ·device such as -a sextant? .
Cooper:
You aren·!t going to be able to take very long. readingso
Youvre
going to ~ave ✓ to be set up and ready to go, and you're going to have to have
some devices .that are •re~ usable. You figure that when you get from the
west coast of the United states to the east coast of the United States, the ,
ground is moving under you fair~ rapi~ in ten minutes. The ground is
. '
.
moving t .oo fast. You need to have some devices that are re~ usable and
you need to be se~ up and ready t(? go.
I guess you have about 20 to 30
' .
seconds for a reading._
Bill Armstrong:
One·of the• ·,·phas·es· of the Apollo mission .requires a position··.
'
fix ~ile still' in a holding orbit. Before going into ·the translunar ·phase··
, ,
I
•
J
sightings of earth fixed targets for navigation would be ab~ut the same
yqu experienced in the · ground light. Would this .be practicable2