Astronaut Scientific Debriefings, 1962-1963

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§~ientific Debriefing
. -35­
Rpach:
Is 'this :phenomenon very close to the sun'?
Cpoper:
I had the feeling that this was just a glow off the su.µ._ It was not
1: '
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7,1.',
~P bri©J.t as the Millcy Way.
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Mercer: Was it tipped to the right or le:f't of sunriseZ
C~oper:
I was sitting tipped myself and don't rememb~r vb.ich way it was.
I have
the imp.ression it was not vertical.
Dr. Voas : It appears the red and gold you• described at sunset does not occur
at dawn.
. I
Cooper: Sunset is more of a golden orange.
Dr. Voas :
Did you notice any of the flattening as the sun rose?
Cooper: Not as much) but you do get a little bit.
,(
Roach:
Going back to the time just preceding retro, were you constantly on stellar
observat ion before the dawn?
Were you able to follow any stars'?
. ...
Cooper: Yes. With the sun to my back, the first thing I got -was the moon glow..
and through the cloud below I got Shanghai. The first •indication·you get of the
sun going up behind you is the lightening of the clouds underneath and you note
the clouds getting iighter and lighter and you can still see the stars. As you
\
reach a certain point., your window gets enough light - your window appears 'completely
frosted over.
Roach: What star were you using? ,
Cooper:
I was using Betelgeuse and tracking on.~ up from that to Sirius and Procyo~
and then I had a bS-l7ren area. Then I believe Castor and Pollux and Corvus was
the last .
I couldn't pick up Antares.
By this time I -was getting good light on
clouds..
The stars don't give ·you much yaw determination. You can si there for
a long t ime and if 'you hold rates very close to zero you can get a fairly good
.
'
.
.
indicati on, but it is a lengthy process when you are determining yaw by seeing the
'
·-- ·movement ' of stars.
·-~...,.. --- - . -.·--- ' --~-~
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