Command Module (1960s)

foreign [Music] cockpit crew quarters Command Center when  America's three astronauts traveled to the Moon they'll use the Apollo Command Module for all  these things and of the three modules that make up the spacecraft this is the only one that will  come back complicated complex The Command Module is the flying nerve center for man's reach  to the Moon it is 12 feet high and slightly less than 13 feet across the base at launch the  Command Module weighs over 12 000 pounds weight and size are limited so every feature every  part of the module has a precise role to play The Command Module is equipped  with 12 thrusters small Rocket motors with a Thrust of almost 100 pounds each four of these are used to control the roll [Music]  for the pitch and for others to control the yaw two side windows are provided for  observation and photographic experiments between the windows the access hatch  through which the astronauts will enter the spacecraft for the beginning of the  trip and from which they'll leave at the end at first glance the cabin itself seems  dominated by three crew couches but there is much more each seat is designed to be as  comfortable as possible more important though they provide cushioning for the stresses  and forces of acceleration and gravity the Commander's seat is different  it has controls on each armrest on the left armrest controls for forward and  reverse thrust and on the right rotation control for roll pitch and your maneuvers [Music]  in actual flight much of the Thruster action will be automatic Guided by computer but the  commander does have the option of manual control the middle seat used by the pilot  of the Command Module can be folded back to provide working space and  give the crew a chance to stretch and beneath the right and left seats  are beds after all it's a long trip almost every inch of the interior  wall space is filled with switches dials and gauges some are similar  to those found in modern jet planes but others are new designed for the  requirements of space flight [Music] above the Commander's couch the major flight  controls an altimeter which registers only 60 000 feet the last sixty thousand feet of the trip just below is the re-entry monitor to guide  the commander during those last critical steps next to it a master alarm light and signal [Music] from The Command Module the astronauts  may also keep track of the direction of flight through space on this instrument  and fuel pressure in the launch vehicle still more controls these serve to aim the  third stage propulsion engine and lights to show ignition and burn of the main liftoff  engines and the signal no astronaut wants to see the panel directly to the right is the  display and keyboard of the on-board computer the commander or the Command Module pilot can  ask questions of the computer by punching a code on the keyboard instantly  the computer Returns the answer after the spacecraft is on its way to the  moon the middle couch is folded back and much of the Command Module Pilot's attention  is directed toward guidance and navigation the eyepiece on the left a space Sextant  on the right a scanning telescope just below is another rotation control  identical to the one on the Commander's armrest this one is used for steering the  spacecraft into position or Celestial fixes foreign ERS give Precision control  to the thrusters for final and Accurate Alignment of the navigation system the third position in the Command  Module is occupied by the man who will command the lunar module but  even during launch and the lunar trajectory phase of the trip he's busy and  responsible for the spacecraft electrical system the light support systems and the  performance of the main engines [Music] when the time comes he and the commander  remove the hatch and crawled through into the lunar module later they return and  settle down for the long trip home [Music] cockpit through quarters Command Center  the Apollo Command Module serves all these functions and more in the complex  job of getting men to the Moon [Music]