Artifact: Cryogenic Couplers, Liquid Hydrogen and Oxygen, Apollo Service Module, Block II
Identifier: A20120039
Artifact Category: Spacecraft Hardware,Ground Support Equipment (GSE)
Period of Employment: October 11 1968 to July 24 1975
Manufacturer: Spacecraft (Flight side) Couplers - Beech Aircraft,Ground (GSE) Couplers - Fairchild Hiller Corp
NASA Contract Number: NAS9-150
Spacecraft/Launch Systems: Apollo Service Module
Materials:
Stainless Steel
Dimensions: Hydrogen Vent (Ground) 11 x 4 (Inches),Oxygen Vent (Ground) 10.5 x 4 (Inches),Hydrogen Fill (Ground) 10 x 3 (Inches),Oxygen Purge (Spacecraft) 6.75 x 1.30 (Inches),Oxygen Fill Vent (Spacecraft) 5.25 x 2 (Inches)
Weight: Hydrogen Vent (Ground) - 10 Pounds,Oxygen Vent (Ground) - 10 Pounds,Hydrogen Fill (Ground) - 8 Pounds,Oxygen Purge (Spacecraft) - 1 Pound,Oxygen Fill Vent (Spacecraft) - 2 Pnds
Flight Vehicle System or Component: Cryogenic Transfer, Storage and Venting,Environmental Control (ECS)
Program: Apollo
Flown Status: Unflown
Description:
This sub-collection is comprised of Cryogenic couplers installed on-board the Service Module and affiliated ground umbilicals which supplied liquid Oxygen and Hydrogen to the Apollo Fuel Cell storage tanks. The Service Module coupling devices were manufactured by Beech Aircraft; the ground couplers were subcontracted by North American Aviation to Stratos-Western (Fairchild Hiller Corporation) under NASA Contract NAS9-150. Cryogenic Hydrogen and Oxygen comprised the constituent reactants used by the (3) on-board Bacon Fuel cells to provide power, drinking water and heating (an example of a fuel cell is also contained and documented within this collection). The Oxygen tanks also supplied metabolic breathing oxygen to the crew.
