Gemini retros

[Errol]

Just doing some research on Gemini for my career save with engine ignitor, and I've discovered that the retro rockets were fired in sequence, one after the other, rather than all four at once, but I can't seem to find any reasoning behind this engineering decision. Does anyone know anything about this? I can't imagine they were trying to mitigate g-forces, I keep trying to figure out if this added some sort of redundancy or safety margin. I could conceive of the idea that they could vary the number of retros used in a return sequence, to compensate for different mission profiles and altitudes....but I would like some sort of confirmation on the purpose of this.

Edited July 4 by Errol

[kerbiloid]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Gemini#Retro_module

Quote

Retro module

The Retro module contained four solid-fuel TE-M-385 Star-13E retrorockets, each spherical in shape except for its rocket nozzle, which were structurally attached to two beams that reached across the diameter of the retro module, crossing at right angles in the center.^[22] Re-entry began with the retrorockets firing one at a time. Abort procedures at certain periods during lift-off would cause them to fire at the same time, thrusting the Descent module away from the Titan rocket.

 

A wannabe-LES.

The TKS VA deorbiting thruster was also a part of LES on launch.

[Errol]

5 minutes ago, kerbiloid said:

A wannabe-LES.

So are you saying that the normal sequenced firing was primarily used to mitigate g-force?

Edited July 4 by Errol

[kerbiloid]

2 minutes ago, Errol said:

So are you saying that the normal sequenced firing was primarily used to mitigate g-force?

The wiki means this. And it's normal, as both deorbiting and LES need more-or less same dV of ~100..300 m/s.

A rudimentary LES.

Edited July 4 by kerbiloid