Does american Mercury 7 missions was launched by Human or computer/automaton?

[Pawelk198604]

I recently watched "The Right Stuff" i watched it zilion times, it love the movie. It sad they are no similar movie about Soviet/Russian cosmonauts.

But i have question about the launch it self Alan Shepard spacecraft was launched by mission controller who pressed "the big red button"

I wonder does this launches was controlled by computer or human?

[xenomorph555]

Launch is/was controlled by many people in mission control.

[Bill Phil]

Probably computer. No, definitely. The pilots only wanted more control of the spacecraft, not really the rocket itself.

[astropapi1]

Probably computer. No, definitely. The pilots only wanted more control of the spacecraft, not really the rocket itself.

Well, they could pilot the rocket, at least for Apollo. When Apollo 12 was struck by a lightning, I remember hearing one of the astronauts say that with one press of a button, they would be in total control of the Saturn V.

[Bill Phil]

Well, they could pilot the rocket, at least for Apollo. When Apollo 12 was struck by a lightning, I remember hearing one of the astronauts say that with one press of a button, they would be in total control of the Saturn V.

They could, but they didn't have to. Although, Gordo's landing was a very Jedediah thing.

Hmm.... About Apollo, I seem to remember that the astronauts wanted to fly the Saturn V, but the higher-ups wouldn't let them. They would probably have used the LES, which had a high probability of not working as intended.

[xenomorph555]

They could, but they didn't have to. Although, Gordo's landing was a very Jedediah thing.

Hmm.... About Apollo, I seem to remember that the astronauts wanted to fly the Saturn V, but the higher-ups wouldn't let them. They would probably have used the LES, which had a high probability of not working as intended.

Yeah they manually separated the LES.

[Meecrob]

Probably computer. No, definitely. The pilots only wanted more control of the spacecraft, not really the rocket itself.

I'm not picking on you, Bill Phil because you are correct, but your post made me think of something. I think we need to define "computer controlled". Technically every command given by mission control was inputted into a computer and transmitted to the spacecraft. I don't think that that is what the OP was getting at. I think they were more asking if the spacecraft had an autopilot function in a sense. Personally, I would define computer controlled as the computer is given a set of parameters and manages them actively without human intervention. Constantly telling the computer what to do is what I would consider human controlled.

Edit:VVVVVVV If this is true, I stand corrected. If humans only monitored the computers, I would consider that computer controlled.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Meecrob

[ZooNamedGames]

Yeah as many have said- and I'll go into elaboration here-

Alan could've taken control as he had all the control to in his capsule but like most other launches it was left to computers onboard and at MC who monitored these systems. He would have no reason to fly his Mercury Redstone rocket unless one of the onboard computers failed- at which point depending on the failure he COULD take control but he'd likely use the Launch Escape System (LES) to simply let the rocket go.

Alternatively- I am not aware of any Vostok 1 mission movies but I'm certain there's SOMETHING about it SOMEWHERE however how small... even if it was a local small town video they did just to commemorate it... I'd be shocked if people haven't even done THAT.

[Kryten]

Only direct human input would be the director turning the launch key, at least if nothing anomalous turned up.

[GoSlash27]

I recently watched "The Right Stuff" i watched it zilion times, it love the movie. It sad they are no similar movie about Soviet/Russian cosmonauts.

But i have question about the launch it self Alan Shepard spacecraft was launched by mission controller who pressed "the big red button"

I wonder does this launches was controlled by computer or human?

If memory serves, it was automated, but did not use "computers" in the modern sense. They instead used simple servomechanical systems to provide feedback for the control loop.

Best,

-Slashy

[Meecrob]

I guess what I'm getting at here is that the level of computer control is a grey area. Technically the computer is controlling the spacecraft, yes. But can the computer tell when the ascent phase is over and when to begin circularization burn for example, or does a human have to tell the computer that phase one is over, now begin phase two?

[shynung]

I think they used timed programs. As in, the computer knows how much time would pass between ascent MECO and circularization burn start, and simply count down when MECO happened.

[xcorps]

Mercury had and used autopilot and fly by wire.

There was a bit of discussion at NASA about installing pilot controls AT ALL. The entire program was intended to be hands off for the astronauts. Proofed by Sam on Little Joe 2 and Ham and Enos.

Edited December 31, 2014 by xcorps

[Bill Phil]

Mercury had and used autopilot and fly by wire.

There was a bit of discussion at NASA about installing pilot controls AT ALL. The entire program was intended to be hands off for the astronauts. Proofed by Sam on Little Joe 2 and Ham and Enos.

The astronauts were going to have control. Just not in the sense of an aircraft.

[ZooNamedGames]

Mercury had and used autopilot and fly by wire.

There was a bit of discussion at NASA about installing pilot controls AT ALL. The entire program was intended to be hands off for the astronauts. Proofed by Sam on Little Joe 2 and Ham and Enos.

Exactly- this idea DID carry into the Russian program where Yuri did NOT have control unless something came along where he had to- where then MC would give Yuri the code to unlock manual controls.

- - - Updated - - -

The astronauts were going to have control. Just not in the sense of an aircraft.

Well a rocket can only do so much and that's true when considering a Redstone... I don't believe they had gimballing engines... and I'm not 100% sure it had complete throttle control so even if he HAD control he'd alone be able to do so much WITH the rocket... best he could do is steer.

Rockets aren't quite the same as airplanes for a reason...

- - - Updated - - -

As for the computer it was likely as mentioned timers and very very simple programs since 1 kilobyte of data back then would need the size of a football field or BIGGER to have enough room for all the data- compared to your phone which has 20 GIGS of data...

So it was likely made mostly of timers and a few minor programs being run back at MC.

[Kryten]

Well a rocket can only do so much and that's true when considering a Redstone... I don't believe they had gimballing engines...

Redstone had jet vanes in the exhaust and small control fins, same as the V-2. The whole rocket was pretty much a scaled-up V-2.

[ZooNamedGames]

Redstone had jet vanes in the exhaust and small control fins, same as the V-2. The whole rocket was pretty much a scaled-up V-2.

But I don't believe the engine GIMBALLED- I am aware it could control itself with fins and a jet vanes obviously it needs that- but I don't believe it's engine gimbaled at all. I think the control was up to those fins/vanes.

[Lohan2008]

If memory serves, it was automated, but did not use "computers" in the modern sense. They instead used simple servomechanical systems to provide feedback for the control loop.

This sounds right for the Mercury launches.

Project Mercury ran from 1959 through 1963 with the goal of putting a human in orbit around the Earth, and doing it before the Soviet Union, as part of the early space race. It involved seven astronauts flying a total of six trips, including 20 unmanned ones.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Lohan2008

[xcorps]

The astronauts were going to have control. Just not in the sense of an aircraft.

Only after heated debate. The original intent was a remote only flight as part of the man rating process, because designers didn't think the astronauts would have the ability to make the precision instantaneous adjustments that could be made with the LEV50 guidance package. Even the abort system was not initially part of the astronauts manual capabilities. It ended up that the astronauts could abort and fly, but it didn't start that way.

I want to source that from This New Ocean, but I can't remember.

[benzman]

As I recall things, the Mercury programme was started before Gagarin's flight and the hope was to build something quickly in order to beat the Russians, and the quickest way to do this was to build a totally automated craft that simply contained a helpless spectator who had no controls or instruments. Remember that the first Mercury flights with animals were of necessity totally automated. When test pilots were chosen as astronauts they insisted on being able to take over control of the craft in the event of an emergency, knowing full well that test flying rarely goes entirely to plan. I suspect that the launch and staging was done by what could be called an autopilot which the astronaut probably had little or no control over, except with an ABORT button, but that once in orbit he could take manual control if he wanted too. If you read accounts of Scott-Carpenter's flight you get the impression that the entire flight could have been automated and that there was little or nothing that the pilot actually had to do unless he was asked to.

[Bill Phil]

The pilots would have control over the Mercury, that was part of the original plan. But not control of the Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle. It was in a documentary somewhere... And the Right Stuff inevitably got done things wrong.

[mrfox]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG-0NExds90

[ZooNamedGames]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG-0NExds90

System bypassing is different and that isn't control of the launch...

They HAD control but they didn't fly it all manually. If you watch he override the light due to the noise AND MC's "Go" on the circumstance.

[mrfox]

Shepherds role, when all automated systems are functioning normally, was mainly to provide a running commentary on the onboard systems. Given the limited bandwidth of the instrumentation of the day it was useful - he can provide realtime prioritization of the readings. Obviously, his main-main role was being the test-subject.

[ZooNamedGames]

Shepherds role, when all automated systems are functioning normally, was mainly to provide a running commentary on the onboard systems. Given the limited bandwidth of the instrumentation of the day it was useful - he can provide realtime prioritization of the readings. Obviously, his main-main role was being the test-subject.

Pretty much- yeah. Which is even MORE true on future missions as other astronauts ended up with more and more equipment stuck to them for scientific readings...