NASA apollo 11- AS quarantine trailer

[waninae39]

this link shows many photos of the outside and inside
of the Apollo 11 trailer used when they came back from the moon
https://history.nasa.gov/afj/lrl/apollo-quarantine.html

[Lumatic]

Thanks

[skyguyscott]

There was a potentially fatal flaw in the execution of the plan, as elaborated on here:

https://www.space.com/pbs-chasing-th...uarantine.html

As originally envisioned, the CM was to be brought aboard unsealed with the crew and lunar samples still inside, then docked to an airtight tunnel to the MQF before opening the hatch.

As Michael Collins, the CM pilot on Apollo 11, observed:

"Look at it this way," he added. "Suppose there were germs on the moon. There are germs on the moon, we come back, the command module is full of lunar germs. The command module lands in the Pacific Ocean, and what do they do? Open the hatch. You got to open the hatch! All the damn germs come out!"

And Buzz Aldrin, LM pilot on the mission remembered:

You have to laugh a little bit," Aldrin said as archival footage showed the astronauts being disinfected inside a raft that floated beside the spacecraft. He recalled rescue personnel sponging him down, then throwing the used rag into the water beside them. "It takes all those germs to the bottom of the ocean," he said, then paused to laugh. "I wonder if they'd survive down there?"

So, it was all for naught, if there really had been hazardous material or biologics present.

[waninae39]

if you watch the video of the return, you see a civilian with no mask entire the airstream with the apollo 11 crew

why does he not have a mask of suitable protection?

[SilverWind]

......and there are those who think the whole thing was staged. You really couldn't make up such incompetence. Why create such elaborate protocols and procedures and spend so much money on decontamination and then exhibit such obvious inconsistencies.

[waninae39]

Must watch on your local PBS station

American Experience: Chasing the Moon: Earthrise
Exploring four dangerous years in the history of the space race, from 1964-1968, including the Apollo 1 and Apollo 8 missions

[skyguyscott]

The interior design of the MQF is an interesting blend of 60's Airstream, 60's Airforce and 60's colors that are not exactly coordinated. It's kind of fun to spot stuff in the MQF that I (still) have or had in my trailer!

I wonder if they gave any thought to making the place more inviting or soothing, or if it was all purely utilitarian and done as cheaply as possible to win the government contract and still make a profit.







Now, I happen to think the interiors of the LM and CM look pretty cool, especially when the panels are lit up. I know it's not what most people go for, but I generally think cockpits look cool. But the MQF interior, while not exactly ugly, comes close IMHO. But maybe folks in the 1960s liked dirty mustard yellow/green. There was some in my 69 caravel, but I eventually took it all out.

But I must admit, as bad as the Airline seats look covered in that dingy yellow upholstery, it still beats the ugly blue and pink floral pattern that was in mine.

[Cap-N-Red]

What was the length of the MQF ? Was it a 33’ / 34’ or a longer special built length ?

[skyguyscott]

According to one article, it was essentially a 35 foot Airstream, however, I don't believe AS made a 35 footer, so it depends on how they measured it -- there was no tongue. So at least a standard 34', plus the generators and HVAC equipment on the end. It was placed on a pallet so it could easily be shipped via Air/Sea/Land.


The actually built four of them, one each for Apollo 11-14. 13's was never used as they did not land on moon. They stopped using them after 14 proved the moon was a sterile environment. Wikipedia has a list of where the existing MQFs currently are on exhibit. 13's whereabouts are unreported.

Here is a link to a cool 360 VR of the interior of 11's
https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/10111pjpg

Apollo 12's MQF had an interesting history! After its use, it somehow wound up at an Alabama Fish Farm, until someone who knew what it was, discovered it!

[Halford1]

Love the silver covered A/Cs. Wish I have that to match my AS.

[skyguyscott]

IIRC, AS trailers of that vintage all had AC covers that conformed to the curved roof. So, the MQF was not particularly special in that way.

The article linked above has a much more detailed account of how they were built. It essentially seems they took a stock AS, made sure they were airtight, replaced the living room with airline seats and a table, replaced the bedroom with bunks to sleep six, and added a whole bunch of HVAC with filters to keep the interior pressure lower than the outside pressure, lest in case of any air leaks, the germs stay inside, and generators to kick on in the event of a power failure.

From the article:

Melpar was the MQF prime contractor with a subcontract to the Airstream Company of Jackson Center, Ohio. The Airstream approach had been first proposed by LRD’s Pete Armitage, who had experience with travel-trailers and considered Airstream the best high- quality design suitable for self-contained living quarters and able to meet the transportation handling requirements aboard ship and transport aircraft4. After surveying available travel trailer designs, Melpar indeed selected Airstream, which was a natural choice for the MQF with its aircraft- like construction featuring a riveted aluminum shell.

The MQF was essentially a 35-foot Airstream trailer with special modifications for its recovery quarantine role to provide self-contained living accommodations and biologically isolate up to six people for ten days. It was designed with a lounge, galley, and sleeping and toilet facilities and was powered internally by a diesel generator and battery systems and externally through several systems interfacing with various ships, aircraft, and transportation vehicles (Photo #2). The MQF aluminum body shell was sealed making it airtight with exhaust fans and filters to provide an internal negative pressure required for biological isolation. A decontamination transfer lock was installed to provide the capability for expedited return of lunar samples ahead of the MQF arrival at the LRL. Two decompression blowout panels provided safety to the MQF occupants and transport aircraft in the event of a rapid decompression while in flight back to Houston. The MQF was constructed on a skid pallet (Photo #3) instead of wheels for transportation in recovery operations transfers between ship, shore, and aircraft. The lounge area featured six aircraft-type seats and emergency passenger oxygen in the event of a rapid transport aircraft decompression. Additionally, the interior was coated with fire-retardant material.

[DGJackson]

thanks for the article from Coye Mac Jones - I have not seen this. Every space and Airstream enthusiast needs to visit Marshall Space Center in Huntsville and see a vertical and horizontal Saturn V, and the MQF that is on display.

[waninae39]

more pics off the airtream site
https://www.airstream.com/blog/histo...lace-in-space/