Saga LLRV – LLTV Astronaut Training USA

THE SAGA OF LLRV – LLTV

Thus was born the LLRV (Lunar Landing Research Vehicle) in English.

This aircraft reserved for training simulates the flight of the lunar module, its maneuverability to the gravity exerted by the Earth's satellite.

The LLRV is an aircraft developed to train astronauts of the US space program at Apollo & rsquo; landing on the Moon. He reproduced the flight behavior of the lunar module in lunar gravity.

LLRV
Model & rsquo; aircraft

Maximum speed : 64 km / h
Mass : 1 138 kg
Length : 6,86 m
wingspan : 4,6 m
Engine Type : General Electric CF700
First flight : 30 October 1964
builder : Bell Aircraft Corporation

ASTRONAUT TRAINING

When the Apollo program was launched early 1960, NASA looking for a way to simulate the benefit of descent to the moon. Three concepts are then studied, an electronic simulator, a tethered device or flying vehicle from the NASA Flight Test Center near Edwards Base. All three are serious projects, but the flying machine proposal from the center of’ Edwards is retained. The original idea is credited to Hubert Drake. Almost simultaneously and independently of it, la firme Bell Aerospace à Buffalo NY, which has experience with so-called vertical landing and take-off VTOLs offers NASA a similar free flight simulator (contract of 50 000 $passed in December 1961). In response, NASA asks Bell and Edwards center to cooperate. A contract 3,6 millions $ is passed 1 February 1963 for the supply of the first two devices in 14 month. The challenge is : Make a vertical landing fly to earth with a simulated lunar environment 1/ 6 with no aerodynamic force.

Neil Armstrong next to a prototype lunar module, Edwards Air Force Base, 1964.

Two Lunar Landing Research Vehicle are sent disassembled Bell factories to Edwards AFB CA in April 1964. Constructed of aluminum tubes making it look like a baby chair, it is used to simulate the benefit of landing soon 450 m d’ altitude. The LLRV is equipped with a CF GE jet engine 700 2V mounted vertically, from 1680 kg thrust. Kerosene engine (JP4) capable of raising the vehicle altitude and descend by creating a surge in 5/ 6 the weight of the equipment to simulate lunar gravity. Two rockets hydrogen peroxide are used to create small thrust 40 at 200 kg in horizontal translations. Six other small rockets allow other movements.