Advanced Question ACES Bailout in a Capsule

[Astro SG Wise]

Well, it's not like it hasn't been done...

Holy cow. That must have been awesome :lol:.

 

[C3PO]

Holy cow. That must have been awesome :lol:.

Not compared to a capsule re-entry from orbit! :lol:

 

[Andy44]

Not compared to a capsule re-entry from orbit! :lol:

Depends on how high you drop the car from...

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Depends on how high you drop the car from...

1981 Heavy Metal movie introduction RADAR RIDER by RIGGS - YouTube

Must. Find. This. Movie.

 

[C3PO]

Must. Find. This. Movie.

Judging from the following youtube suggestions..... DON'T !!!
:bailout:

 

[Andy44]

Must. Find. This. Movie.

It is a movie based on the then-popular Heavy Metal magazine, which was a comic book anthology of wierd sci fi stories with adult themes (boobs mainly), something you would expect from the 70s - early 80s. The movie is pretty good, as long as you understand this isn't hard SF, and that comedy plays a large role in it. John Candy is one of the stars, for instance.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082509/

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Yep, here is the current suit prototype, the MACES, or the Modified Advanced Crew Escape System. Does not mention parachutes, only life support systems. Also, the caption talks about possibly being able to be modified for spacewalks.

http://www.nasa.gov/content/astronaut-spacesuit-testing-for-orion-spacecraft/#.VQrto47F98F

 

[Astro SG Wise]

So, after this long discussion on how terrible :bailout: would be in a capsule, I just found one last emergency procedure: emergency egress in the event that Orion's propellant tanks were in danger of explosion.

 

[Urwumpe]

So, after this long discussion on how terrible :bailout: would be in a capsule, I just found one last emergency procedure: emergency egress in the event that Orion's propellant tanks were in danger of explosion.

Solution: Remove the bomb from the fuel tank? :lol:

Fuel tanks don't explode that easily. you need overpressure inside the tank and that can only come by overpressurizing it from outside or by a strong heat source inside the tank.

Usually, the primary solution to this is very simple and requires minimal checklists and minimal technology: When the pressure exceeds the limit, a metal membrane is destroyed and the contents of the tank are dumped overboard through a mechanic vent valve, that closes again when the pressure is much lower.

That happened on Apollo 13 as well but the combustion of the oxygen with the Teflon further increased the temperature input and pressure beyond what the vent valve was able to remove.

If you use N2O4 as oxidizer you can have an additional possible failure mode, since N2O4 vaporizes already at slightly above room temperature, which can also make world a bit annoying... the Space Shuttle uses a lot of valves and filters to contain this on the OMS, since both MMH tank and N2O4 tank share the same helium pressurant tank:

Over a long period of time, it is possible for small amounts of propellant vapors to diffuse through the check valves and into the helium lines. The vapor isolation valves in the helium pressurization line to the oxidizer tank prevent oxidizer vapor from migrating upstream and over into the fuel system, causing a hypergolic reaction. The vapor isolation valves are lowpressure, two-position, solenoid-operated valves that are energized open and springloaded closed. They can be commanded by the positioning of the LEFT and RIGHT OMS He PRESS/VAPOR ISOL switches on panel O8. When either the A or B switch is in the OPEN position, both vapor isolation valves are energized open; when both switches are in the CLOSE position, both vapor isolation valves are closed. When the switches are in the GPC position, the GPC opens and closes the valves automatically.

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Either way, it makes for a good picture.
Always, with Orion being the newest and safest spacecraft: there can never be to much safety (unless you put lead all over the CM to "protect" the crew from radiation).