Appendix G
Apollo Program Responsibilities of the Manned Space Centers
Abstracted from "Center Responsibilities in the Apollo
Program," NASA Apollo Program Directive No. 33, 8 Nov. 1967.
The Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas, was responsible for
design, development, fabrication, qualification, acceptance testing, and
delivery of the Apollo spacecraft, associated ground support equipment,
and assigned experiments; planning all Apollo missions; controlling the
flight phase of the missions, including developing ground equipment
necessary for mission control not provided by other centers; selecting,
training, and assigning flight crews; developing procedures as needed
for spacecraft guidance, checkout, and mission control; establishing
prelaunch requirements for test, checkout, and inspection of Apollo
spacecraft; and planning the implementation of the lunar science
program.
In carrying out these assignments, the center performed the following
functions in the listed areas:
I. Hardware
- Provided detailed specifications, design, manufacture, checkout,
test, reliability and quality control, and acceptance of Manned
Spacecraft Center- (Houston-) developed hardware, not including test and
checkout functions at the launch site by the Kennedy Space Center.
- Developed and delivered to Kennedy flight-qualified spacecraft and
listings or discussions of appropriate procedures, pertinent data, and
support equipment.
- Provided detailed specifications, design, development, fabrication,
qualification, acceptance testing, and delivery of experiments flight
hardware and associated specialized ground equipment for experiments
approved by the Manned Space Flight Experiments Board.
- Controlled the receipt and stowage of scheduled and approved flight
crew personal equipment at the launch center and provided Kennedy with a
list of this equipment.
II. Configuration Control
- Established and controlled configuration of spacecraft hardware,
procedures, and associated support equipment at each stage of
preparation or test in the factory and at the test or launch sites.
- Provided and maintained a list of acceptable items and materials
entering the spacecraft during checkout and launch.
III. Test and Checkout
- Established and maintained test and checkout requirements,
specifications, and criteria for factory or test site acceptance and
launch site preparation of all Houston-developed hardware and
procedures.
- Provided written approval of Kennedy test and checkout plans.
- Reviewed the adequacy of Kennedy test procedures.
- Determined functional performance and flight readiness of flight
hardware and provided any technical assistance or data required by
Kennedy in preparing hardware for flight.
- Provided requirements and criteria to Kennedy for ensuring flight
readiness of experiment flight hardware.
IV. Reliability and Quality Assurance
- Provided quality control requirements and inspection criteria for
Houston-developed hardware for use at the factory, test, and launch
sites.
- Audited contractor factory and test site performance, in accordance
with requirements and criteria, and participated, when appropriate, in
audits conducted by Kennedy at the launch site.
- Determined corrective action for Houston-developed hardware that had
failed, malfunctioned, or performed outside of specifications.
V. Systems Engineering
Provided technical representation on design and operations intercenter
panels or working groups established by the Apollo Program Office.
VI. Operations
- Developed flight techniques, procedures, and hardware for the
Mission Control Center.
- Developed objectives, plans, and rules to support Apollo mission
assignments.
- Conducted flight operations.
- Obtained from Kennedy the necessary checkout and launch operational
requirements for incorporation into Houston-designed hardware.
- Worked with the Department of Defense in planning recovery
support.
VII. Flight Crew
- Provided trained flight crews and personal equipment for manned
missions.
- Directed all astronaut activities, except for flight hardware
testing at Kennedy.
- Developed and operated flight crew training simulators and equipment
at Houston or the Cape.
VIII. Science
Planned and implemented a lunar science program for Apollo, including
site selection, lunar science operations, Lunar Receiving Laboratory
operations, and lunar sample analyses.
IX. Management (General and Specific Responsibilities)
- General
- Ensured adequate reflection of Apollo's manpower and institutional
support needs in Houston's resource requirement plans, schedules, and
budgets.
- Ensured timely institutional support for Apollo.
- Developed and operated center facilities in support of Apollo.
- Established detailed schedules for Houston-developed hardware,
procedures, associated equipment, and operational activities to ensure
meeting Apollo program plans.
- Medical
- Provided medical surveillance and support for the astronauts during
all phases of the Apollo program and at any location.
- Evaluated the medical data obtained during manned tests to ensure
that the acceptability of equipment performance was properly interpreted
and reflected in the postflight mission reports.
- Provided for the development and implementation of medical disaster
plans associated with tests of Apollo hardware at the Houston location.
- Safety
- Provided written approval of Kennedy criteria for determming
hazardous operations at the launch site.
- Reviewed and approved any Kennedy test and checkout procedures in
which flight crews participated.
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, was
responsible for design, development, fabrication, qualification,
acceptance testing, and delivery of the Saturn launch vehicles,
including engines, associated ground support equipment, and assigned
experiments; furnishing mission planning data from the standpoint of
overall vehicle performance; providing launch vehicle data and
procedures for launch vehicle guidance and checkout; establishing
prelaunch requirements for testing, checkout, and inspection of Saturn
launch vehicles; and supporting launch and flight operations as
requested by Houston and the Cape.
In carrying out these assignments, the center performed the following
functions in the listed areas:
I. Hardware
- Provided detailed specifications, design, manufacture, checkout,
test, reliability and quality assurance, qualification, and acceptance
testing of Marshall-developed hardware, not including test and checkout
functions at the launch site by Kennedy.
- Developed and delivered to Kennedy flight-qualified launch vehicles
and associated procedures, data, and support equipment.
- Provided detailed specifications, design, development, fabrication,
qualification, acceptance testing, and delivery of flight hardware for
experiments approved by the Manned Space Flight Experiments Board and
assigned to Marshall by the Apollo Program Director.
- Provided logistic support planning and implementation at factory,
test, and launch sites for Marshall-controlled hardware.
II. Configuration Control
- Established and controlled configuration of launch vehicle,
hardware, associated procedures, and support equipment at each stage of
preparation at the factory, test, and launch sites.
- Provided criteria to Kennedy for controlling equipment, tools, and
materials entering or leaving the launch vehicle stages or the
instrument unit during launch site preparations and operations.
III. Test and Checkout
- Established and maintained test and checkout requirements,
specifications, and criteria for factory or test site acceptance and
launch site preparation of Marshall-developed hardware.
- Reviewed factory, test site, and launch site test requirements,
checkout plans, and procedures to ensure adequate testing of
Marshall-developed hardware.
- Reviewed the adequacy of Kennedy test procedures.
- Provided requirements and criteria to Kennedy to ensure readiness of
experiments flight hardware.
- Determined the functional performance and readiness of flight
hardware.
- Provided technical assistance or data needed by Kennedy in preparing
hardware for flight.
- Determined the flight readiness of the launch vehicle.
IV. Reliability and Quality Assurance
- Provided quality control requirements and inspection criteria for
Marshall-developed hardware for use at the factory, test, and launch
sites.
- Audited contractor factory and test site performance and
participated, at its own option, in Kennedy-conducted audits at the
launch site.
- Determined corrective action and disposition of Marshall-developed
hardware that failed, malfunctioned, or operated outside performance
limits.
V. Systems Engineering
- Provided technical representation on design or operations
intercenter panels or working groups established by the Apollo Program
Office.
- Provided overall integrated space vehicle systems analyses and
criteria for operational requirements and limitations for handling,
checkout, and flight as required by the manned space flight centers.
- Operated the Manned Space Flight Interface Documentation
Repository.
VI. Operations
- Developed objectives and plans to support Apollo mission
assignments.
- Provided real-time mission support as requested by the Houston and
Cape centers.
- Provided input and comment on Kennedy Launch and Manned Spacecraft
Center flight rules.
- Obtained operational requirements for checkout and launch from
Kennedy for incorporation into Marshall-designed hardware.
- Identified Marshall operational support requirements.
VII. Flight Crews
Provided instructions and materials for training and familiarizing
flight crews with Saturn launch vehicles.
VIII. Science
None.
IX. Management (General and Specific Responsibilities)
- General
- Ensured adequate reflection of Apollo manpower and institutional
support needs in Marshall's resource requirement plans, schedules, and
budgets.
- Ensured institutional support for Apollo on a timely basis.
- Developed and operated center facilities in support of Apollo.
- Established detailed schedules for Marshall-developed hardware,
procedures, associated equipment, and operational activities to meet
Apollo program plans.
- Provided liquid-hydrogen-fuel management for Marshall and Kennedy.
- Medical
Developed and implemented medical disaster plans associated with tests
of Saturn launch vehicle hardware at Marshall.
- Safety
Provided written approval of Kennedy-developed criteria for determining
hazardous operations at the launch site.
The John F. Kennedy Space Center, on the east coast of Florida at Cape
Canaveral, was responsible for developing and operating launch and
industrial facilities and associated ground support needed for Apollo
and for the assembly, test, inspection, checkout, and launch of
Apollo-Saturn space vehicles at the launch site.
In carrying out these assignments, the center performed the following
functions in the listed areas:
I. Hardware
- Provided detailed specifications, design, manufacture, checkout,
test, reliability and quality assurance, qualification, and acceptance
of Kennedydeveloped hardware.
- Developed and delivered qualified ground support equipment
associated with launch facilities and not provided by Houston or
Huntsville.
- Developed and operated ground communications, computation, and
instrumentation systems and equipment for conducting launch operations.
- Protected flight hardware and associated ground equipment from
contamination, corrosion, or damage that might have resulted from
environment, housekeeping, procedures, or human error. Reported any
incidents of such damage to Houston or Huntsville centers, as
appropriate.
II. Configuration Control
- Established and controlled configuration of Kennedy-developed launch
facilities and ground support equipment at each stage of preparation at
the factory, test, or launch site.
- Maintained configuration control of Houston- and
Huntsville-developed hardware, obtaining approval from those centers
before making any configuration changes to spacecraft, launch vehicle,
or associated ground support equipment supplied by the centers.
- Secured, after testing, approval from Huntsville or Houston, for the
replacement of any failed parts.
- Controlled everything entering or leaving the spacecraft during
checkout at the launch site, in accordance with a list of acceptable
items provided by Houston.
- Controlled all tools, equipment, and materials entering or leaving
the launch vehicle stages and the instrument unit during operation at
the launch site, in accordance with criteria provided by
Huntsville.
III. Test and Checkout
- Conducted assembly, checkout, and launch of flight hardware for
Apollo missions, and assembly, checkout, and operation of necessary
ground support equipment.
- Controlled all personnel participating in test and checkout
activities, including representatives from Houston and Huntsville
centers.
- Provided requirements, specifications, criteria, and procedures for
test and checkout of Kennedy-developed equipment.
- Provided test and checkout plans to meet Houston and Huntsville
requirements and to verify the launch facility, Manned Space Flight
Network, and launch crew readiness and range and safety requirements.
- Obtained Houston and Huntsville approval before changing and
implementing test and checkout plans.
- Made final determination on safety and adequacy of test and checkout
procedures.
- Obtained approval from Houston and Huntsville on waivers and
deviations in all aspects of test and checkout functions when unable to
meet prior requirements.
- Determined readiness of procedures and flight hardware.
- Determined readiness of inflight experiments equipment.
- Controlled receipt, storage, and readiness of all
Government-furnished equipment except crew personal equipment (suits,
etc.).
- Provided routine troubleshooting and maintenance on Huntsville- and
Houston-developed equipment, in accordance with requirements,
specifications, and criteria provided by those centers.
- Provided an assessment of the readiness of the launch complex,
flight hardware, and procedures to the Flight Readiness Review
Board.
IV. Reliability and Quality Assurance
- Provided quality control requirement and inspection criteria for
Kennedy-developed hardware for use at factory, test, and launch sites.
- Audited contractor factory and test site performance on
Kennedy-developed hardware.
- Determined corrective action and disposition of Kennedy-developed
hardware that failed, malfunctioned, or operated outside performance
limits.
- Generated quality control requirements to meet Huntsville, Houston,
and Kennedy needs in verifying launch facility and launch vehicle
readiness and range and safety requirements. Obtained approval from
Huntsville and Houston, if appropriate, before implementing quality
control plans.
- Conducted quality control inspections and audits of contractor
activities at Kennedy, inviting Huntsville and Houston representatives
to participate where appropriate.
- Obtained approval from Huntsville or Houston to disassemble any
flight hardware that had been accepted at either the factory or test
site.
- Advised the other two centers of any launch preparation problems
involving flight readiness of hardware.
- Conducted failure analyses when requested by Houston or Huntsville.
- Participated in flight hardware acceptance reviews and offered
recommendations to either Huntsville or Houston about accepting the
hardware for shipment to the launch site.
V. Systems Engineering
Provided representation on design and operations intercenter panels or
working groups established by the Apollo Program Office.
VI. Operations
- Identified Kennedy operational support requirements.
- Provided data to Huntsville or Houston for incorporation in Program
Support Requirements Documents.
- Conducted launch operations.
- Developed launch plans and rules.
VII. Flight Crews
Coordinated and directed astronaut activities during crew participation
in Kennedy tests of flight hardware, although the pilots had the final
word in matters pertaining to their safety.
VIII. Science
None.
IX. Management (General and Specific Responsibilities)
- General
- Ensured adequate reflection of Apollo program needs for manpower and
institutional support in the center's resource requirements plans,
schedules, and budgets.
- Ensured timely institutional support for Apollo.
- Controlled activities of Apollo contractors at Kennedy, with the
exception of those directly associated with astronaut training.
- Developed and operated center facilities needed for Apollo.
- Established detailed schedules for Kennedy-developed hardware,
procedures, and associated equipment to meet Apollo program plans.
- Medical
Developed and implemented medical disaster plans associated with
assembly, checkout, and operations at launch site.
- Safety
Served as NASA's single point of responsibility for safety at the launch
center and provided range safety inputs to Eastern Test Range
authorities.
Developed criteria for hazardous operations at the launch site and
coordinated the criteria with the Houston and Huntsville centers.