• Home
    • Document Archive
    • Case File Database
    • Discussion Forums
  • FOIA Documents
    • Government
      • Congressional & Senatorial Correspondence
      • Controversies
        • Conspiracy Discussion Forum
      • Elections
      • Government Accountability & I.G. Reports
      • Government Employee Manuals / Orientation
      • Politician Public Financial Disclosure Statements
      • TV Show Complaints
      • U.S. Financial Information
      • U.S. Politics Discussion Forum
      • Discussion Forums
    • History
      • Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Collection
      • Department of Defense Collection
      • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Collection
      • J.F.K. Era
      • National Security Agency (NSA) Collection
      • Office of Technology Assessment Collection
      • Richard Helms Collection
      • Discussion Forums
    • Intelligence
      • Cryptology
      • FBI Files / Domestic & Foreign Intelligence
      • Field Manuals
      • Freedom of Information Act / Research Tools
      • Spy Satellites and the NRO
      • Discussion Forums
    • Military / Defense
      • Advanced “For Its Time” Technology
      • Aircraft / Air Force History
        • Bombers
        • Cargo
        • E”X”perimental
        • Fighters
        • Foreign
        • Reconnaissance
        • Spy Planes
        • Stealth
      • Biological / Chemical Weapons
      • Defense Issues
      • Military and Commercial Accidents
      • Nuclear Weapons
      • Psychological Operations
      • Terrorism
        • Assassination Attempts
        • September 11th, 2001
      • Weapons
      • Discussion Forums
    • Science
      • Disease and Human Health
      • Environmental Issues
      • Space
      • Discussion Forums
    • The Fringe
      • Cloning
      • Mind Control
      • New World Order
      • Parapsychology
      • Remote Viewing
      • UFO Phenomena
        • UFO Discussion Forum
      • Weather / Weather Modification
      • Discussion Forums
    • Wartime
      • World War I
      • World War II
      • Vietnam Era
      • Cold War Era
      • Iraq Wars
      • Afghanistan War
      • War on Terror Discussion Forum
  • Paranormal Case Files
  • Chat
    • Facebook Group
    • Discord Server
  • Podcast
  • Contact
    • Update Newsletter
  • Shop
    • Books
    • T-Shirts
    • Account details
  • Donate
Facebook Twitter YouTube
Trending
  • Evaluation of the Oversight of Intelligence Interrogation Approaches and Techniques (DODIG-2019-077)
  • Operation Earnest Voice
  • New UAP Leaked Imagery from the DoD: “Mosul Orb” UAP Published by Jeremy Corbell & George Knapp
  • The Black Vault’s AAWSAP/AATIP and Post 2017 UAP/UFO Timeline Project
  • “They’re Back!”: FAA Air Traffic Control Audio Released of UFO Sightings by Multiple Aircraft – 11/11/22
  • DARPA Selects Aurora Flight Sciences for Phase 2 of Active Flow Control X-Plane
  • Range Fouler Debrief Forms and Reports
  • U.S. Government Releases 2nd UAP / UFO Report to the Public
Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok Discord
The Black Vault
  • Home
    • Document Archive
    • Case File Database
    • Discussion Forums
  • FOIA Documents
    • Government
      • Congressional & Senatorial Correspondence
      • Controversies
        • Conspiracy Discussion Forum
      • Elections
      • Government Accountability & I.G. Reports
      • Government Employee Manuals / Orientation
      • Politician Public Financial Disclosure Statements
      • TV Show Complaints
      • U.S. Financial Information
      • U.S. Politics Discussion Forum
      • Discussion Forums
    • History
      • Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Collection
      • Department of Defense Collection
      • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Collection
      • J.F.K. Era
      • National Security Agency (NSA) Collection
      • Office of Technology Assessment Collection
      • Richard Helms Collection
      • Discussion Forums
    • Intelligence
      • Cryptology
      • FBI Files / Domestic & Foreign Intelligence
      • Field Manuals
      • Freedom of Information Act / Research Tools
      • Spy Satellites and the NRO
      • Discussion Forums
    • Military / Defense
      • Advanced “For Its Time” Technology
      • Aircraft / Air Force History
        • Bombers
        • Cargo
        • E”X”perimental
        • Fighters
        • Foreign
        • Reconnaissance
        • Spy Planes
        • Stealth
      • Biological / Chemical Weapons
      • Defense Issues
      • Military and Commercial Accidents
      • Nuclear Weapons
      • Psychological Operations
      • Terrorism
        • Assassination Attempts
        • September 11th, 2001
      • Weapons
      • Discussion Forums
    • Science
      • Disease and Human Health
      • Environmental Issues
      • Space
      • Discussion Forums
    • The Fringe
      • Cloning
      • Mind Control
      • New World Order
      • Parapsychology
      • Remote Viewing
      • UFO Phenomena
        • UFO Discussion Forum
      • Weather / Weather Modification
      • Discussion Forums
    • Wartime
      • World War I
      • World War II
      • Vietnam Era
      • Cold War Era
      • Iraq Wars
      • Afghanistan War
      • War on Terror Discussion Forum
  • Paranormal Case Files
  • Chat
    • Facebook Group
    • Discord Server
  • Podcast
  • Contact
    • Update Newsletter
  • Shop
    • Books
    • T-Shirts
    • Account details
  • Donate
0 Shopping Cart
The Black Vault
Home » Science » Space » Unconventional, Contrary, and Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, NASA History Division, 2005
Science

Unconventional, Contrary, and Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, NASA History Division, 2005

John GreenewaldBy John GreenewaldMay 5, 20193 Mins Read

Background

When the United States began considering a piloted voyage to the moon, an enormous number of unknowns about strategies, techniques, and equipment existed. Some people began wondering how a landing maneuver might be performed on the lunar surface. From the beginning of the age of flight, landing has been among the most challenging of flight maneuvers. Touching down smoothly has been the aim of pilots throughout the first century of flight. Designers have sought the optimum aircraft configuration for landing. Engineers have sought the optimum sensors and instruments for best providing the pilot with the information needed to perform the maneuver efficiently and safely. Pilots also have sought the optimum trajectory and control techniques to complete the approach and touchdown reliably and repeatably. Landing a craft on the moon was, in a number of ways, quite different from landing on Earth. The lunar gravitational field is much weaker than Earth’s.

There were no runways, lights, radio beacons, or navigational aids of any kind. The moon had no atmosphere. Airplane wings or helicopter rotors would not support the craft. The type of controls used conventionally on Earth-based aircraft could not be used. The lack of an atmosphere also meant that conventional flying instrumentation reflecting airspeed and altitude, and rate of climb and descent, would be useless because it relied on static and dynamic air pressure to measure changes, something lacking on the moon’s surface. Lift could be provided by a rocket engine, and small rocket engines could be arranged to control the attitude of the craft. But what trajectories should be selected? What type of steering, speed, and rate-of-descent controls should be provided? What kind of sensors could be used? What kind of instruments would provide helpful information to the pilot? Should the landing be performed horizontally on wheels or skids, or vertically? How accurately would the craft need to be positioned for landing? What visibility would the pilot need, and how could it be provided? Some flight-test engineers at NASA’s Flight Research Center were convinced that the best way to gain insight regarding these unknowns would be the use of a free-flying test vehicle.

Aircraft designers at the Bell Aircraft (Aerosystems) Company believed they could build a craft that would duplicate lunar flying conditions. The two groups collaborated to build the machine. It was unlike any flying ma-chine ever built before or since. The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) was unconventional, sometimes contrary, and always ugly. Many who have seen video clips of the LLRV in flight believe it was designed and built to permit astronauts to practice landing the Apollo Lunar Module (LM). Actually, the LLRV project was begun before NASA had selected the strategy that would use the Lunar Module! Fortunately, when the Lunar Module was designed somewhat later, its characteristics were sufficiently similar to the LLRV that the LLRV could be used for LM simulation. A later version of the LLRV, the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle (LLTV), provided an even more accurate simulation following considerable modification to better represent the final descent stage. Unconventional, Contrary, & Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle tells the complete story of this remarkable machine, the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, including its difficulties, its successes, and its substantial contribution to the Apollo program. The authors are engineers who were at the heart of the effort. They tell the tale that they alone know and can describe.

Document Archive

Unconventional, Contrary, and Ugly: The Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, NASA History Division, 2005 [242 Pages, 28MB]

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Follow The Black Vault on Social Media:
  • Facebook
  • Facebook Group
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • iTunes Podcasts
  • Patreon
  • Discord
  • Mastodon
  • TikTok
  • Parler
facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet
lunar lander NASA neil armstrong Science space

Related Posts

Liftoff! NASA’s Artemis I Mega Rocket Launches Orion to Moon

November 16, 2022

FBI Files: Scientists and Medical Professionals

October 27, 2022

Dr. David Spergel and his UFO paper written prior to becoming NASA’s UAP Study Chairperson

October 25, 2022

Comments are closed.

Shop
  • The Black Vault UFO Design #1 $17.99 – $21.99
Search The Black Vault
Subscribe to the Mailing List




Help Make This Site Possible

Can you help support The Black Vault?

For as little as $1 a month, you not only help this site IMMENSELY, but you get some exclusive stuff in the process!

Become a Patron!


Or, a One Time Donation option is also available:
FOIA Document Categories
  • Government
    • Congressional & Senatorial Correspondence
    • Controversies
    • Elections
    • Government Accountability & I.G. Reports
    • Government Employee Manuals / Orientation
    • Politician Public Financial Disclosure Statements
    • TV Show Complaints
    • U.S. Financial Information
  • History
    • Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Collection
    • Department of Defense Collection
    • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Collection
    • J.F.K. Era
    • National Security Agency (NSA) Collection
    • Office of Technology Assessment Collection
    • Richard Helms Collection
  • Intelligence
    • Cryptology
    • FBI Files / Domestic & Foreign Intelligence
    • Field Manuals
    • Freedom of Information Act / Research Tools
    • Spy Satellites and the NRO
  • Military / Defense
    • Advanced "For Its Time" Technology
    • Aircraft / Air Force History
      • Bombers
      • Cargo
      • E"X"perimental
      • Fighters
      • Foreign
      • Reconnaissance
      • Spy Planes
      • Stealth
      • Unconfirmed
    • Biological / Chemical Weapons
    • Defense Issues
    • Military and Commercial Accidents
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Psychological Operations
    • Terrorism
      • Assassination Attempts
      • September 11th, 2001
    • Weapons
  • Science
    • Disease and Human Health
    • Environmental Issues
    • Space
    • Weather / Weather Modification
  • The Fringe
    • Cloning
    • Mind Control
    • New World Order
    • Parapsychology
    • Remote Viewing
    • UFO Phenomena
  • Uncategorized
  • Wartime
    • Afghanistan War
    • Cold War Era
    • Iraq Wars
    • Vietnam Era
    • World War I
    • World War II
The Black Vault Radio
bvr

  • Ep. #116 – Alejandro Rojas on the Current UFO Conversation; The Science of UFOs; UAP Data; UFO Congress; and More (10/08/22)
  • Ep. #115 – The CIA, UFOs and “Material” (9/30/22)
  • Ep. #114 – Bruce Fenton on Interstellar Objects and Technosignatures (9/22/22)
  • Ep. #113 – DoD Refuses To Release Key Documents On UFO Office; Cites National Security Interest (9/22/22)
  • Ep. #112 – U.S. Navy Says ALL UAP/UFO Videos Are Classified And Exempt From Release (9/18/22)
  • Ep. #111 – Is UFO Secrecy Deepening? Here’s why I say yes… (9/17/22)
  • Ep. #110 – Chris Rutkowski on Canada’s UFOs, Government UFO Consultation and Nearly Five Decades of Research (9/7/22)
  • Ep. #109 – The Reaction to My Deep Dive Into Luis Elizondo’s IG Complaint (8/30/22)
  • Ep. #108 – Deep Dive into Luis Elizondo’s DoD Inspector General Complaint (8/26/22)
  • Ep. #107 – The “Hottel Memo” Finally Revealed IN FULL – So What’s it Say?! (8/9/22)
  • Ep. #106 – Grant Lavac on the UFO/UAP Issue in Australia (7/23/22)
  • Ep. #105 – Exploring the DoD’s NEW “All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office” (7/20/22)
  • Ep. #104 – Randall Nickerson on the Ariel Phenomenon (6/10/22)
  • Ep. #103 – The UAP Hearing: Highlights & Commentary – May 25, 2022 (5/25/22)
  • Ep. #102 – Congressional Hearing on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) – May 17, 2022 (5/18/22)
  • Ep. #101 – Congressional Hearing on UFOs - Some Thoughts Before It All Goes Down (5/16/22)
  • MORE EPISODES

Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok Discord
© 2023 The Black Vault, Inc.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.