Word: sec
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...certain that they are operating properly and that the duplicate and backup systems are in working order. On their second revolution around the earth, if no problems have arisen, the Apollo crew will reignite the S-4B rocket engine over the Pacific near Hawaii. In a 5-min. 11-sec. burning period, the S-4B will accelerate to an "escape" velocity of 24,200 m.p.h., pushing Apollo out of earth orbit and off toward the moon...
...systems and equipment convinces ground controllers and the astronauts that serious problems have developed, the crew will merely continue in this new course and travel back to earth. But if everything seems all right, Apollo's powerful SPS (service propulsion system) engine will be fired for 246 sec. to slow the spacecraft and allow it to be pulled by the moon into a 70-by 196-mile elliptical lunar orbit. Two revolutions later, a brief 10-sec. burn will change the path to a 70-mi.-high circular orbit. Traveling at 3,640 m.p.h., Apollo will circle the moon...
...tenth lunar revolution, the Apollo crew will fire the SPS engine again-this time for 206 sec. -boosting their speed to 6,060 m.p.h., more than enough to break the moon's gravitational hold and start the spacecraft back toward the earth. About 57 hours later, accelerating under the pull of terrestrial gravity, the astronauts will position their craft properly and then jettison the service module. Streaking into the earth's atmosphere at an angle of 6.5° and a velocity of 24,765 m.p.h., the 11,700-lb. command module-all that will remain...
There are other moon flight worries, most of them centered around the functioning of the Apollo command module's SPS engine. Should the SPS fail to ignite, or should it burn for less than 80 sec. during the attempt to place Apollo in lunar orbit, there would be little difficulty; the spacecraft would simply continue around the moon and be whipped back toward the earth and safety. But if the SPS should fail between the 80-and 110-sec. marks of its scheduled 246-sec. burn, Apollo would enter what NASA euphemistically describes as an "unstable orbit." After rounding...
According to the SEC, the bad news was reported to 15 mutual funds and other big institutional customers as early as June 20 - four days before Douglas an nounced its troubles. During that period Douglas stock dropped from $90½ a share to $69; the investment companies liquidated or sold short their holdings, thus saving or earning a total of $4,500,000. Merrill Lynch was paid for its early-warning services, contended the SEC, by the commissions it collected on the institutional trading. And even as the big organizations were dumping Douglas, Merrill Lynch continued to buy the stock...