This has been a good week for rockets. 🙂

The artist Agnieszka Pilat has begun the lighting studies for a painting of my Apollo Command Module air scrubber.

This is the assembly that held the square canisters made famous during the Apollo 13 emergency where they had to use duct tape and binder covers to adapt the square peg to the round canister hole of the Lunar Module. The lithium hydroxide in each canister absorbs CO2 from the air, which otherwise would rise to toxic levels during the mission.

And for a sense of where this project is heading: www.agnieszkapilat.com

3 responses to “Pilat Study of my Apollo Command Module CO2 Scrubber”

  1. The mechanical interlock assures that one canister is in operation as the other is replaced. Details: Apollo Command Module Environmental Control System Hardware: Carbon Dioxide and Odor Absorber, AiResearch Part 811400 (Contract NAS-9-150). A large and complex device with overall dimensions of approximately 20" x 11.5" x 11" and weighing approximately seventeen pounds, made by the AiResearch Manufacturing Company who provided the life support atmosphere equipment for the Mercury through Skylab programs. This is the assembly that held the lithium hydroxide canisters made famous during the Apollo 13 emergency. A metal ID plate affixed to the top bears the following information: "CANISTER CO2 & ODOR/ Part 811400-6-1/ Serial 56-119/ NASA 004000056119". There are numerous other part numbers and inspector stamps in various locations on the unit. The Apollo CM Environmental Control System was very complex performing numerous functions, including: air cooling and heating; humidity control; ventilation to suits and cabin; air filtration; CO2 and odor removal; and waste management functions.

    Here is what one of the canisters looks like (there is one in the A and B pod), detailApollo Command Module CO2 FilterNASA flight photo of Jack Swigert handing over a hose assembly in the CM Odyssey, signed "The temporary hose connection and apparatus that saved us! Fred Haise, Apollo 13 LMP."As jerry-rigged in the LM (square box for a round hole). Note the torn strips of duct table running at right angles and plugging the center: P.S. I had a incredible experience once training on the use of similar scrubbers with astronaut Scott Parazynski in a submarineInner Space

  2. the painting update today, in process… so cool…

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