Prelaunch checklist (Standard)

When it's possible, the original Apollo documentation is used for the checklists. Steps, which are not possible at the moment, are denoted in grey. Additionally there are checklists in Word file format in the Doc\Project Apollo - NASSP\Check List directory of your installation. Procedural steps in this section are presented in tabular form and in sequence they occure during the mission. The following is a detailed explanation of the columnar data presented in the tabulated lists:

Apollo 15 launch checklistA15_LAUNCH_CHECK

Time	This column contains the mission time the procedure is to be done. Sometimes there's no fixed time when to do a procedure, in that case the time is left out.
Procedure	The procedure is a group of steps or overall tasks involved in performing a complete function or operation. It often consists of controls the astronauts have to toggle or display readings that have to be checked. See CSM panels for more informations.
Panel	The panel number of a particular switch or display for easier panel navigation.
Remarks	Any useful comment. Please notice especially differences to the original function, bugs or other issues.

Spacecraft systems activation

In Project Apollo - NASSP the Saturn prelaunch checklist starts at 3 hours before launch with the backup crew in the spacecraft. At first some of the spacecraft's systems have to be activated.

Time	Procedure	Panel	Remarks
-03:00:00	C/W system activation     C/W POWER - 1 (up)   MASTER ALARM pb/lt (3) - on,   push	2	{{ #if: |The CMC and suit compressor alarms are normal. |The suit compressor alarm is normal. }}
	CMC power up     cb G/N COMPUTER MNA - close cb G/N COMPUTER MNB - close   {{ #if: |CMC lt - out | }}	5	Activation of the command module computer.

{{ #if: |

V37E 00E   P00   If prog alarm, check if alarm code 1520 "V37 request not permitted at this time" by V05N09E, then RSET and retry V37E 00E   V35E   F 88 88 V37E 00E   V16 N65E   16 65 V37E 00E

2

Run program P00 This can happen every V37 request. Light test Shows time since power-up, check time synchronization with Orbiter.

|

Wait until DSKY light test complete   STBY lt - on PRO   STBY lt - out Key N00E   P00   NO ATT lt - on Key V34E Key V16 N33E

2

Light test isn't historically correct. Run program 0, the AGC idling program. IMU is not turned on. Show launch countdown (not historically correct).

}}

IMU power up   cb G/N IMU HTR MNA - close cb G/N IMU HTR MNB - close cb G/N IMU MNA - close cb G/N IMU MNB - close     {{ #if: |NO ATT lt - on (90 sec) |NO ATT lt - off }}   {{ #if: |NO ATT lt - off | }}

5         2

Activation of the inertial measurement unit.

Backup crew prelaunch checks

C&WS status check

With the first procedure the caution and warning system is checkedAOH2.

Glycol loop checks

Next the primary and secondary water-glycol coolant loops are checked and the primary water-glycol coolant loop is activated. The grey lines indicate displays or controls which are not available at the moment, please ignore these steps.

Standby inverter checks

Time	Procedure	Panel	Remarks
	C/W NORM - BOOST	2	This is not mentioned in the Apollo Operations HandbookAOH2, but otherwise the C/W lights during the inverter check won't work.

Panels checks

Next some checks regarding the panel displays and controls have to be done and a few but very important devices have to be turned on. We begin at panel 325, which is to the left of the left side panel.

Time	Procedure	Panel	Remarks
	PRIM GLY TO RAD vlv - NORM	325
	AUTO RCS (16) - OFF SECS LOGIC (both) - OFF SECS PYRO ARM (2) - SAFE cb pnl 8 - all closed except   cb CM RCS HTRS (both) - open   cb FLOAT BAGS (all) - open   cb SECS LOGIC (2) - open   cb SECS ARM (2) - open	8
	EDS PWR - OFF TVC SERVO PWR (both) - OFF FDAI/GPI POWER - BOTH LOGIC 2/3 PWR - on (up) ELEC PWR - GDC/ECA SIG CONDR/DR BIAS PWR (both) - AC1 or AC2 BMAG PWR (both) - WARMUP	7	Turn on both FDAIs. Turn on GDC and ECA. Powers RJ/EC. Switches should not be set on same bus.
	CMC ATT - IMU ACCEL - check (+1 G) FDAI SCALE - 5/1 FDAI SEL - 1/2 FDAI SOURCE - CMC ATT SET - GDC MAN ATT ROLL - RATE CMD MAN ATT PITCH - ACCEL CMD MAN ATT YAW - RATE CMD LIM CYCLE - OFF ATT DBD - MIN RATE - HI THC PWR - on (up) RHC PWR NORM (both) - AC/DC RHC PWR DIR (both) - OFF   SC CONT - SCS CMC MODE - FREE BMAG MODE (3) - RATE 2 ATT SET TW (3) - R 162°, P 90°, Y 0°   ELS LOGIC - OFF ELS AUTO - AUTO CM RCS LOGIC - OFF CM PRPLNT DUMP - OFF CM PRPLNT PURG - off (down) IMU CAGE - off (down)   α/Pc IND sw - α α/Pc ind - zero LV IND/GPI sw - GPI EVNT TMR START - ctr EVNT TMR RSET - up (ctr)	1	Activate Trans. Contr. Pwr. Activate Rot. Contr. Pwr. These are the nominal values for a 72° launch azimuth. Guarded. Guarded. Guarded. Guarded. Switch to α. Event timer not counting. Timer resets and starts automatically when lift-off occurs.
	SUIT CAB ΔP ind - > + 2.0 inH2O O2 FLOW ind - 0.4 ± 0.1 lb/hr   PROBE EXTD/REL tb (2) - gray PROBE (3) - OFF   RCS status check   SM RCS He 1 tb (4) - bp   SM RCS He 2 tb (4) - bp   SM RCS PRIM PRPLNT tb (4) - bp   SM RCS SEC PRPLNT tb (4) - bp   EDS AUTO - OFF CSM/LM FNL SEP (both) - off (down) CM/SM SEP (2) - off (down) SIVB/LM SEP - off (down) PRPLNT DUMP - AUTO 2 ENG OUT sw - AUTO LV RATES sw - AUTO TWR JETT (both) - AUTO LV GUID sw - IU LV STAGE - OFF XLUNAR INJECT - INJECT MN REL - off (down)	2	Gray indicates probe fully extended or retracted. Barber pole indicates valves are closed. Guarded. Guarded. Guarded. Guarded. Guarded. Guarded. Guarded.
	FC 1 PUMPS - AC1 FC 2 & 3 PUMPS - AC2 MN BUS TIE (2) - OFF BAT CHGR - AC1 cb pnl 5 - all closed	5
	GLY PUMPS - 1 AC1 SUIT COMPR (both) - OFF cb pnl 4 - all closed	4

Prelaunch alignment

Now the prelaunch programs of the CMC are started, the DSKY is used for that. During prelaunch the IMU platform, also called stable member (SM), is aligned to launch position.

IMU prelaunch alignmentTrainingGN

{{ #if:

|

Time	Procedure	Panel	Remarks
	Start program P01   Key V37E 01E NO ATT lt - on   Course align IMU   NO ATT lt - off   Change to P02	2	After starting P01 "Prelaunch or service initialization program" the IMU changes to course align mode and drives the stable member to prelaunch position. Then it changes automatically to P02 "Prelaunch or service gyro compassing program". Because the AGC commands during P02 are very small you can't see them at the FDAI, but you can monitor the IMU gimbal angles with V16 N20E.
	Optional check/change of launch azimuth   Key V78E   F 06 29 R1: Launch azimuth   To proceed press PRO, to change: Key V21E   F 21 29 Key +XXXXXE   F 06 29 Key PRO   Pulse gyros...		The AGC did a prelaunch alignment for the launch azimuth as it is stored in the scenario. If you like, you can check or change it. This is done with verb 78, the DSKY shows the present launch azimuth. Press PRO to continue without changing, with verb 21 you could "load component 1 into R1" and change the launch azimuth in the format +XXX.XX°. Press PRO to confirm the new setting. Press CLR to clear a wrong input.
	... to new launch position.		After pressing PRO the AGC changes the attitude of the stable member with gyro pulses to the new launch azimuth.

|

Time	Procedure	Panel	Remarks
	Start program P01   Key V37 N01E   NO ATT lt - on   NO ATT lt - off	2	Start P01 "Prelaunch or service initialization program".
	Change to P02   F 06 29 PRO		Verb 06, noun 29 shows the desired launch azimuth in format XXX.XX°, press PRO to confirm.
	F 06 44 PRO		Noun 44 shows shows in R1 the desired apoapsis and in R2 the periapsis altitude, both in format XXXX.X m, press PRO to confirm.
	F 06 33 Key V16E   16 33		Noun 33 shows time to lift-off, hours in R1, minutes in R2 and seconds in R3. Verb 16 monitors the countdown, that means the DSKY updates the time every 2 seconds. (not historically correct)

}} The computer and the IMU are running and ready for launch.

Prime Crew Ingress/Cabin Closeout

Now the spacecraft is ready for prime crew ingress and cabin closeout. In real Apollo prime crew ingress began at T-02:40:00 and ends with closing the hatch at T-01:40:00. In between the prime crew did a lot of checks similar to the backup crew checks above.

In Project Apollo - NASSP as a simplification both events happen simultaneously and take place at T-01:40:00, the prime crew checks are left out. If you use time acceleration the simulation slows down automatically at that time and some audio of the prelaunch is played. Please make sure that you do the following steps directly or shortly after T-01:40:00.

Time	Procedure	Panel	Remarks
-01:40:00	Prime crew ingress and cabin closeout   C/W NORM - NORM DIRECT O2 vlv - OPEN, adj for   O2 FLOW ind - 0.6-0.8 lb/hr SUIT COMPR 1 - AC1   SUIT COMPR lt - out   SUIT COMPR ΔP 0.7-0.9 psi       SUIT CAB ΔP ind - > +2.0 inH2O   SUIT H2O ACCUM AUTO - 1 Verify P02	2 7 2 4 2	After about 10 minutes.

Final verification & system checks

Now the prime crew continues with the final system checks before launch. At the beginning the BMAGs (Body Mounted Attitude Gyro) are turned on, the FDAIs and the GDC (Gyro Display Coupler) are checked and the GDC is aligned to the reference attitude for a typical launch azimuth.

G&C verification

The CSM has 2 independent devices, which provide an inertial attitude reference, the IMU and the GDC by using the BMAGs. The IMU was aligned by P01/P02, now the GDC is aligned. The FDAI and ASCP articles explain the displays and controls, which are used for that. The GDC ALIGN pushbutton stores the attitude currently set in the ASCP in the GDC, so with that you can change the GDC attitude manually and this is done in the following.

Main bus activation

Now the main bus supply is configured for flight. During prelaunch and up to now the main bus power is supplied by the GSE (Ground Support Equipment), only Fuel Cell 2 is connected with Main Bus A. GSE is disconnected at T-15 min, so we have to power both buses with the fuel cells before that.

Time	Procedure	Panel	Remarks
	Main bus activation   FC MNA 1 & 2 - up, 3 - OFF   FC MNA 1 & 2 tb - gray, 3 tb - bp FC MNB 1 & 2 - OFF, 3 - up   FC MNB 1 & 2 tb - bp, 3 tb - gray	3	Up position is momentary. Up position is momentary.

FDAI verification

Next the FDAIs are set in flight configuration, the GDC attitude is aligned to the IMU attitude.

Pad abort enable

Now the pyros and sequential systems are armed.

SM RCS activation

Last the SM RCS is activated, please note that most of the RCS displays and controls are not working yet.

Time	Procedure	Panel	Remarks
-00:25:00	SM RCS activation   SM RCS HELIUM 1 (4) - OPEN   SM RCS HELIUM 1 tb (4) - gray SM RCS HELIUM 2 (4) - OPEN   SM RCS HELIUM 2 tb (4) - gray   SM RCS PROPELLANT (4) - OPEN   SM RCS PRIM PRPLNT tb (4) - gray   SM RCS SEC PRPLNT tb (4) - gray	2

Launch preparation

These are the last checklist actions before lift-off. {{ #if: | |

Attention

Please note that all DSKY interaction mentioned in the original documentation cannot be used in Standard mode with the Simple AGC.

}}

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1. References

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