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215

Apollo and Early Shuttle Code Plugs

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:6,000.00 - 7,000.00 USD
Apollo and Early Shuttle Code Plugs

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Auction Date:2012 May 23 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:5 Rt 101A Suite 5, Amherst, New Hampshire, 03031, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Extremely critical Apollo/Saturn and early Space Shuttle Range Safety equipment, used by NASA on all the Apollo/Saturn flights as well as the first six space shuttle flights. This analog system was used in the case of a launch emergency necessitating the destruction of the spacecraft in the event of a major malfunction. Items included are: SRS Decoder Breakout Box Assembly,10 x 7 x 7, with the NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center label affixed to the front.

The Secure Range Safety Decoder, 7.25 x 3 x 4, manufactured by Avco Corporation. The Secure Range Safety Command Decoder receives a sequence of tones that are decoded according the wiring of a code plug to initiate vehicle destruction in the case of emergency. The coded sequence is Top Secret prior to launch. The input to the Command Decoder is received from the Secure Range Safety Command Receiver.

The Digital Command Receiver, 5.5 x 3.5 x 3.5, with its NASA George C. Marshall Space Flight Center label affixed to the top. The Secure Range Safety Command Receiver, was designed to receive a sequence of tones that are used to destruct the vehicle in the case of emergency. The output of the Command Receiver is fed into the Secure Range Safety Command Decoder which looks for the proper sequence of tones.

The In Line DRSCS A/B Breakout Box. This Digital Range Safety Command System box measures 11 x 7 x 2.5, with multiple connections, including one labeled “Destruct 2.” Box retains its original manufacturer’s label, as well as an additional modification label.

Six very important, and formerly classified, handmade plugs, three gold (flight) and three red, two marked for shuttle, (test). These plugs are handmade with real gold.

The Marshall Space Flight Center SRS Decoder Log Book.

Equipment is also accompanied by several operational and informational manuals. One is the Avco instructional manual for the decoder, which states the purpose of the equipment to “provide the means for a Range Safety Officer or other ground based operator to command the vehicle control system to perform certain thrust termination or mission abort functions with a high degree of security (protection) against unfriendly intentional interrogation (or unintentional false alarms).” Other manuals include titles such as “Command Destruct System Space Transportation System”; “Apollo/Saturn V Range Safety Checkout System”; “Eastern and Western Range 127-1 Range Safety Requirements”; as well as manuals for the SRS Command Test Coder, Digital Range Safety Checkout Equipment, and Handbook for Motorola Range Safety Receiver. In fine overall condition. A very rare opportunity to acquire a formerly classified piece of important, and fortunately unused, NASA equipment.
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