FLOWN Apollo Flight Director Attitude Indicator

On this page:   Front Face   Apollo 15 Panel   Removal Tag     ID Plate

  • This Flight Director Attitude Indicator (FDAI) flew to lunar orbit as part of the Apollo 15 Command Module.
  • NASA photo shows the artifact installed in the Apollo 15 control panel.
  • Tag indicates removal from spacecraft 112 (Apollo 15) on August 15, 1972, about one year after the flight. Needed as a spare to support Apollo missions to the Skylab space station.
  • Transferred to the Space Shuttle program on November 11, 1975 to support simulation studies at Rockwell International.
  • Sticker on the side of the case indicates the integral lighting was checked in 1982.
  • The instrument was finally retired from space program service in February 1998.
  • Exposed to the space environment for 38 minutes during a transearth space walk on the mission. (Command Module cabins were exposed to space on only 5 of the 15 manned Apollo missions: 9, 15, 16, 17, and SL-2.)

9 lbs. (4 kg)

Also see:

Apollo 15 mission:

Rotating Picture

Another Apollo FDAI with the case removed:

The Temporary Parts Removal Tag, below, was used when an item was removed from a recovered Apollo spacecraft. It details the part and serial numbers, the removal authorization number, the next higher assembly, and the vehicle. Inspectors stamped and dated the tag at the bottom. .

(Note the inspector stamp “NAM 289” in black ink on both the tag and on the housing in the ID plate photo below.)

This tag was heavily worn through the instrument’s many years of Space Shuttle program simulation support after the Apollo program. It has now been reinforced with a stiff archival backing.

The NASA photo above shows this FDAI mounted in the Apollo 15 control panel, after recovery of the spacecraft (see enlarged view). It is mounted on Panel 2, above the computer display. (Photo area is shown in panel illustration at right.)

Note that the adhesive remnants on the bottom of the artifact’s bezel are from the data placard which had been attached to the panel.

 © 1998-2015 Historic Space Systems at www.space1.com

[Home] [Apollo Artifacts] [Apollo 15 Panel]