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Sealed accommodation for returned Apollo astronauts
The
mobile quarantine facility
(
MQF
) was a converted
Airstream
trailer used by
NASA
to
quarantine
astronauts
returning from
Apollo lunar missions
for the first few days after
splashdown
. The MQF was on the aircraft carrier that picked up the capsule. Once the aircraft carrier reached port, the MQF was flown to Houston, and the crew served the remainder of the 21 days of quarantine in the
Lunar Receiving Laboratory
at the Manned Spacecraft Center. The purpose of the quarantine was to prevent the spread of any
contagions
from the Moon, though the existence of such contagions was considered unlikely. It functioned by maintaining a lower pressure inside and filtering any air vented.
[1]
History
[
edit
]
In June of 1967, NASA awarded contract to design and build the four MQF's to Melpar, Inc., of
Falls Church
, Virginia. Lawrence K. Eliason was the head project manager.
The MQF contained living and sleeping facilities as well as communications equipment which the astronauts used to converse with their families. The
Apollo 11
crew also used this equipment to speak with
President Nixon
, who personally welcomed them back to Earth in July 1969 aboard the recovery ship
USS
Hornet
after splashdown.
The trailers housed the three crew as well as a physician,
William Carpentier
, and an engineer,
John Hirasaki
, who ran the MQF and powered down the command module.
-
The Apollo 11 mobile quarantine facility, with the crew on board, is unloaded from a
C-141 aircraft
.
-
MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility on display at the Huntsville Space museum.
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MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility Electricity panel
-
MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility with inside folding table
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MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility front door seals
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MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility sink and 6 bunk area.
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MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility kitchen Radar range microwave oven Fridge
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MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility bathroom sink.
-
MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility rear bathroom tub and shower
-
MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility kitchen exhaust vent and electrical connections
-
Apollo mobile quarantine facility rear generator and transformers
Four MQFs were built for NASA:
The quarantine requirement was eliminated following Apollo 14 once it was proven the Moon was sterile and that the facilities were therefore unnecessary.
[5]
See also
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]
References
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External links
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]
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Launch vehicles
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Launch vehicle
components
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Spacecraft
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Spacecraft
components
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Space suits
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Lunar surface
equipment
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Ground support
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Ceremonial
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Related
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