Has anyone built a replica DSKY from the Apollo Guidance Computer? >>

lmgill said:

Yes, this is just the "raw" etched panel. Needs to be cut out and get the surface finished. (Red is resist)

Click to expand...

I can't see the picture any more, but wonderful work. What sort of electronics did you have in mind for it?

Any further traction with this?

^ Anything?

tap364 said:

There is an addon for the Orbiter simulator that lets you fly the Apollo missions to the moon. Most of the panels are functional, some of the internal systems, as well as the original guidance software running on an AGC emulator with a DSKY interface. It has a steep learning curve, but is well worth the effort.


Link to Orbiter:
http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/

Link to Project Apollo:
http://nassp.sourceforge.net/wiki/Main_Page

Click to expand...

There's also a page for a Virtual AGC:

http://www.ibiblio.org/apollo/

tim said:

I was re-watching Apollo 13 last night and thought that this might be a cool movie (and historical) replica. A quick form search found no prior discussions.

Click to expand...

There's a supposed step-by-step PDF list attached to this article:

http://www.galaxiki.org/web/main/_b...nasa-apollo-landing-computer-no-kidding.shtml

*sigh* I really need to fix my mini mill.

I was actually just thinking of building a non-working replica DSKY. I'm glad I found this thread.

I live very close to the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, and I believe they should still have a DSKY on display. I'll try to stop by there soon and take some reference photos. I'll upload them here when I do.

I think I'm going to try fabbing most of the parts out of styrene. I'll let you know how it goes.

^ Please keep us posted!

Here are some photos I took of the DSKY from Apollo 12. I was kind of limited because the unit was behind glass, but I tried to get as many angles as possible.

Click on the links under each photo for super high resolution versions.


Hi Res Version: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/e/5/dsky_1_by_rymomymo-d4nrrop.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/6/d/dsky_2_by_rymomymo-d4nrryb.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/8/a/dsky_3_by_rymomymo-d4nrs2a.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/b/a/dsky_4_by_rymomymo-d4nrsi6.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/e/f/dsky_5_by_rymomymo-d4nrsls.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/3/6/dsky_6_by_rymomymo-d4nrsqs.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/d/a/dsky_7_by_rymomymo-d4nrswi.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/9/e/dsky_8_by_rymomymo-d4nrszg.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/6/b/dsky_9_by_rymomymo-d4nrt3j.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/2/4/dsky_10_by_rymomymo-d4nrt79.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/5/a/dsky_11_by_rymomymo-d4nrtdx.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/3/7/dsky_12_by_rymomymo-d4nrty7.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/f/3/dsky_13_by_rymomymo-d4nru2e.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/a/c/dsky_14_by_rymomymo-d4nru7k.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/0/c/dsky_15_by_rymomymo-d4nruck.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/1/d/dsky_16_by_rymomymo-d4nruh1.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/b/0/dsky_17_by_rymomymo-d4nrukk.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/d/2/dsky_18_by_rymomymo-d4nrunz.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/6/3/dsky_19_by_rymomymo-d4nruqy.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/027/2/c/dsky_20_by_rymomymo-d4nrutr.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/3/2/dsky_21_by_rymomymo-d4nruwr.jpg


Hi Res Version: http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2012/027/7/1/dsky_22_by_rymomymo-d4nruzo.jpg

I guess the next step is figuring out dimensions.

Great photos!

Thanks!

Rymo said:

I guess the next step is figuring out dimensions.

Click to expand...

As stated before, I had one in my possession for a week and made artwork of the front, and will provide exact copies in metal of the buttons and faceplate in trade for someone doing the electronics. There is a web site with instructions on how to build a working one with original components, but I'd be happy with a modern component replica with simulation capability.

I'm planning on starting my own AGC replica in the coming months as well. I was up in the bay area a while back and took some pictures of the one they have at the Computer History Museum. I wonder if it would be possible to request some time with it to document dimensions. Anyone here have them? I'm planning on getting the electronics back end right, I'm just not that great with the physical props part..

I am building one. I joined today and made a post as a new thread. This is my first "Social Project" and I am not real sure I am doing it right so here is the contents of the thread I started. Hopefully It shows up in a search and the guys in this particular post havent died or moved on....

Hey guys!,

I am making a replica DSKY as used in the LEM (Apollo 11), because its cool. I have found the DSKY dimensions which I can get off of the paper 1:1 model made by Edu-craft and sold on E-Bay. The dimensions will be extremely close, within a millimeter or two and I can get the rest of the color and functional information off the Internet. I am going to use a microcontroller, probably an Arduino, possibly an MC68HC11, to simulate an AGC. This will have working keys, working lights and a serial input and USB interface so it can be driven from a simulator of the mac or pc crowd. The parts have already been sourced and I am well versed on the electronics aspect of what it needs to do. Since a GPS module is only $25 and an accellerometer is only $12, the computer itself is less than $75, and the blinking lights and numbers are cheap, the first substantial cost is the fabrication of the circuit boards. The first board run will be $100 for enough boards to make about 10 boards. One board will be the Alarm Status Indicators, the second board will be the numerical Indicator Board, and the last board will be the Keyboard. If anybody wants to help fund the boards, I will give assembled and tested boards so a person can install them in their DSKY base unit. I will even give you the dimensions of mine - or you could buy the paper kit from Edu-Craft and install my electronics in that (search DSKY on ebay). My unit will display live GPS coordinates, live attitude coordinates for x/y/z angles, and of course a clock. I am planning on making the front panel so it will mount on a wall and be the coolest alarm clock ever. just enter the program as noun/verb, wake time, and when it comes around to that time the infamous 1202 alarm will get your attention. There will also be a contact to connect the buzzer of your choice. Since it will have a micro in it to drive the display, it can just as well play pre-recorded scripts such as program 63 the moon landing from High-Gate (initial decelleration burn) to lunar contact. I think thats the right program but my notes are at home.... If anyone wants "in" on this let me know. Contact me through this board if you want my email address or further info.

BTW: I am not building a "Real DSKY or AGC" this will be a simulator with a computer interface. It has a few local programs installed but if you want it to do serious tricks then you would need to write the software on your computer to talk to it.

Is anybody interested in this?

Sam

I see that new members are not supposed to sell stuff, and that when selling it needs to be in the junkyard. I didnt know that until reviewing my last post and saw the banner. Sorry! I will not sell stuff and I will just keep these postings as a fyi kind of thing. Sam

lmgill said:

As stated before, I had one in my possession for a week and made artwork of the front, and will provide exact copies in metal of the buttons and faceplate in trade for someone doing the electronics. There is a web site with instructions on how to build a working one with original components, but I'd be happy with a modern component replica with simulation capability.

Click to expand...

In its most basic form, the DSKY just needs the lights, 7-seg displays, and keypad, combined with a cable to connect it to the computer or microcontroller of one's choice. This way, the DSKY replica would have a minimum of internal electronics, which should keep the cost down.

Thanks! This DSKY will have a computer interface on it and a sub-processor so it can translate the key presses to data and display the data from an LGC simulator. It will also have a built in alarm clock, gps, accelerometer, and joystick interface (its easy so why not).

A quick note to say the thread is not dead. I have entered the dimensions into Autocad and have the front panel to be cut today out of 1/4 inch aluminum. The warning lamp assembly was printed on a 3d printer and I am doing lamp tests right now. The digital displays are proving to be the hardest part since you cant buy a 7 segment slanted display in a 5 digit package. The other packages are 2 and 3 digits. Single digits lined up next to each other will only fit 4 digits into the alloted space. So I am making my own on the 3d printer at the local college and will light them up with leds from behind. The buttons are done with Cherry Illuminated key switches salvaged from a Corsair keyboard. The backlight will be white. The keycaps are done by vinyl sticker artwork over styrene keycaps backlit from underneath. This will make the whole unit about 1 inch thick including the Arduino mega built into the back with the gyro and gps on cables to mount outside a vehicle. I can't drive to the Moon but I can check altitude, attitude, range, rate, velocity and geo position. Maybe I can have some pics in a week or so.

Here is a pic of the 3d printed buttons and display frames. The glass is being cut at a framing store and the main frame will be aluminum cut out of a sheet of .25 inch at the local college. "Free" takes time, but I am hoping to get the frame in the next week or so. I got myself a 3d printer so I might just make my own display modules if I can make the small openings for the digit segments properly. I might get it close and use an aluminum tape mask cut with an xacto knife for sharp edges.

123456dsky agc

123456