The Lunar Module Simulator: A Personal Account of Being an Instructor

Article

“The Lunar Module Simulator: A Personal Account of Being an Instructor” by A. A. Jackson
Published in Quest Volume: 33 #1 (2026)

Abstract

The author was a member of the Flight Crew Training Division at the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas, from January 1966 to September 1970. He worked in the simulator crew training branch. After initial assignments to the Gemini flight simulator and work on a fixed base simulator for the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle, he became the prime instructor for the Abort Guidance System on the Lunar Landing mission training simulator (LMS). Described are the factors needed for high-fidelity training crew stations, especially in the area of controls and displays; accurate simulation of the spacecraft systems, including the guidance computer and navigation system; complete visual display systems for simulated out-the-window scenes. An account is given of the author’s experience with the installation and experience as an instructor on LMS. Some narrative of what the simulator did and instructor interaction with the Apollo LM crews is presented. The author includes some personal observations and a few anecdotes about Apollo crew training in this simulator.

Citation

Jackson, A. A. “The Lunar Module Simulator: A Personal Account of Being an Instructor.” Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly 33, no. 1 (2026): 27-35.