Mobile quarantine facility
Introduction The crew of Apollo 11 in quarantine after returning to Earth in July 1969, visited by President Nixon.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.
History 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.File:Apollo 11 Mobile Quarantine Facility unloaded from C-141.jpg|The Apollo 11 mobile quarantine facility, with the crew on board, is unloaded from a C-141 aircraft.File:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility 1.jpg|MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility on display at the Huntsville Space museum.File:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility Electricity panel.jpg|MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility Electricity panelFile:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility inside folding table 2.jpg|MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility with inside folding tableFile:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility front door seals.jpg|MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility front door sealsFile:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility sink and 6 bunk area 1.jpg| MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility sink and 6 bunk area.File:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility Radar range microwave oven Fridge.jpg|MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility kitchen Radar range microwave oven FridgeFile:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility drivers side bathroom sink close up.jpg|MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility bathroom sink.File:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility rear window bathroom tub and shower.jpg|MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility rear bathroom tub and showerFile:MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility kitchen exhaust vent and electrical connections 1.jpg|MQF002 Apollo mobile quarantine facility kitchen exhaust vent and electrical connectionsFile:Apollo mobile quarantine facility rear generator and transformers 1.jpg|Apollo mobile quarantine facility rear generator and transformersFour MQFs were built for NASA: Mission Designation DispositionApollo 11MQF003Formerly on display at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Currently on display at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.Apollo 12MQF002Converted for various purposes and found near Marion, Alabama. Currently on display at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.Apollo 13MQF001Not used for the crew because they did not land on the Moon. For some time the USDA used it. Its present disposition is unknown.Apollo 14MQF004On display at the USS ''Hornet'' Museum in Alameda, California.The quarantine requirement was eliminated following Apollo 14 once it was proven the Moon was sterile and that the facilities were therefore unnecessary.
See also * Crew transport vehicle
References
External links *  Film footage of President Richard Nixon speaking with the Apollo 11 astronauts in their mobile quarantine facility on the USS Hornet*  NASA.gov