LT Scott Schneeweis
unregistered
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posted February 06, 2004 10:59 PM
 
Here's a mystery...recently aquired this item from our favorite online auction service...the individual who sold it to me also had available other confirmed Mercury Program artifacts from the estate of an engineer who formally was employed at the St Louis Mcdonnell Aircraft Corp plant (which built the Mercury capsules)..This item was reported as a possible piece of the escape capsule assembly. However have looked at some pad and test photos of the tower and it doesnt appear this was affiliated with Mercury. The design of the object which consists of 33 mini-thrust chambers (per sub-assembly - presumably two interlinked sub-assemblies would have been used to form a radially symetrical/round tube) does appear to be consistant with either a vectored thrust device or an effort to protect the attached lower rocket assembly/payload ect from the nozzle plumb..At any rate does anybody have any idea's what program this item may have been associated with or have photo's/references/documents which would validate that assumption..here are a couple of photo's...an interesting mystery...   [This message has been edited by collectSPACE Admin (edited February 06, 2004).] IP: Logged |
