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  A question to Jackass Flats nuclear test covers

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Author Topic:   A question to Jackass Flats nuclear test covers
11Boron12
Member

Posts: 79
From: Mannheim, Germany
Registered: Nov 2014

posted 01-03-2015 10:22 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for 11Boron12   Click Here to Email 11Boron12     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
1972 I send two covers to Jackass Flats for an Apollo launch. I got back these two covers? Has NASA anything to do with nuclear tests?

yeknom-ecaps
Member

Posts: 660
From: Northville MI USA
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 01-03-2015 06:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for yeknom-ecaps   Click Here to Email yeknom-ecaps     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
NERVA testing was done at Jackass Flats.

NERVA is an acronym for Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application, a U.S. nuclear thermal rocket engine development program that ran for roughly two decades. NERVA was a joint effort of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and NASA, managed by the Space Nuclear Propulsion Office (SNPO) until both the program and the office ended at the end of 1972.

Jackass Flats cancelled covers for the Apollo missions as a NASA facility but I am not aware of anything there being related to the Apollo program.

Ken Havekotte
Member

Posts: 2913
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 01-03-2015 08:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ken Havekotte   Click Here to Email Ken Havekotte     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Originally a tracking station site in Nevada, Area 25 of the U.S. Jackass Flats nuclear test site did in fact support joint projects of both the AEC and NASA, of which, there were some Apollo ties.

The space agency always had a major interest in the Jackass Flats nuclear test site throughout the 1950/60s.

It was here, long before Apollo got into full motion, that nuclear rocket technology specialists — both within NASA, the AEC, and other related organizations — were considering using Jackass Flats as a nuclear propulsion test site for possible rocket voyages to the moon, Mars, and beyond!

NASA did perform dozens of full-power test firings of nuclear-related propulsion engines at the Nevada desert site during the 1960s.

While most of the tests, though, were not directly Apollo related, it should be noted that early on research work did apply to preliminary Saturn C-2 studies that would involve a nuclear propelled 3rd rocket stage.

In addition, there were other test studies of Apollo applications conducted here, including the RTG nuclear power generated devices. The power generators for ALSEP were set up on the lunar surface by Apollo astronauts from 1969-72.

yeknom-ecaps
Member

Posts: 660
From: Northville MI USA
Registered: Aug 2005

posted 01-03-2015 09:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for yeknom-ecaps   Click Here to Email yeknom-ecaps     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ken - thanks for the information!

11Boron12
Member

Posts: 79
From: Mannheim, Germany
Registered: Nov 2014

posted 01-04-2015 04:09 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for 11Boron12   Click Here to Email 11Boron12     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you for the information. This project on the cover EP1A has something to do with a NASA project?

Ken Havekotte
Member

Posts: 2913
From: Merritt Island, Florida, Brevard
Registered: Mar 2001

posted 01-04-2015 05:24 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Ken Havekotte   Click Here to Email Ken Havekotte     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Not quite sure, but I think EP1A involves a nuclear test program of long-term atomic waste underground storage research studies, and not NASA related.

11Boron12
Member

Posts: 79
From: Mannheim, Germany
Registered: Nov 2014

posted 01-06-2015 12:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for 11Boron12   Click Here to Email 11Boron12     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Just went through my Jackass Flats covers (all stored away 30 years ago) and found the answer myself.

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