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Author
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Topic: WTD: Apollo 7 launch with VAB in background
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stsmithva
Member Posts: 1933
From: Fairfax, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 01-02-2011 12:52 PM
   
I really like this image of the Apollo 7 launch - it's an aerial view so close-up that one can clearly see the VAB in the background, and even distortions caused by the heat below the Saturn IB.  Problem is, all of the copies of this image are pretty dirty - they look as if the original negative was damaged. Does anyone have a hi-res version that is clearer than the one above? On another note, does anyone know the story of how this photo came to be taken, and why such photos weren't taken for subsequent Apollo launches? |
ilbasso
Member Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006
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posted 01-02-2011 02:22 PM
Steve, one potential factor contributing to the focus is that Apollo 7 was launched from LC-34, more than twice the distance from the VAB than LC-39. If nothing else, we're looking back through much more atmosphere. You also have the telephoto compression effect. I wonder how far away the observation plane was that took this shot - it IS spectacular! |
thisisajob
Member Posts: 288
From: Houston, TX USA
Registered: Sep 2007
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posted 01-02-2011 02:34 PM
WOW!! Scan the image in and do a photoshop auto level - amazing difference!!
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42987
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 01-02-2011 02:57 PM
quote:
Originally posted by ilbasso:
I wonder how far away the observation plane was that took this shot - it IS spectacular!
The photo was taken from a C-135 aircraft using the Airborne Lightweight Optical Tracking System at an altitude of 35,000 feet. The same plane caught this in-flight shot.A Wikipedia user page offers some additional commentary: The image has some geometric distortion. Assuming its mainly from the viewing perspective one may get some data on the aircraft position. It was at an elevation of about 13.6 deg over the horizon and had a position 45 km downrange in 130 deg (SE) from the VAB. From that data the rocket in the image has already an altitude of about 2.5 km.The ALOTS camera pod of the EC-135N is known as 508 mm lens system. At a range of 45 km such an optic has a theoretical resolution limit of about 0.06 m. As the image shows, the optic only got around 0.5 m. We see the cars in the parking lots around the VAB, the staircase and part of the window grid of the launch controll building. Some of the black dots, specialy those on the top of left VAB closing collector, may be humans observing the launch. The darker tone below the VAB may be caused by a cloud shadow. A cleaner, if somewhat color muted, version of the VAB shot is available here, as scanned by JL Pickering.On edit: JL has shared an even better quality version of the photograph. | |
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