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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 24 (August 21, 2005)
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heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 08-21-2005 10:43 AM
   
 August 15, 1980: the solid rocket boosters that will help launch STS-1 are rolled out of the Vehicle Assembly Building, mounted on the Mobile Launcher Platform. The crawler-transporter carried its 9.63 million pound load 125 meters out of the VAB. The move was part of a test to see how much the 700-ton boosters would flex under the cold-induced contraction of the external tank filled with its load of supercold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants. The broad stiffener beam connected the solids at the forward ET attach points. The two hydraulic beams at the aft attach point induced bending motions, which were measured by scanners located at various points along the boosters. |
nojnj
Member Posts: 503
From: Highland Heights, KY
Registered: Feb 2003
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posted 08-21-2005 01:44 PM
Another fantastic photo! I really enjoy these "behind the scene" photos. thanks again for sharing! |
trajan
Member Posts: 109
From: Chester, Cheshire, UK
Registered: May 2004
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posted 08-21-2005 04:01 PM
I agree with Evan.Ed, I really look forward to these photos and salute your ingenuity! |
John Youskauskas
Member Posts: 126
From:
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 08-21-2005 04:33 PM
I thought it might have been one of those "secret" DOD flights that no one was supposed to see. |
Scott
Member Posts: 3307
From: Houston, TX
Registered: May 2001
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posted 08-21-2005 04:37 PM
I wonder how high and how fast one of those things would go if they were lauched all by themselves (with stabilization)! |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2121
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 08-21-2005 05:51 PM
Another great post Ed,Didn't this happen again within the past year or two? |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2121
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 08-21-2005 06:08 PM
In reply to my own post above, after a bit of searching I finally found the pics on the KSC site. There are a few images more either side of that id number, it was for vibration tests on the crawler and MLP. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 08-22-2005 12:10 AM
You are right, Adam, I had forgotten about that. Also I believe after the Challenger accident the SRBs for STS-61G were rolled over to another VAB high bay.The significance of the above photo for me was that I was eagerly awaiting STS-1 rollout, because I was planning to go see the launch and rollout meant that it wouldn't be long now... |
Cliff Lentz
Member Posts: 655
From: Philadelphia, PA USA
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 08-22-2005 10:05 AM
Ed, I was on my honeymoon three weeks later and saw a similar sight. It was the first time I had been to Cape with my new wife and the first time that I was not allowed in the VAB. The tour guide said that this would be SOP because of the unstableness of the solid rocket boosters. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 08-23-2005 12:15 AM
Those were the days, right Cliff? |
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