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Author
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Topic: Photo of the week 603 (May 14, 2016)
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heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 05-14-2016 02:59 AM
   
 Astronaut Bruce McCandless, Skylab 2 back-up pilot, made this photo of the Skylab 1 space station lifting off aboard a Saturn 5 rocket from Complex 39A, 43 years ago today. Also shown about 1,5 miles away on Pad 39B is the Saturn-1B rocket that would launch the first crew to Skylab. McCandless used a 500 mm lens, shooting from a distance of more than 6,000 yards. |
Ian Limbrey
Member Posts: 124
From: England
Registered: Nov 2012
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posted 05-14-2016 03:41 AM
Another fantastic photo with two Saturns in the frame! |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 05-14-2016 06:57 AM
Any idea of the distance between both launch pads... 1.5 kilometers? |
capoetc
Member Posts: 2169
From: McKinney TX (USA)
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted 05-14-2016 07:52 AM
It's around 2,000 yards between 39A and 39B, or 1.8 km. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-14-2016 08:53 AM
The HAER document on Launch Complex 39 mentions this:
There are very few physical differences between LC-39A and LC-39B. The major difference between the two complexes is that LC-39B sits 7' higher above mean sea level than LC-39A. |
Jurg Bolli
Member Posts: 977
From: Albuquerque, NM
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 05-14-2016 09:42 AM
Very nice. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-14-2016 10:46 AM
I guess the launches from pad B got a head start. |
gareth89
Member Posts: 298
From: Ireland
Registered: May 2014
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posted 05-14-2016 11:55 AM
Awesome shot! Is there anywhere online that I could get a high res version of it? |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-14-2016 11:56 AM
nasa.gov has the distance between the pads at 8,715 feet or 2.66 km. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2476
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 05-14-2016 02:23 PM
Amazing, Skylab was so cool with the reuse of existing hardware! |
alanh_7
Member Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 05-14-2016 06:06 PM
I was fortunate to have been at the ASF one year when 8 of the 9 Skylab crew were there. What a great bunch. I still believe Skylab was the most under appreciated manned program NASA has ever operated. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-15-2016 08:37 AM
73-HC-410 is not a launch photo, but it shows both Saturns on the pad, neither one hidden by the MSS. Was the MSS ever at Skylab 1 on Pad A? |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 05-15-2016 12:34 PM
Maybe this will help clear up the discrepancy in the distance between launch pads 39A and B?If we count the stated measurement between flame trenches as 8,715 feet, that would make the distance between the pad perimeter fences at their closest point about 6,075 feet.
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LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-15-2016 06:35 PM
That seems to work since 6,075 feet is 1.85 km, and capoetc had 1.8 km. |
ff27tls
Member Posts: 23
From: Brecksville
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 05-15-2016 10:57 PM
Nice photo. |
mach3valkyrie
Member Posts: 719
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 05-15-2016 11:34 PM
Great shot, the last Saturn V to fly. Did not know that Bruce McCandless was the photographer. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3387
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 05-16-2016 12:26 AM
quote:
Originally posted by LM-12:
Was the MSS ever at Skylab 1 on Pad A?
I don't think so. |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 05-16-2016 06:39 AM
Another beauty Ed. Thank you. I wish these babies were still flying. But SLS and the new private initiatives are exciting too. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 05-16-2016 10:11 AM
I have never seen a photo of the MSS at Skylab 1, but the press kit has this on page 29: The MSS was used to inspect the second stage insulation of the Saturn V during the CDDT and then moved from Pad A to Pad B to support the SL-2 launch. The Skylab 1 CDDT was on May 2. Photo 73-HC-410 is dated May 4. So the photo would seem to show the MSS moving from one pad to the other. |
sev8n
Member Posts: 234
From: Dallas TX USA
Registered: Jul 2012
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posted 06-05-2016 07:15 PM
quote:
Originally posted by gareth89:
Is there anywhere online that I could get a high res version of it?
A larger version here.An image taken from a slightly different viewpoint at almost the same instant here. A pre-launch photo taken from the other side here. |
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