Virtual Globetrotting: Space

H-II rocket

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:58:20 -0700

H-II rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kaiken
@ 2009-10-08 00:58:20

N-I rocket

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:50:37 -0700

N-I rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kaiken
@ 2009-10-08 00:50:37

Convair SM-65 Atlas Rocket

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:31:07 -0700

Convair SM-65 Atlas Rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2009-10-07 10:31:07
Atlas is a family of U.S. space launch vehicles. The original Atlas missile was designed in the late 1950s.

The SM-65 Atlas was a missile built by the Convair Division of General Dynamics. Originally designed as an ICBM in the late 1950s, Atlas was the foundation for a family of successful space launch vehicles now built by United Launch Alliance. The Atlas rocket family is today used as a launch platform for commercial and military satellites, and other space vehicles.

Flying saucer next to a barn

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:42:43 -0700

Flying saucer next to a barn
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: milwhcky
@ 2009-06-03 10:42:43
After a UFO sighting in 1987, this small town holds a celebration every October which features a parade of flying saucers.

JAXA HOPE-X spaceplane sub-scale testbed

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:15:38 -0700

JAXA HOPE-X spaceplane sub-scale testbed
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2009-04-16 09:15:38
HOPE was a Japanese experimental spaceplane project designed by a partnership between NASDA and NAL (both now part of JAXA), started in the 1980s. It was positioned for most of its lifetime as one of the main Japanese contributions to the International Space Station, the other being the Japanese Experiment Module. The project was eventually cancelled in 2003, by which point test flights of a sub-scale testbed had flown successfully.

Silent Supersonic Technology Demonstrator (S-Cube) a.k.a NEXST

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:14:01 -0700

Silent Supersonic Technology Demonstrator (S-Cube) a.k.a NEXST
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2009-04-16 09:14:01
At JAXA wind tunnel.

The NEXST is a supersonic jet being created by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. It will be designed to have a range of 12000km, carry 300 passengers, and have 75% less harmful emissions. On July 13, 2002, a .1 scale model was launched for the purpose of determining how well the supersonic boom sound is a halved at extreme speeds. The launch failed miserably though with the supporting rocket detaching immediately and crashing to ground leaving the prototype also destroyed. On October 10, 2005,the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency successfully launched another prototype and were able to acquire telemetry data.

Titan I missile on 'Confederate Air Force Pad No. 1'

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:41:43 -0800

Titan I missile on 'Confederate Air Force Pad No. 1'
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-12-09 18:41:43

Saturn 1B at Alabama I-65 welcome center

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:52:18 -0800

Saturn 1B at Alabama I-65 welcome center
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By: kjfitz
@ 2008-12-09 17:52:18

Redstone Rocket

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:47:19 -0800

Redstone Rocket
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By: kjfitz
@ 2008-12-09 17:47:19

Space Shuttle Mock-up at NASA Ames

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:39:47 -0800

Space Shuttle Mock-up at NASA Ames
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-12-09 17:39:47

Apollo 19 Lunar Module #14

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:35:58 -0800

Apollo 19 Lunar Module #14
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By: kjfitz
@ 2008-12-09 17:35:58

Rotary Rocket Roton Atmospheric Test Vehicle (ATV)

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:35:28 -0800

Rotary Rocket Roton Atmospheric Test Vehicle (ATV)
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-12-09 16:35:28
A full size, 63 ft (19 m) tall, Atmospheric Test Vehicle (ATV) was built under contract by Scaled Composites for use in hover test flights. The $2.8 million ATV was not intended as an all-up test article, since it had no rocket engine and no heat shielding. The ATV was rolled out of its Mojave hangar on March 1, 1999, bearing an FAA registry of N990RR.

The rotor head was salvaged from a crashed Sikorsky S-58, at a price of $50,000 — as opposed to as much as $1 million for a new head. Each rotor was powered by a 350-lbf (1,560 N) hydrogen peroxide jet, as intended for the orbital vehicle. The rotor assemblage was tested in a rock quarry before installation on the ATV.

The ATV flew three successful test flights in 1999. The pilot for these three flights was Marti Sarigul-Klijn and the copilot was Brian Binnie (who later gained fame as pilot of Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne on its second X-Prize flight).

The ATV made its first flight on July 28. This flight consisted of three vertical hops totaling 4 min 40 sec in duration and reaching a maximum altitude of 8 ft (2.4 m). The pilots found the flying extremely challenging for a number of reasons. Visibility in the cockpit was so restricted that the pilots nicknamed it the "bat cave". The view of the ground was entirely obstructed, so the pilots had to rely on a sonar altimeter to judge ground proximity. The entire craft had a low rotational inertia, and torque from the spinning rotor blades made the body spin, unless counteracted by yaw thrust in the opposite direction.

The second flight, on September 16, was a continuous hover flight lasting 2 min 30 sec, reaching a maximum altitude of 20 ft (6.1 m). The sustained flight was made possible by the installation of more powerful rotor tip thrusters and an autothrottle.

The third and last flight was made on October 12. The ATV flew down the flightline at Mojave Airport, covering 4,300 ft (1,310 m) in its flight and rising to a maximum altitude of 75 ft (23 m). The speed was as high as 53 mph (85 km/h). This test revealed some instability in translational flight.

A fourth test was planned to simulate a full autorotative descent. The ATV would climb to an altitude 10,000 ft (3,050 m) under its own power, before throttling back and returning for a soft landing. At this point, given that further funding was then unlikely, safety considerations prevented the test being attempted.

Arianne Rocket Replica

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:57:54 -0700

Arianne Rocket Replica
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-10-27 16:57:54

Space Shuttle solid booster

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:35:31 -0700

BEV

Space Shuttle solid booster
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-08-16 19:35:31
The Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) are the pair of large solid rockets used by the Space Shuttle during the first two minutes of powered flight. They are located on either side of the orange external propellant tank. During launch they provide 83% of its liftoff thrust. Each SRB produces 1.8 times more liftoff thrust than one F-1 engine – the most powerful single-chamber liquid-fueled rocket engine ever flown – 5 of which powered the Saturn V "moon rocket's" first stage. The SRBs are the largest solid-fuel rocket motors ever flown, and the first to be used for primary propulsion on human spaceflight missions. The spent SRBs are recovered from the ocean, refurbished, reloaded with propellant, and reused for several missions.

Space Shuttle

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:08:13 -0700

Space Shuttle
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-07-21 15:08:13
At the US Space and Rocket Center

Saturn 1B rocket

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:25:21 -0700

Saturn 1B rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-06-10 16:25:21

Chinese Launch Complex at Pao-lu-wu-lo

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:14:13 -0700

Chinese Launch Complex at Pao-lu-wu-lo
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: boothy443
@ 2008-06-02 07:14:13

Japanese H-II rocket ground test vehicle

Sat, 24 May 2008 15:36:16 -0700

Japanese H-II rocket ground test vehicle
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-05-24 15:36:16
The H-II (H2) rocket was a Japanese satellite launch system, which flew seven times between 1994 and 1999, with five successes. It was developed by NASDA in order to give Japan a capability to launch larger satellites of the 1990s. It was the first rocket Japan made using only technologies developed domestically. It was superseded by the H-IIA following reliability and cost issues.

Soyuz spacecraft

Tue, 06 May 2008 11:01:17 -0700

BEV

Soyuz spacecraft
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Rene73
@ 2008-05-06 11:01:17

Space Station Mir

Tue, 06 May 2008 11:01:08 -0700

BEV

Space Station Mir
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Rene73
@ 2008-05-06 11:01:08

Ariane 5

Tue, 06 May 2008 11:01:00 -0700

BEV

Ariane 5
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Rene73
@ 2008-05-06 11:01:00

Segment of the Ariane 5

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:54:48 -0700

Segment of the Ariane 5
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Rene73
@ 2008-05-06 10:54:48

Segment of the Ariane 5

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:54:46 -0700

Segment of the Ariane 5
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Rene73
@ 2008-05-06 10:54:46

Soviet Space Shuttle 2.01 "Baikal"

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:12:01 -0700

Soviet Space Shuttle 2.01 "Baikal"
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Rene73
@ 2008-04-22 11:12:01
Shuttle 2.01 was the third space shuttle vehicle of the Soviet Buran program, serial number 11F35 K3. It is often suggested that 2.01 was to be named "Baikal", named after Lake Baikal.

Image: http://www.buran.fr/bourane-buran/img/buran2.01-1.jpg

Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle_2.01

Racks for Space Shuttle external tanks

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:29:13 -0700

BEV

Racks for Space Shuttle external tanks
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-04-16 16:29:13
The Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) is an 832-acre (3.4-km²) site owned by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and located in Eastern New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is used for the construction of the Space Shuttle's External Tanks by its lead contractor Lockheed Martin. It is one of the largest manufacturing plants in the world with 43 acres (174,000 m²) under one roof and it employs approximately 2000 people.

Jigs for assembly of Space Shuttle external tanks

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 16:27:12 -0700

BEV

Jigs for assembly of Space Shuttle external tanks
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-04-16 16:27:12
The Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) is an 832-acre (3.4-km²) site owned by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and located in Eastern New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is used for the construction of the Space Shuttle's External Tanks by its lead contractor Lockheed Martin. It is one of the largest manufacturing plants in the world with 43 acres (174,000 m²) under one roof and it employs approximately 2000 people.

Orbital 'Stargazer' Pegasus rocket launch platform

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:06:19 -0800

Orbital 'Stargazer' Pegasus rocket launch platform
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-02-12 22:06:19
Picture

"Stargazer" is a Lockheed L-1011 commercial transport aircraft modified to carry the air-launched Pegasus rocket . Marshall Aerospace of Cambridge, England performed the modifications, removing unnecessary equipment such as passenger seats, reinforcing the internal wing structure and adding Pegasus support equipment. When not in use for Pegasus operations, Stargazer is available for aerospace research and development applications.

Rotary Rocket Roton Atmospheric Test Vehicle (ATV)

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:01:05 -0800

Rotary Rocket Roton Atmospheric Test Vehicle (ATV)
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-02-12 22:01:05
Rotary Rocket, Inc, was a rocketry company headquartered in a 45,000-square-foot (4,200 m²) facility at Mojave Airport that developed the Roton concept in the late 1990s as a fully reusable Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) manned spacecraft. Roton was intended to reduce costs of launching payloads into low earth orbit by a factor of ten. Gary Hudson championed the design and formed the company. A full-scale test vehicle made three hover flights in 1999, but the company ran out of funds and closed its doors in early 2001.

Saturn 1B section at the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:46:30 -0800

BEV

Saturn 1B section at the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-02-07 12:46:30
This facility started life as the Saturn 1B test stand.

Built in 1957 by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and transferred to NASA, this facility became the primary center responsible for the development of large vehicles and rocket propulsion systems. During the 1960s, under the direction of Dr. Werner von Braun, the Saturn Family of launch vehicles was developed here. Through its continual use and modification to meet the demands of new programs, this facility illustrates the primary mission assigned to the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and the Marshall Space Flight Center--the development of large launch vehicles and propulsion systems needed to support the American Space Program.

Saturn 1B at Alabama I-65 welcome center

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:42:05 -0800

Saturn 1B at Alabama I-65 welcome center
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-01-27 20:42:05
AS-211 Unused. First stage on display with the S-IVB Battleship Test Stage stacked in a launch ready condition at the Alabama Welcome Center on I-65 in Ardmore, AL

F-1 riocket engine

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:15:33 -0800

BEV

F-1 riocket engine
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-01-27 20:15:33
The F-1 is a powerful rocket engine developed by Rocketdyne and used in the Saturn V. Five F-1 engines were used in the first stage of each Saturn V.

Mars Mobile Laboratory

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:13:42 -0800

BEV

Mars Mobile Laboratory
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-01-27 20:13:42

Rockets on static display

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:09:48 -0800

BEV

Rockets on static display
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-01-27 20:09:48
Starting in the back and going counter clockwise:

Saturn 1B
V1 Buzz bomb
Jupiter
Mercury Redstone
Atlas
Jupiter C
Redstone
Juno II

Full scale Skylab mock-up

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:54:24 -0800

BEV

Full scale Skylab mock-up
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-01-27 19:54:24
Skylab was the first space station the United States launched into orbit, and the second space station ever visited by a human crew. The 75 metric ton station was in Earth orbit from 1973 to 1979, and it was visited by crews three times in 1973 and 1974. It included a laboratory for studying the effects of microgravity and a solar observatory.

Two flight-quality Skylabs were built. The first was de-orbited and crashed in Western Australia in 1979; the second, a backup, is on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. A full scale training mockup once used for astronaut training is located at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center visitor's center in Houston, Texas. Another full scale training mockup is now kept at Huntsville, Alabama, made from spare parts. It is currently being restored.

Apollo Lunar Module

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:49:50 -0800

BEV

Apollo Lunar Module
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-01-27 19:49:50
The Apollo Lunar Module was the lander portion of the Apollo spacecraft built for the US Apollo program to achieve the transit from moon orbit to the surface and back. The module was also known as the LM from the manufacturer designation (yet pronounced "LEM" from NASA's early name for it, Lunar Excursion Module).

Rockwell X-30 Prototype

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:45:44 -0800

BEV

Rockwell X-30 Prototype
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-01-27 19:45:44
The X-30 National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) was an attempt by the United States to create a viable single stage to orbit (SSTO) spacecraft. The project was cancelled prior to the first craft being built.

A large, detailed scale mock up of the X-30 was built by engineering students at Mississippi State University's Raspet Flight Research Lab in Starkville, Mississippi. The mock up is currently on display at the U.S. Space Camp program facility in Huntsville, Alabama.

Delta IV Common Booster Core (CBC) rocket

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:57:05 -0800

Delta IV Common Booster Core (CBC) rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2008-01-16 16:57:05
The Delta IV is a family of Delta rockets designed by Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems division and built in United Launch Alliance's facility in Decatur, Alabama with final assembly at the launch site by United Launch Alliance. The rockets were designed for the United States Air Force Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) program and commercial satellite business, and are intended to reduce the cost and effort needed to launch payloads into orbit.

The first stage of a Delta IV consists of one, or in the Heavy variety three, Common Booster Cores (CBC) powered by a Rocketdyne RS-68 engine. Unlike most first-stage rocket engines, which use solid fuel or kerosene, the RS-68 engines burn liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

SPACE DEBRIS : SALYUT 7

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 13:05:47 -0800

SPACE DEBRIS : SALYUT 7
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: hanswoerzt
@ 2007-12-15 13:05:47
The Salyut 7/Cosmos 1686 space station fell back to Earth February 7, 1991. Many fragments came down in Argentina. One of the larger bits fell in a field at El Chañar, in the north of Entre Ríos province. It's the leftover of the interface through which 21 cosmonauts crawled onboard, among them the first woman spacewalker - Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya.
This large piece can be seen in Google Earth, lying near the amateur astronomical observatory of Oro Verde.
Their website shows a closeup image : http://www.astroentrerios.com.ar/

Mercury Redstone Rocket at Cape Canaveral

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:35:16 -0800

BEV

Mercury Redstone Rocket at Cape Canaveral
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2007-12-06 16:35:16

Mars on Earth - Haughton Crater

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:41:39 -0700

Mars on Earth - Haughton Crater
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: KRL
@ 2007-10-11 09:41:39
Site of summer expeditions to simulate future Mars Expeditions. Link to NASA website below.

Another Romanian UFO

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 02:47:23 -0700

Another Romanian UFO
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: DonMartini
@ 2007-09-22 02:47:23

Incom T65 X-wing starfighter on static display

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 18:46:01 -0700

Incom T65 X-wing starfighter on static display
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-08-29 18:46:01
The Incom T65 X-wing is a starfighter in the fictional Star Wars universe, first seen in the movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. It is depicted as the primary interceptor and dogfighter of the Rebel Alliance.

Saturn V rocket

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:15:31 -0700

Saturn V rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-08-21 12:15:31
Picture

The Saturn V (pronounced 'Saturn Five', popularly known as the Moon Rocket) was a multistage liquid-fuel expendable rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programs.

The largest production model of the Saturn family of rockets, the Saturn V was designed under the direction of Wernher von Braun at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, with Boeing, North American Aviation, Douglas Aircraft Company, and IBM as the lead contractors. It remains the most powerful launch vehicle ever brought to operational status, from a height, weight and payload standpoint, although the Russian Energia, which flew only two test missions, had slightly more takeoff thrust.

In all, NASA launched thirteen Saturn V rockets between 1967 and 1973, with no loss of payload. The design payload was the manned Apollo spacecraft used by NASA for moon landings, and the Saturn V went on to launch the Skylab space station.

At the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, made up of S-IC-D, S-II-F/D and S-IVB-D (all test stages not meant for actual flight)(soon to be moved to a new visitor's center).

Saturn V rocket (replica)

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 12:12:04 -0700

Saturn V rocket (replica)
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-08-21 12:12:04
At the US Space and Rocket Center.

For years, residents of Huntsville could point to the Saturn I in the center of the Space and Rocket Center as a distant landmark (the museum is located a few miles from the city center). In 1999, a model of the Saturn V was erected near the Saturn I, extending the reach of this unique form of landmark (the moon rocket is nearly twice as tall).

Ariane 44LP rocket at Bremen Space Park

Sat, 18 Aug 2007 12:27:53 -0700

BEV

Ariane 44LP rocket at Bremen Space Park
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-08-18 12:27:53
Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the European Space Agency and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace.

Redstone Rocket on static display

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:43:40 -0700

Redstone Rocket on static display
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-08-16 11:43:40

Space Shuttle Booster and Fuel Tank

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 09:17:40 -0700

Space Shuttle Booster and Fuel Tank
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-08-07 09:17:40

2007-07-27 - Blast at desert spaceport kills 2, injures 4

Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:56:45 -0700

2007-07-27 - Blast at desert spaceport kills 2, injures 4
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-07-27 17:56:45
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- An explosion at an airport home to Scaled Composites -- the builder of the first private manned rocket to reach space -- killed two people and left four seriously hurt Thursday, a Kern County Fire Department official says.

Soviet Space Shuttle - Buran OK-GLI

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 10:33:46 -0700

Soviet Space Shuttle - Buran OK-GLI
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-06-27 10:33:46
The Buran has been stranded in Bahrain since mid-2002 due to a court dispute over who it belongs to.

Russian company NPO Molniya originally sold it to Singapore-based Space Shuttle World Tour, but later filed a case in the Bahrain courts claiming the latter failed to make all the payments. [buran-energia.com]

Scale Ariane 4 Rocket

Thu, 17 May 2007 11:27:21 -0700

BEV

Scale Ariane 4 Rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-05-17 11:27:21
At the entrance to the Landesmuseum für Technik und Arbeit in Mannheim.

Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the European Space Agency and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace.

V-2 rocket

Tue, 01 May 2007 12:06:53 -0700

V-2 rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: dda
@ 2007-05-01 12:06:53
Peenemünde Museum replica of the first successful V-2 rocket. Like the original, this rocket has the Frau im Mond logotype at its base.

A-4 Skyhawk and spacecraft at Santa Maria Pub/ Capt G. Allan Field

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 20:59:30 -0700

BEV

A-4 Skyhawk and spacecraft at Santa Maria Pub/ Capt G. Allan Field
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2007-04-19 20:59:30

Landed UFO

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 07:03:54 -0700

BEV

Landed UFO
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: DonMartini
@ 2007-03-31 07:03:54
Mark Ruygrok made this 12 meters large UFO for the art exposition 'Panorama 2000' in Utrecht. The building is called 'de Inktpot'

Arianne Rocket Replica

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 03:00:40 -0700

BEV

Arianne Rocket Replica
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: DonMartini
@ 2007-03-31 03:00:40
This is an actual size replica of the Arianne Sky Rocket. The Arianne is the most successful rocket of the European Space Association.

Martin Marietta X-24A

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 20:32:37 -0700

Martin Marietta X-24A
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-03-30 20:32:37
The X-24 was an experimental US aircraft developed from a joint USAF-NASA program named PILOT (1963-1975). It was designed and built to test lifting body concepts, experimenting with the concept of unpowered reentry and landing, later used by the Space Shuttle.

Shuttle booster rocket and other rocket engines on static display

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:23:51 -0700

Shuttle booster rocket and other rocket engines on static display
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-03-19 10:23:51
At the Thiokol plant entrance.

Orbital 'Stargazer' Pegasus rocket launch platform

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:00:24 -0800

Orbital 'Stargazer' Pegasus rocket launch platform
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2007-03-07 12:00:24
Picture
"Stargazer" is a Lockheed L-1011 commercial transport aircraft modified to carry the air-launched Pegasus rocket . Marshall Aerospace of Cambridge, England performed the modifications, removing unnecessary equipment such as passenger seats, reinforcing the internal wing structure and adding Pegasus support equipment. When not in use for Pegasus operations, Stargazer is available for aerospace research and development applications.

Space Shuttle Chalenger mock-up

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 13:23:50 -0800

BEV

Space Shuttle Chalenger mock-up
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-12-22 13:23:50
A Space Shuttle shaped awning shelters the Challengers Learning Centers patio.

Unidentified spacecraft mock-up

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:48:15 -0800

Unidentified spacecraft mock-up
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-12-17 22:48:15
Large spacecraft mock-up at the X Prize Cup static display.

Starchaser Capsule Mock-up

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:44:41 -0800

Starchaser Capsule Mock-up
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-12-17 22:44:41
Starchaser Industries is a commercial space company based in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Picture

Space Shuttle Mock-up

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:38:45 -0800

Space Shuttle Mock-up
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-12-17 22:38:45
At the X Prize Cup.

XCOR EZ Rocket

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:34:46 -0800

XCOR EZ Rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-12-17 22:34:46
The XCOR EZ-Rocket is a test platform for the XCOR rocket propulsion system. The plane is a modified Rutan Long-EZ, with the propeller replaced by first one, then a pair of pressure-fed regeneratively cooled liquid-fuelled rocket engines and an underslung rocket-fuel tank. The engines are restartable in flight, and are contained within Kevlar armour shielding for safety reasons. The EZ-Rocket is registered as an Experimental Aircraft.

Rocketplane XP

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:28:39 -0800

Rocketplane XP
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-12-17 22:28:39
The Rocketplane XP is a suborbital spaceplane under development by Rocketplane Limited, Inc.. The XP is based on a heavily-modified Learjet 25 airframe, with changes including the addition of a delta wing and V-tail. The vehicle is powered by two jet engines and a rocket engine, enabling it to reach suborbital space. The XP is designed to operate from existing spaceports in a manner consistent with established commercial aviation practices.

Spaceship One

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 22:17:12 -0800

Spaceship One
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-12-17 22:17:12
At the 2006 X PRIZE Cup.

Authentic scale model of Spaceship One, the history-making private rocket that won the Ansari X PRIZE, and which now hangs in the National Air and Space Museum.

ESTEC (European Space Agency test center)

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 01:33:37 -0800

ESTEC (European Space Agency test center)
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: romulusnr
@ 2006-12-06 01:33:37
The European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), the largest site and the technical heart of ESA—the incubator of the European space effort—is in Noordwijk, in the Netherlands. Most ESA projects are born here, and this is where they are guided through the various phases of development. More than 2000 specialists work here on dozens of space projects.

Shuttle Engine Test Stand

Sun, 26 Nov 2006 10:19:38 -0800

Shuttle Engine Test Stand
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: bobpiggy
@ 2006-11-26 10:19:38
Test stand used to test the Space Shuttles main engines. Ground vibrates like an small earthquake 2-10 miles away when they test.

NASA's Space Power Facility at the Glenn Research Center

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 20:42:00 -0800

BEV

NASA's Space Power Facility at the Glenn Research Center
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-11-22 20:42:00
The Space Power Facility contains the world's largest simulated space environment chamber.

Atlas and Titan Rockets

Sat, 04 Nov 2006 01:00:02 -0800

Atlas and Titan Rockets
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-11-04 01:00:02
Situated next to the New York Hall of Science, the park’s collection of rockets is one of the few attractions remaining from the 1964-65 World’s Fair. The two main attractions are a Titan II-Gemini Rocket and an Atlas-Mercury Rocket.

Redstone Rocket

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 11:35:58 -0800

BEV

Redstone Rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-11-01 11:35:58
Near the National Atomic Museum.

Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Segment Railcar

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 18:26:26 -0700

Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster Segment Railcar
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Cold_Tiger
@ 2006-10-23 18:26:26
Solid Rocket Booster Segment Transport car at Kennedy Space Center

The crawler-transporter

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 11:45:33 -0700

The crawler-transporter
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: dda
@ 2006-10-23 11:45:33
The crawler-transporter is a tracked vehicle used to transport the Saturn V rocket, the Saturn IB rocket during Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, and now the Space Shuttle, from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building to the Launch pad on a Mobile Launcher Platform. The crawler-transporter, built by the Marion Power Shovel Co. at a cost of $14 million, was once the largest tracked vehicle in the world; it has since been surpassed by the German Bagger 288 excavator.

Rocket Scientist

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:39:32 -0700

BEV

Rocket Scientist
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-10-16 20:39:32
Spotted on the campus of NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

Multi-purpose Logistics Module for the Space Shuttle

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 21:51:00 -0700

BEV

Multi-purpose Logistics Module for the Space Shuttle
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-10-15 21:51:00

Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS)

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 19:26:14 -0700

Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS)
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-10-12 19:26:14
Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) site (the three right most domes) which is part of the Air Force's space surveillance network. ETS is operated by MIT Lincoln Laboratory for the Air Force and has several telescopes which are used for a variety of technology development programs.

There are three operational GEODSS sites that report to the 21st Operations Group: Socorro, New Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; and Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory. A site at Choe Jong San, South Korea was closed in 1993 due to weather and cost concerns. GEODSS is an optical system that uses telescopes, low-light level TV cameras, and computers. GEODSS tracks objects in deep space, or from about 3,000 mi (4,800 km) out to beyond geosynchronous altitudes. GEODSS requires nighttime and clear weather tracking because of the inherent limitations of an optical system. Each site has three telescopes. The telescopes have a 40-inch (1.02 m) aperture and a two-degree field of view. The telescopes are able to "see" objects 10,000 times dimmer than the human eye can detect. This sensitivity, and sky background during daytime that masks satellites reflected light, dictates that the system operate at night. As with any ground-based optical system, cloud cover and local weather conditions directly influence its effectiveness. GEODSS system can track objects as small as a basketball more than 20,000 miles (30,000 km) in space, and is a vital part of USSTRATCOM’s Space Surveillance Network.

Re-entry vehicle tucked away at NASA Ames

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:17:37 -0700

BEV

Re-entry vehicle tucked away at NASA Ames
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-10-12 15:17:37

Rocket outside NASA's Ames wind tunnel

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 14:52:08 -0700

BEV

Rocket outside NASA's Ames wind tunnel
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-10-12 14:52:08

NASA

Sat, 30 Sep 2006 13:33:24 -0700

BEV

NASA
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-09-30 13:33:24
From Nasa's Michoud facility in New Orleans

Mercury Redstone Rocket Body at Santa Monica Airport

Tue, 26 Sep 2006 19:23:15 -0700

BEV

Mercury Redstone Rocket Body at Santa Monica Airport
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-09-26 19:23:15

Space Shuttle in desert

Thu, 21 Sep 2006 10:30:19 -0700

BEV

Space Shuttle in desert
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-09-21 10:30:19
This is in a neighborhood just west of Lockheed's Skunkworks

Rocket or Missile on trailer at NASA wind tunnel

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 14:55:33 -0700

BEV

Rocket or Missile on trailer at NASA wind tunnel
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-09-19 14:55:33

Centaur Upper Stage outside NASA wind tunnel

Tue, 19 Sep 2006 14:50:02 -0700

BEV

Centaur Upper Stage outside NASA wind tunnel
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-09-19 14:50:02

Atlas Missile at Gillespie Field

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 14:40:10 -0700

BEV

Atlas Missile at Gillespie Field
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-09-15 14:40:10
The Atlas was the first Inter Continental Balistic Missile (ICBM) employed by the US.

Full scale model of Russian space shuttle 'Ptichka'

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 21:54:31 -0700

Full scale model of Russian space shuttle 'Ptichka'
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-08-15 21:54:31
A full size model of Shuttle Ptichka is on display here in the test zone of Baikonur Spaceport in Kazakhstan while the original one is also nearby at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in the MIK Building.

Shuttle Ptichka ("Птичка" meaning "little bird" in Russian) is an informal nickname for the second space shuttles to be produced as part of the Shuttle Buran program. It was never officially named. It is also known as Shuttle 1.02. It is distinguisable from the other shuttles as a red framework is attached to its roof.

"Ptichka" was also an informal nickname for all of the space shuttle orbiters. However, the formal theme for the whole orbiter project was "Stormy Weather" and "Burya" ("Буря" meaning "tempest" in Russian) was mentioned as a likely name for the spacecraft.

Construction of the second orbiter started in 1988, and although the orbiter was closest to being completed of any of the Buran shuttles (after the Shuttle Buran), it was never finished. The program was officially canceled in 1993, at which point the shuttle was 95-97% complete.

Mercury Redstone and Apollo Little Joe II

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 12:50:55 -0700

BEV

Mercury Redstone and Apollo Little Joe II
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-08-09 12:50:55
From August 1963 to January 1966, a series of unmanned flight tests were conducted at the White Sands Missile Range to demonstrate the adequacy of the Apollo launch escape system and to verify the performance of the command module earth landing system. The launch vehicle used for five of these tests was the Little Joe II.

First launched in 1953, the American Redstone rocket was a direct descendant of the German V-2. It was used for the first live nuclear missile tests by the United States. It was also known as the Redstone MRBM (medium range ballistic missile). Redstone was also used in several suborbital launches in the United States Mercury program. [wikipedia]

Space Shuttle mock-up

Wed, 09 Aug 2006 12:27:17 -0700

BEV

Space Shuttle mock-up
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-08-09 12:27:17
On the grass behind the Houston Space Center.

1st Stage of Saturn Rocket

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 15:00:09 -0700

BEV

1st Stage of Saturn Rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: Pdunn
@ 2006-07-26 15:00:09
Spotted at Nasa's Michoud Facility in New Orleans.

Ariane IV Rocket

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 01:42:56 -0700

Ariane IV Rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-04-21 01:42:56
(Best seen in Google Earth)

At Le Bourget Air and Space Museum.

Ariane V Rocket

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 01:41:02 -0700

Ariane V Rocket
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-04-21 01:41:02
(Best seen in Google Earth)

At Le Bourget Air and Space Museum.

ATK Thiokol Propulsion Test Facility

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 14:18:43 -0800

ATK Thiokol Propulsion Test Facility
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: tully
@ 2006-03-20 14:18:43
This is the ATK Thiokol Propulsion facility near Promontory, Utah where they test items such as NASA's solid fuel booster rockets. Check out the blast area to the right!

Photos of what happens here:

http://returntoflight.org/multimedia/photos190a_6.html

http://returntoflight.org/multimedia/photos190a_7.html

http://returntoflight.org/multimedia/photos190a_8.html

This is the business end of the 'kjfitz' post:

http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/6960/

EPCOT - Mission: SPACE

Sat, 11 Mar 2006 12:55:00 -0800

BEV

EPCOT - Mission: SPACE
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-03-11 12:55:00

European Space Operations Centre

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 18:20:16 -0800

European Space Operations Centre
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-02-04 18:20:16
The European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) is responsible for controlling ESA satellites and space probes. The centre is located in Darmstadt, Germany. It is Mission Control for most of the space projects of the ESA. ESOC also houses the Ground Facilities Control Centre (GFCC) that is responsible for remote operation of the ESTRACK network of Ground Stations and antennas.

The last important projects that were lanuched and controlled from ESOC were Smart-1, Mars Express (MEX), Venus Express (VEX), Rosetta, Huygens.

Recently controlled through LEOP, and then handed over to EUMETSAT was MSG-2.

Currently ESOC is operating the following satellites: Envisat, ERS-2, Integral, XMM-Newton, Rosetta, Mars Express, Venus Express, Smart-1 and Cluster.

Projects under preparations include: Metop, GOCE, LISA Pathfinder, Aeolus and Herschel-Planck

This branch of the agency is also responsible for the development of the technology infrastructure it requires to support existing and planned missions. Arguably its most important technology asset is the Space Control and Operations Software (SCOS-2000), an adaptable software infrastructure for monitoring and controlling the various spacecraft.

Sea Launch Commander - Assembly and Command Ship

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 15:42:16 -0800

Sea Launch Commander - Assembly and Command Ship
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-02-02 15:42:16
Picture

The Assembly and Command Ship—or ACS—is an all-new, specially designed vessel that serves as a floating rocket assembly factory while in port, provides crew and customer accommodations, and also houses mission control facilities for launches at sea. The ship was built at the Govan Shipyard in Glasgow, Scotland. In the fall of 1997, the ship sailed for Russia, where special equipment for handling rocket components and for commanding and controlling launches was installed and tested. It arrived in Long Beach, Calif., on July 13, 1998, after a voyage through the Panama Canal.

The ACS is 660 feet long, approximately 106 feet wide, with a displacement of more than 34,000 tons and has a cruising range of 18,000 nautical miles. The ACS provides accommodations for up to 240 crew members, customers and VIPs—including medical facilities, dining room, recreation and entertainment facilities.

The Sea Launch platform for launching rockets used to be located here in the old Google Maps images but is not present since the most recent google database update.

Apollo 19 Lunar Module #13

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 15:41:08 -0800

Apollo 19 Lunar Module #13
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-01-27 15:41:08
On display at the Franklin Institute.

Space Shuttle Mock-up at NASA Ames

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 12:00:32 -0800

BEV

Space Shuttle Mock-up at NASA Ames
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-01-26 12:00:32

Aero Spacelines 377-SG 'Super Guppy'

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 10:32:40 -0800

BEV

Aero Spacelines 377-SG 'Super Guppy'
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-01-19 10:32:40
Based on the Boeing C-97 cargo plane and the 377 airliner the huge "Guppy" super-transports are some of the most unique aircraft ever built. Designed to carry very large, but relatively light cargos the Guppies were built from parts of retired U.S. Air Force C-97 Stratofreighters and airline 377 Stratocruisers. The planes proved to be very useful for carrying segments of rockets and much of the Saturn rocket that powered the Apollo Program was transported in the Super Guppy. This is the second Guppy, the first "Super Guppy" built. Its parts came from at least two different aircraft. The majority of the airframe came from a former Pan American Airways airliner. However the wings, engines and forward fuselage came from one of the Air Force's experimental turbo-prop powered YC-97J aircraft, 52-2693. The Super Guppy continued in use by NASA until 1991 when it was retired in favor of a younger Super Guppy.

Pictures

Shuttle Mate-Demate Device (MDD) - Dryden

Tue, 10 Jan 2006 10:27:56 -0800

Shuttle Mate-Demate Device (MDD) - Dryden
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2006-01-10 10:27:56
The Space Shuttle Mate-Demate Device (MDD) at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., is a large gantry-like steel structure used to hoist the orbiters off the ground during post-landing servicing operations and during mating and demating operations with the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA).

Dryden and Kennedy are home to NASA's two MDDs. Dryden's MDD is more complex than the one at Cape Canaveral, D'Agostino said, because the one here is used as a work site for tasks that, when they are necessary in Florida are accomplished at Kennedy's Orbiter Processing Facility. Dryden's structure is similar to its Florida twin, but the Dryden MDD has elevators and had extra equipment built into it that was required in the early days of the shuttle program. The modifications were made largely to enable the device to meet heavy-lift requirements as the shuttle program progressed.

What started out as one of the world's largest Erector sets became a permanent structure at Dryden as the needs of the space shuttle program changed and required welds, concrete and additional work platforms and heavier lift capability.

Rockets on Static Display at Goddard Space Flight Center

Tue, 27 Sep 2005 16:29:59 -0700

Rockets on Static Display at Goddard Space Flight Center
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: AlbinoFlea
@ 2005-09-27 16:29:59
Couldn't dig up any information as to what these might be...

Thumbnail from Google Earth.

Suborbital Launch Site - Eglin AFB

Sun, 25 Sep 2005 22:17:57 -0700

Suborbital Launch Site - Eglin AFB
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2005-09-25 22:17:57
As the Cold War heated up, the highly-instrumented Eglin Gulf Test Range was built and supported flight tests of the Bomarc, Matador, Quail, and Hound Dog cruise missiles. Both the military and NASA used Eglin to support launch of sounding rockets in support of their programs. The Vietnam War brought a new emphasis on conventional weapons, and Eglin specialized in development of air-to-ground weapons and the AMRAAM air-to-air missile.

Canadian Space Agency Headquarters

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 11:07:15 -0700

Canadian Space Agency Headquarters
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2005-09-14 11:07:15
Picture

DC-3 and Redstone rocket at NC Museum of Life and Science

Tue, 06 Sep 2005 11:25:17 -0700

DC-3 and Redstone rocket at NC Museum of Life and Science
[Info] [GM] [BM] [YM]
By: kjfitz
@ 2005-09-06 11:25:17