A Field Guide to American Spacecraft - The Blog

50 Years

2011-05-05T08:30:00.003-04:00

On this morning 50 years ago, Naval pilot Alan Shepard, wearing his silver flight suit and white helmet, was raised by a small elevator to his waiting spacecraft, Freedom 7, perched atop a modified Redstone IRBM. Delays ensued at Cape Canaveral, as engineers and technicians raced to eliminate any glitch that popped up that would compromise the safety of the spacecraft's pilot. Shepard was getting weary of these holds to the countdown, and knowing his prowess as a test pilot, with a steely determination said, "Let's light this candle!" At 9:34am ET, the engine of the Redstone ignited, and America watched it's first astronaut ascend to space. 15 minutes later, the trip was over, with Freedom 7 safely parachuting to a landing in the Atlantic Ocean 300 miles away from the Cape. The astronaut and his spacecraft were recovered by aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain, a welcome sight to Shepard.

Today, to honor the service of Shepard, the Freedom 7 is on display in Annapolis, Maryland, at the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center. Access is available to the public. The capsule has a place of honor in the rotunda leading to the center's exhibit area. It is encased in plexiglas, missing its hatch (which was jettisoned by Shepard during recovery), and has the Earth observing periscope deployed. This capsule was originally displayed in the Smithsonian, then moved to the National Air & Space Museum.

Today, we celebrate 50 years of Americans in Space, as we honor the flight of Freedom 7.

Orbiter Retirement Homes

2011-04-12T21:27:00.004-04:00

It's official. Today at Kennedy Space Center, in the shadow of Orbital Processing Facility 1 and the orbiter Atlantis, NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden choked back tears as he announced the retirement of the orbiter fleet. His emotions were from love and respect, not only of the spacecraft he has had the opportunity to ride four times into space, but also for the men and women, some gathered around him, who give the fleet wings. Here is the rundown of where the orbiters will one day chock their wheels for the final time:

OV-101 Enterprise

The flight-test orbiter which has been displayed at the Udvar-Hazy Center will fly one more time to its new home at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York, NY. It will be displayed on the dock along side the naval vessel that was used to recover both Mercury and Gemini spacecraft.

OV-103 Discovery

With Enterprise vacating its current home, way will be made for Discovery to be displayed at America's premier facility for aerospace history. The Udvar-Hazy Center location has been known for quite some time, so no surprise for most of the people in the audience.

OV-104 Atlantis

Met with a cheer and a standing ovation, Bolden announced Atlantis will remain at the Kennedy Space Center and located in the Visitor Complex in the current Shuttle Plaza.

OV-105 Endeavour

A surprise to me was the location of Endeavour at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, CA. While I suspected a west coast location for one of the orbiters, I guessed a location with a slightly more aerospace focused theme. The CSC will provide a worthy home in a high population, vacation destination locale.

So, that's it, kids. Two more flights, then see them on display. While it will be sad to see them grounded, there is and will always be an immense amount of pride in the gems of the Space Transportation System.

Atlantis to Kennedy?

2011-04-12T06:36:00.001-04:00

Florida Today posts that OV-104 Atlantis will remain at Kennedy Space Center for retirement.

We'll know for sure at 1:00PM today.

Getting Ready for 30

2011-04-07T14:04:00.003-04:00

Next week brings the 30th anniversary of the first launch of the space shuttle. Festivities are planned for the KSC Visitor Complex (weather and government shut-down permitting) at which Administrator Charlie Bolden will announce where these historical spacecraft will retire. Allow me to place my prediction in writing, and to be used as a reference once the decision is released.

Discovery OV-103 - Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, VA

This is the only place previously announced, as the Smithsonian is granted first dibs to NASA hardware. The twist could occur if the money needed to provide this institution with the required funds to obtain the orbiter is not produce by congress. Would NASA give them a bye and allow for the time needed to get the funds, being in the same congressional budget boat? Or would they say the Enterprise is good enough and be satisfied with that? My bet is they get it, which would leave Enterprise available to fly somewhere else.

Atlantis OV-104 - National Museum of the United States Air Force, Dayton, OH

This selection would place an orbiter in the center of the Heartland, but also acknowledge the contribution of the USAF in the development of the orbiter. Fully half of the development cost was carried by the Air Force, and plans to provide an orbiter (Discovery) to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base ere well underway when the Challenger accident occurred. This disaster caused the military to rethink their plans to use orbiters and they withdrew their claim, allowing Discovery to remain with NASA. Never the less, the orbiter was used to launch many military payloads and it seems fitting to honor the missions by granting a shuttle to the Air Force Museum.

Endeavour OV-105 - Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, KSC, FL

I'm trying hard to be biased here, but among all the proposals I have seen, this one tops the list. Where many of the proposed displays consisted of versions of "we will build a big glass box to put the orbiter in", the KSCVC has an outstanding presentation to not only showcase an orbiter but to tell its story. After entering a preshow orientation that highlights the process of getting an orbiter ready for flight, a wall opens to reveal Endeavour, suspended at a 45º angle in front of moving representation of the Earth from orbit. A walkway allows for views of the orbit up close and personal while maintaining the integrity and safety of the vehicle. Alcoves off the main floor will highlight the Hubble Space Telescope, International Space Station, and the shuttle programs. All this will be constructed in front of the existing Shuttle Launch Experience attraction, so after your encounter, you can see what it is like to ride one. No other venue allows for such a complete experience. Besides, Administrator Bolden would have to have a tremendous amount of chutzpah to announce at KSC without promising one of the orbiters would stay. And, as Center Director Bob Cabana says, "Possession is 9/10ths of the law!"

Enterprise OV-101 Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA

While this is one of those 'glass boxes' I mocked earlier, I believe one of the orbiters would find a home on the west coast and this seems the likely place. Having astronaut Bonnie Dunbar as the museum director can't hurt. And though Enterprise never reached orbit I think the museum would be thrilled at the acquisition.

Wild cards - Three other locations have high hopes and some compelling strengths (mostly political) that may alter the above placement: Space Center Houston, Houston, TX; Intrepid Air & Space Museum, New York, NY; and Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL. While these locations each offer large populations that an orbiter could attract, only Houston has the historical perspective that such a placement would complement. I just don't think the SCH has the facilities or capability at this point to provide for the needs of an orbiter. In my humble opinion, an orbiter going to any of these otherwise worthy museums would indicate a compromise of principals and be made for purely political reasons.

Next week will show if my predictions are correct. Until then, leave your comments.

My Kind of Town

2010-07-11T19:52:00.003-04:00

Today I am in Chicago for a conference, so I took the afternoon to revisit some old friends. Chicago is one of the few places that host the trifecta of historical spacecraft, Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. Interestingly, they are not found at the same location. While the Crown Space Center at the Museum of Science and Industry boasts Aurora 7 (Mercury) and the Apollo 8 Command Module, you have to travel up the lake front to the Adler Planetarium to see the Gemini 12 spacecraft.

The three are displayed very differently, and show an evolution of design. Aurora 7 is enclosed in a plastic shell, similar to it's sisters, with the exception of Faith 7 and Liberty Bell 7. These have been found to be less than ideal: while they prevent the unwanted touch of visitors, they tend to trap moisture and outgassing that occurs over time. Apollo 8 is displayed within a plexiglas pen. Being open to the room solves the problems stated, but now exposes the vehicle to have items thrown in and changes in the environment of the display area. Gemini 12 leads us to a technological solution developed by the good folks at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. Originating with it's display of the Liberty Bell 7, they have developed an environmentally controlled case that allows close examination of the spacecraft while protecting it. I expect we will see more and more displays like this, as spacecraft change location (I'll write about Apollo 14's move sometime soon), better ways to preserve the historic heritage will be implemented.

Some Fixes and a Titan Tale

2010-07-05T18:23:00.005-04:00

On this fine holiday (observed) I was able to get in and fix some things in the Field Guide that had been creating some problems. There are still a few more things to work through but at least it looks nicer.

One update I did post is in relation the the Titan II that once stood at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex's Rocket Garden. This booster was assessed following the trio of hurricanes that swept through the Space Coast in 2004. Now, I just told a lie, because what was in the Rocket Garden was not a Titan II, but a Titan I primary stage with a second Titan I upturned and stacked on top. A mockup of a Gemini spacecraft sat on top of that. Even so, it was determined that it was worth preserving. But to do so, it would need to be removed so interior work could be performed. The unstacking went as planned, but when the first stage was lifted a retaining ring sheered due to corrosion. A quick assessment found the booster could be saved, so it was placed in a storage yard at KSC.

In the meantime, the U.S. Air Force had discontinued use of all Titan II ICBMs and placd them in storage in its boneyard near Tuscon, Arizona. Some quick timing by KSC exhibits developer Luis Berrios snagged a complete Titan II before it could make its date with the shredder. This booster is now being prepared to represent one of its sisters, painted as one of the man-rated Titans that lofted the Gemini spacecraft to orbit. When it arrives at KSC, you'll be the first to know!

And the old booster? The one that was damaged? It has now made its way to the Johnson Space Center where it will join their Rocket Park sometime in the future. More pictures can be seen on the Field Guide.

May I Ask?

2010-07-03T22:40:00.005-04:00

A Field Guide to American Spacecraft has been a great hobby on mine over the last thirteen years, one that has introduced me to a lot of great friends and space enthusiasts from around the world. I am humbled each time I see it mentioned in a story or used as a reference, and that encourages me to continue and try to be as authoritative as possible. I hope to continue to provide this resource for many years.

With every hobby comes a certain expense, and this is no exception. It is one I gladly bare, but one I would ask know to share. On the navigation menu on the left of each Field Guide page you will find a 'Donate' button, as well as a link on the right of the blog in the 'Links' section. I've included it for any who would like to help out with the Field Guide. No amounts are listed, give as you like. To be clear, the Field Guide will continue regardless of any amount collected. If you like it and can contribute, my thanks. If not, please continue enjoying it knowing your pleasure makes it satisfying to me. And please don't forget to let me know of any sightings, corrections, or bugs that you find. Your help will make A Field Guide to American Spacecraft the most complete guide on the internet.

Your obedient servant,

Jim Gerard

Some Updates

2010-06-12T21:26:00.004-04:00

Wow, it's been a while. But I've finally had an opportunity to fix the menus on the Field Guide. I use a program called GoLive which incorporates components that can be changed and then automatically copied to all the pages. When I add a new section all the menus have to reflect that. My GoLive crashed and I had to hunt down another copy to load into my computer. This happened last week, and I was able to finally update.

I also uploaded a 13th Anniversary graphic I actually made back in January. I'm sure you'll get the significance, and a little of the humor.

The big update is new images of Apollo 14 in the new display area at the Apollo-Saturn V Center at KSC. This was made last year, but I was unable to get over there until now. I notice I still have some work to do, some broken links, but you can check out the thumbnails.

UPDATE: I was able to fix many of the Apollo 14 links as well as missing images on the BP-30 page this morning. Still have a little work to do before I'm satisfied!

The big news is the return of the Gemini-Titan to KSCVC is imminent. The previous Titan suffered stress damage during the storms of '05, and was further damaged during removal. The remains are located in a storage yard just of KSC's Ransom Road. More on this and the new Titan II is an upcoming post.

Thanks for reading and supporting the Field Guide!

Discovery Lands at KSC

2010-04-20T09:43:00.002-04:00

Discovery is ten minutes away from landing here at KSC as I start writing this. Through the walls of the HQ building I have heard the jet rumble of the Shuttle Training Aircraft, a modified Gulfstream 5, which flies the route before landing to visually check on weather conditions. Specially equipped with flight-deployable air breaks it can 'hang' and drop in the same landing approach as the orbiter. The shuttle itself drops faster and steeper than a normal aircraft, so training orbiter pilots demands a novel test vehicle.

Here I go outside. More in a minute....

BOOM! BOOM!

And by the time I'm back at my desk, the orbiter is wheels stopped on Runway 33. A beautiful sight, as this approach brought the orbiter almost directly over HQ. Orbiter and crew now safe and sound on Terra Frima.

A few things to know about these events (and there are only three more left, so listen up!):

The two sonic booms are produced by shock waves emanating from the orbiter nose and tail.

After the booms, you can hear the sound of the orbiter cutting through the air, and possibly the APUs (auxillary power units). Which is what the booms are: the compressed sound waves of all the soundthat would normally precede the orbiter (this is a very rudimentary explaination).

The STA follows a minute behind the orbiter.

While thousands of people may come to the center to watch a launch, only a few hundred are invited to the landing site. The viewing area is close enough that, if hypergolic fuel is leaking from a valve in the reaction control system, evacuation must be immediate. Busses are left running in case of this emergency. It is also why you see the first responders dressed in the full emergency suits with airpacks.

Technically speaking, the orbiter does not 'fly' or 'glide' until the last 30 seconds or so when the nose elevates above the horizontal.. That is when the wings start producing lift. Everything before that is a 'controlled descent', or what my friend Buzz Lightyear refers to as "Falling with style!"

The drag produced by the creation of lift also rapidly drops the airspeed, threatening a stall. The art is to hold off the stall until touchdown on the runway.

Runway 33 and Runway 15 are the same runway. The numbers indicate the approach heading, 33 toward the north at heading 330º, and 15 toward the south at heading 150º.

Time to end this and post while it is still timely. While launches are magnificent, landings are exquisite. I would almost prefer to watch a landing. Guess I'll have to figure out how to get a ride with the Navy for the future.

Like a Norwegian Blue: Beautiful Plumage

2010-04-07T10:20:00.001-04:00

Working out of KSC I have been witness to many a launch. I know that launches at dusk or dawn can be particularly beautiful, as the light effects of the rising sun turn exhaust trails into works of art. Monday morning's launch of Discovery produced a display that surprised not only me but everyone at HQ I chatted with.

This beautiful display has some serious science behind it. You all know that as the orbiter ascends, it is traveling through increasingly rarefied atmosphere, until it reaches a near vacuum at orbital altitude. You also know that the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) works off of Newton's First Law of Motion, and the action of the exhaust leaving the engine bell produces the reaction of the engine and shuttle moving away. The exhaust does not need to 'push' against anything to produce thrust. While this is true, the exhaust does push against something, the gasses of atmosphere. At sea level, atmospheric pressure helps constrain the exhaust into the familiar plume we see.

This Gemini-Titan launch shows an exhaust plume

constrained by sea level atmospheric pressure.

(Image by NASA)

As the rocket ascends, the thinner atmosphere allows the exhaust plume to expand. Engineers plan for this with the shape of the engine exhaust bell. Second-stage engine bells designed to work at high altitude are different than those on the first stage booster. Some engines are designed with an extendable collar that slips down at high altitude to take advantage of the expanding exhaust by increasing the length of the bell.

Notice different exhaust plume indications in this simplified SSME illustration.

(Image by Pratt and Whitney)

The SSMEs are designed to operate through the whole atmosphere, and optimized for mid altitudes after solid rocket booster seperation. When the orbiter reaches higher altitudes the exhaust rapidly expands. Although this lowers the efficiency of the SSME, the decreasing weight of the external tank and lack of atmospheric drag allow it to continue to thrust the shuttle to orbit. The video above (which appears to have been taken from near the US 1 highway in Titusville, FL) shows this expanding plume. Remember, this happens on every flight. What made this different was the darkness of the sky and the plume being illuminated by the sun just over the horizon. A beautiful confluence of technology and nature.

Aftermath of the launch plume in the light of sunrise.

(Picture by Jim Gerard)

New Computer, New Problem

2010-03-22T10:00:00.002-04:00

I had to have my computer replaced due to a bad logic board (their explanation. I can see them in the back room hitting it with a rolled up newsparper, "Bad logic board! Bad! Bad!"). Anyway, they were able to transfer all my files over so I'm cool there, but some of my 'professional' software did not port over. So I'm down my web maintenance software and the Field Guide is needing help. Hopefully, I'll get my copy back this week and can get in and do the fixes I need to and some much needed updates. Until then, ignore any broken links and missing images, as the lists and locations should still come up. Thanks for your patience!

Spacecraft of the Week #17

2010-03-17T09:37:00.005-04:00

Gemini VIII is this weeks featured spacecraft. Commanded by Neil Armstrong and piloted by David Scott, this spacecraft successfully launched to and docked with an Agena target vehicle in 1966.

Shortly after docking, the spacecraft began rolling on its long access access. The Agena was shut down, but the problem persisted. Scott noticed the ships fuel supply was dropping, indicating the problem was with the Gemini. The astronauts undocked the two spacecraft and began to move away.

However, just like an ice skater who accelerates her spin by bringing in her arms (the conservation of angular momentum), the Gemini began to rapidly roll, reaching a rate of one revolution per second. This threatened the astronauts who risked losing their visual acuity and or consciousness. Armstrong reacted quickly by disabling the Gemini's system of thrusters, and, using the backup reentry thrusters, regained control of the ship. This act would cut short their mission to just 10 hours.

Though many mission objectives remained unfulfilled, Armstrong's quick reaction and presence of mind would be a factor in his selection to command Americas first mission to the lunar surface. Launched this week in 1966, and now on display at the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio, the 17th Spacecraft of the Week, Gemini VIII.

Spacecraft of the Week #16

2010-03-01T10:08:00.003-05:00

This weeks' honored spacecraft has traveled almost as much after its mission as during it. Apollo 9, nicknamed Gumdrop for its shape, was launched to low Earth orbit 41 years ago this week. During its stay in space, it rehearsed the upcoming lunar missions by docking to and extracting a Lunar Module, transferring crew, separating and going through the paces of a moon landing. After 10 days in orbit, it returned to Earth, splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean.

After its return, it was sent to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas where engineers went over all parts of the spacecraft, checking and double checking to ensure craft and crew survivability of what was yet to come. After this inspection, it was placed on public display in the JSC Visitor Center.

Apollo 9 was later transferred to Jackson, Michigan and became the crown jewel of the collection at the Michigan Space and Science Center, located on the campus of Jackson Community College. While the collection was impressive, the center proved to costly and the college had to close it and remove the artifacts. Many of them, as well as curator Stewart Bailey, wound up at the Air Zoo in nearby Kalamazoo. Apollo 9 was a sweeter plum sought after by many. Since the spacecraft (as almost all flown spacecraft) is on loan from the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, they evaluated the requests and settled on San Diego.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum is located on the grounds of Balboa Park in the Ford Building, built as part of the California Pacific International Exposition, which was held in 1935 and 1936. There it was placed prominently in the entrance rotunda, sharing it's starring position with other aircraft manufactured in California (the Apollo spacecraft was built in Downey, California). The capsule is very accessible, forgoing the plexiglas cover seen on other Apollo capsules. It is displayed without it's hatch, which is sitting nearby.

So after 10 days in space and criss-crossing the US, Gumdrop finally rests about a 200 miles form where it was created. For that, and to celebrate its launch anniversary, Apollo 9 is this weeks' "Spacecraft of the Week'.

Spacecraft of the Week #15

2010-02-22T14:41:00.003-05:00

Long past time for a new Spacecraft of the Week. I've missed several weeks due to job and family responsibilities. So in starting over anew we'll honor an anniversary this week (or, rather, last Saturday) and present the Mercury MA-6 spacecraft flown by Co. John Glenn on February 20, 1962, Friendship 7.

Continuing in the tradition established by Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom, Glenn included the numeral 7 as he chose Friendship as his craft's name. Although born of the Cold War, America's civilian space program was conducted in the name of peace and international goodwill. Friendship 7 finally enabled America to match the Soviet feat of orbiting a man around the Earth. But what was our successful first threatened to come to a fiery end.

First an aside. The Soviets knew as the Americans that a return to Earth from space would produce an incredible array of forces both on the spacecraft and its human occupant. Deceleration could be accomplished with parachutes and/or rockets, but these added weight to the spacecraft. Since the Soviet designers included an ejection seat to safely remove the cosmonaut during a launch mishap, they utilized this to allow the returning traveler to separate himself from his craft and descend by his own parachute, allowing the spacecraft to land with a force greater than a human could bare. Why do this? So that all aspects of flight and landing could occur safely within the confines of the mother country, where stories could be tightly controlled.

NASA, meanwhile, opted to use the vast oceans and its powerful naval forces to recover its astronauts and spacecraft. While water landing reduces the shock of impact, more cusioning was needed. So the capsule was designed with a mechanism to detach the protective heat shield and drop down extending a cylindrical skirt. This skirt would fill with air, and provide a cushion to the craft and it's rider. It was this detachable shield that created the drama.

As Glenn orbited the Earth, ground controllers at mission control in Cape Canaveral saw a disconcerting sight: the light indicating detachment of the shield was illuminated. This could prove catastrophic, as the heat shield protected the craft during re-entry. If detached, it would be torn away and the spaceship and its occupant would disintegrate in a meteoric fireball. A plan was developed, and the message was sent to Glenn to not eject the retro pack. They did not tell Glenn this was meant to hold the head shield in place, hopefully long enough to do its job. Glenn caught on fast and figured out it was something with the heat shield. The resulting reentry was especially spectacular as the retro pack burned away. It was later found the sensor was faulty and there was no danger from a deployed shield, but the experience led to new guidelines in crisis management and communication with the astronaut.

Currently, Friendship 7 is displayed in the National Air & Space Museum under the Wright Flyer. A layer of plexiglas protects it from the thousands of visitors daily. While the plexiglas makes photography difficult, it does allow guests to get very close with this historic craft. It's difficult to imagine a human being sitting inside this small vehicle and hurtling through the heavens. So we salute our first orbiting astronaut and the spacecraft in which he traveled as our Spacecraft of the Week.

Want a Shuttle?

2009-12-17T11:14:00.002-05:00

Although this has sat off Florida State Route 3 south of Kennedy Space Center since 2005, I just now got around to posting it in the Field Guide. Being on my way to the office, I could see it every day. I remember noticing the large blue tarp covered structure and thinking it was shaped like a space shuttle nose, but it wasn't until after a bad storm when wind blew down the tarp that revealed what it was. One day, not long after the storm, a car was parked nearby and the gate was open. I met Chuck ryan, who began building the mockup as an engineering project while attending the California Polytechnic State University. He brought it out to Florida at the request of NASA to be used as an emergency trainer by the KSC Fire and Rescue Department. At the time I met Chuck, the site had flooded and I could not enter. But the tarp was replaced, occasionally being disarrayed by other wind storms.

Last week, the tarp was removed, the windows covered (the red covers are similar to those that protect the orbiter's windows) and a new name painted on: Resolution! (yes, the exclamation mark is part of the name). At least it is now clearly apparent what it is.

I know Chuck would like to find a good home for his baby, preferably one that helps protect it from further destruction by the elements. It has a crew cabin including a fully equipped flight deck.

Spacecraft of the Week #14

2009-12-16T09:02:00.003-05:00

A couple weeks ago we honored Gemini VII as the Spacecraft of the Week. This week, we do the same for its counterpart, Gemini VI. Due to the loss of its intended target vehicle, Gemini VI, crewed by Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford, was delayed until after the long-duration mission of Gemini VII began. This was the first time Americans had two spacecraft in orbit simultaneously, and gave mission controllers crucial experience that would be needed by the Apollo missions.

Gemini VI spent many years in the city of its creation, St. Louis, Missouri, at the St. Louis Science Center. In 2003, it was moved to the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center where it underwent a cleaning and refurbishment. The pilot door was reattached and the capsule was placed in one of the Comosphere's new spacecraft display cases. It was then moved to Oklahoma City where it spent a few years at the Omniplex Science Museum. In 2007, it moved to the center of the city where it currently resides at the Oklahoma History Center in a display that honors all of Oklahoma's astronauts. It should be noted the Thomas Stafford is a native a Weatherford, Oklahoma, just 30 miles west of Oklahoma City. Occasionally, that helps if you are looking to display a flown spacecraft.

Spacecraft of the Week #13

2009-12-07T09:01:00.003-05:00

This week we honor the final Apollo moon flight and make the Apollo 17 Command Module America the Spacecraft of the Week. Launched on Pearl Harbor day, December 7 in the year 1972, Apollo 17 was the most ambitious lunar mission to date. Carrying Gene Cernan, Ron Evans and Harrison Schmidt to the moon, America would remain in orbit with Evans while Cernan and Schmidt lived in the moon for three days. Many people call the "last" mission to the moon. I like to refer to it as the most recent. I refuse to believe that we will not again venture out into that "magnificent desolation". We can do it, if we have the will. And it will drive the economy up more than and faster than any stimulus package.

You can find America at Space Center Houston, Houston Texas. Although displayed in subdued lighting, it is uncovered (save the hatch area covered with plexiglas) so up close detailed photography is possible besides the artistic mood shots (as I try to illustrate). It is also displayed with a flown Mercury (Faith 7) and Gemini (Gemini V), one of only two places in the world where the three flown and manned spacecraft can be seen in the same room, the other being the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. So to honor all those who made the lunar missions possible, and to look forward toward more to come, we salute Apollo 17 as our Spacecraft of the Week.

Spacecraft of the Week #12

2009-11-30T08:55:00.003-05:00

Gemini VII was launched 44 years ago on December 4, 1965. Commanding the flight was Jim Lovell, with Frank Borman as Pilot. Two things made this flight unique: at the time, it was the longest US spaceflight and remained so until the Skylab missions, and it was part of the first dual-spacecraft mission conducted by NASA. Scheduled for a 14 day stay in space, the Gemini crew members were to investigate long term spaceflight. An added bonus came when Gemini VI's Agena target vehicle crashed into the ocean shortly after liftoff. Rather than cancel the mission, VII became VI's target for rendezvous. It provided immeasurable experience to the mission control teams in handling two spacecraft simultaneously, a needed skill for the upcoming Apollo missions with its separate command and lunar modules. Photographically, it provided the first good images of a manned spacecraft in orbit. We are so used to seeing the shuttle or the space station floating in space we forget these images used to be the exception rather than the rule.

For the rendezvous Gemini VII was the passive target, but the long duration flight provided the real challenges. Imagine spending two weeks with another person in an area the size of a bathroom stall and you'll get the idea. And you would have a toilet to use! For the crew of G-VII space was a premium. Packing enough food for the mission, and then where to place the trash, was a job for puzzle solvers. The crew practiced shoving trash behind their seats. They did not have the option of depressurizing their craft and opening a door to toss the stuff outside, as they wore a new long-duration spacesuit that was not made for such an event.

These new suits could be removed, even in the cramped quarters of the capsule, though mission rules only allowed one astronaut to doff his suit at a time. After five days, NASA relented and allowed both men to remove their pressure suits. Although much more comfortable, the chore to stash the suits so as not to interfere with spacecraft operation became a new challenge.

After a week, the novelty of spaceflight wore off. The crew was allowed free time, an unthinkable thing for previous flights. They took to reading books they packed for the time: Borman reading Roughing It by Mark Twain, and Lovell reading Drums Along the Mohawk by Walter D. Edmonds.

Recovery came on the fourteenth day with a flawless use of the retro rockets, and found the spacecraft had landed in the Pacific just 11.8 kilometers from the recovery ship, the USS Wasp. The astronauts were a little week from their time in microgravity, but were able to stand and greet the naval crew that recovered them. The spacecraft spent time at Johnson Space Center under investigation for it's long term in space, and then was turned over to the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum. For several years it was suspended in the second floor hall of space exploration, but has since been moved to a new display area near the Space Shuttle Enterprise at the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center. There it is displayed without doors, enclosed in a plexiglas envelope to allow a good view of the interior.

For paving the way for future flights to the moon and our first long duration mission in space, Gemini VII is this week's Spacecraft of the Week.

Smithsonian Apollo Program Online Conference

2009-11-10T17:27:00.003-05:00

Today, the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum hosted a virtual conference about the Apollo Program. The six hour online conference covered the following topics: Session #1 – Placing Apollo in Historical Context Session; #2 – Getting to the Moon: Apollo Technology Session; #3 – Presidents, Politics, Social Climate; Session #4 – Apollo Artifacts Session; #5 – Apollo Imagery & its Place in Society Session; and #6 – Remembering Apollo. Among the presenters were friends of the Field Guide Roger Launius, Senior Curator, Michael Neufeld, Chair of Space History, and Allan Needell, Curator of Space History.

The conference seemed well attended, based on the chatter in the text box where participants were able to ask questions. Historical context of the Apollo Program was the theme, and the presentation gave great insight into the times and events. Due to a telecon conflict I was forced to miss the voice portions of sessions 4 and 5, but continued to monitor the presentation and chat.

I was already thoroughly pleased with the conference, when Allan Needell began the sixth session by showing the Field Guide home page and recommending it as a source to locate Apollo hardware. He then gave me a shout out for participating in the chat. Thanks, Allan! If any conference attendees have visited the Field Guide and found their way to this blog, welcome! Please leave a comment and let me know you are here! And thanks again to all those involved from the Air & Space Museum for a great conference!

Spacecraft of the Week #11

2009-11-10T11:55:00.014-05:00

Gemini XII was launched with astronauts Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin on November 11 (Veterans Day) in 1966. The spacecraft in question was home to the astronauts for 4 days, during which Buzz Aldrin conducted three spacewalks. After an almost disastrous EVA on Gemini XI, Buzz helped engineer handholds and foot restraints and barely broke a sweat on his walk, indicating astronauts would be able to work outside the spacecraft landing on the moon. As the finale of the Gemini program it was a resounding success.

The spacecraft was checked out after recovery at Johnson Space Center, and transported for display at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Aukland, New Zealand. After many years it returned to the states and was then placed for display at the Goddard Space Flight Center. It was paired at the Visitor Center there nose to nose with a sit-in model. Looking out the window while sitting in the model always reminded me of the Gemini VII - Gemini VI rendezvous in space. In 2005, the Smithsonian was asked to relocate the spacecraft.

The Adler Planetarium in Chicago had undergone a major renovation and wanted a 'capstone' to highlight man's relationship with space. Chicago native Jim Lovell was instrumental in bringing his old spacecraft to his hometown. No longer enclosed in a plexiglas cocoon, the capsule was placed in climate controlled display case designed and built by the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. This new case is a prototype for future displays. Although it may somewhat restrict viewing and photography by boxing in the capsule, the importance of protecting the aging craft become paramount. Similar cases have been constructed for Gemini 3 , Gemini VI and Gemini X, Liberty Bell 7, and Apollo 13.

So to honor its history and for trailblazing a new way to preserve and display these important artificers, Gemini XII is our Spacecraft of the Week.

X-38 On the Move

2009-11-06T20:37:00.003-05:00

The Field Guide welcomes the X-38 to its data base. The X-38 would have been the precursor for the Crew Return Vehicle, a stubby winged spacecraft that would have been parked at the International Space Station and used as an orbital lifeboat in case of an emergency. Based on the earlier X-24 lifting body created by the US Air Force (even including the bulbous cockpit canopy - it was easier to use the same wind tunnel data as the X-24), it would carry seven crew members back into the atmosphere, then deploy the largest canopy parachute ever tested to land on skids at a predetermined location.

Though cancelled in April of 2002, three test vehicles were created: two for drop tests and one for an orbital reentry test. The one pictured above, V-132, was dropped from a B-52 for several tests at Edwards Air Force Base. This past week it made its way to the Strategic Air Command Museum, Ashland, NE, for display. It is a reminder of what could have been - a safe elegant way to protect astronauts in an emergency.

Check out the the rest of the fleet on the Field Guide.

Spacecraft of the Week #10

2009-11-03T06:21:00.003-05:00

A little over nine years ago a remarkable event took place. On a list of technological achievements it would rank among the top, perhaps superseded only by the lunar landings. On October 30, 2000, human beings went to space - and stayed there. The spacecraft that made this possible was the International Space Station, our Spacecraft of the Week.

Let me take you back to another time a little over a hundred years ago to give you perspective. Two brothers experimenting produced a series of gliders to engineer the technology to achieve flight. The would run down a sand hill and let the glider lift them up in the air, only to settle back to earth a few seconds later. Their prowess and skills led them to more advanced designs, finally incorporating an engine. Now they could launch from the level field. A first attempt was made, and an 12 second flight was the result - significant for its historicity but not much more than their unassisted glides. A second and third were made only slightly increasing duration and length of flight. But imagine how Orville felt as he watched Wilbur take of on the fourth and ultimately final flight: He's up. 12 seconds - still going. 20 seconds - he's looking smooth! 30 seconds - he's not coming down!

That just under a minute fourth flight of a controllable powered flying machine proved that we as a people could call the sky our home. Every plane eventually lands, but many individuals call the sky their place of work. Nine years ago, that mindset shifted further, beyond the atmosphere. The International Space Station allows people to go to space to work, to call home. They go up, and stay up.

Or think about his way: Second grade classrooms across the country are filled with students who have not been alive a single day that a person has not called space home. They and their younger classmates, brothers and sisters represent the true space age generation. The sky is no longer the limit. Space awaits them.

RIP Crew Module Simulator

2009-10-29T11:50:00.005-04:00

After a day of trials by weather and an eventual scrub, the Ares I-X booster launched Wednesday morning into a hazy Florida sky. After a 2 minute, twelve second burn of its sole solid rocket booster, the vehicle performed a planned stage separation, with the booster itself parachuting down to the recovery area in the Atlantic Ocean. The Upper Stage Simulator continued its parabolic track and crashed in to the ocean, taking with it the Orion Crew Module Simulator. Even though it was only a mockup, and not even what you could call a boilerplate, it is sad that it won't wind up on display anywhere.

Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana described it as "the most beautiful thing he ever saw". I agree, but adding the thrill was less like watching humans travel to space aboard a Shuttle, and more like a large model rocket. Like a model rocket, the X-1 used a reusable booster launched with solid fuel, and deploying a recovery system. There was no recovery system for the USS and the CMS, so as planned they were expendable. So good-bye CMS! We hardly knew you! And we end with a cardinal rule of model rockets: If you don't want to lose it, don't launch it!

My apologies for the shaky cam!

Spacecraft of the Week #9

2009-10-29T10:39:00.004-04:00

Another late entry, but this weeks' Spacecraft of the Week' celebrates the first flight of the Space Shuttle program. Before Columbia was first launched in 1981, NASA conducted a series of free-flights with Enterprise, OV-101. Taking flight piggy-backed on top a specially modified 747 purchased from American Airlines, Enterprise would be released to glide back to the runway, providing a valuable cache of data needed to refine landing techniques after spaceflight. Unpowered, at least for flight, it would not glide as much as proceed through a controlled fall, much like a flying squirrel drops and swoops from one tree to another or the ground. Only when it nears the ground and raises its nose is there enough lift created by its wings to truly be flying. (And Truly was flying! Dick Truly, destined to fly the orbiter to space and become NASA Administrator was one of Enterprise's pilots!) A soon as this happens, though, drag increases and airspeed rapidly drops. The goal is to have wheels on ground before airspeed reaches stall conditions, when the vehicle really would fall. Despite the complexity, astronaut pilots have had remarkable success in bringing the spacecraft to the runway - mostly due to their training on a modified Gulfstream V. And how did NASA know how to modify the Gulfstream? With the data collected by Enterprise, of course.

In the words of Buzz Lightyear, "This isn't flying. It's falling... with style!"

Spacecraft of the Week #8

2009-10-19T17:33:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow morning, Tuesday, October 20, shortly after midnight, an event will occur that has not happened in almost 30 years. A new launch vehicle will leave the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center and make its way to Launch Complex 39B. Atop the Ares I-X booster is our Spacecraft of the Week. The 'Crew Module Simulator' is a boilerplate of an Orion Spacecraft. Mounted on a simulated service module and topped with a Launch Abort System Simulator, the CMS is heavily instrumented to provide feedback of the forces experienced in the launch.

The Ares I-X has been the center of some controversy. Built as a test for the more powerful Ares I, this uprated Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) was never intended to launch alone. Paired up along side an external fuel tank , SRBs have helped launch Space Shuttles since 1981. With modifications and an extra segment of rocket fuel, the Ares I was intended to launch astronauts to orbit and the International Space Station. Critics fear that undampened vibrations of the burning solid fuel would prove fatal for astronauts aboard. The same fears arose after the Saturn V's first flight. Engineering provided an answer and the Saturn V became one of the most successful boosters in history. The Ares I-X will provide similar data and provide engineers with a benchmark for final development of the Ares I.

But first, the CMS and the Ares I-X need to get to the pad. Tomorrow will be an exciting day for space hardware enthusiasts, and sitting atop the object of their attention will be our Spacecraft of the Week, the Crew Module Simulator.

LCROSS – What Happened?

2009-10-13T12:42:00.002-04:00

Last week, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, completed its 113-day mission by crashing into the surface of the moon. Preceding the satellite was the bus-sized Centaur booster stage that accompanied it most of the way. Many of you knew this was going to happen from the day it was launched piggyback with the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter on June 18. NASA predicted the impact would raise a could of debris 10 meters in altitude, rising over the limb of the moon, that would be visible to telescopes on earth.

I was at my telescopes eyepiece watching – a long shot to see anything as those of us on the east coast were already in daylight, but I was hoping the scientists had underestimated the effect of the impact. I remembered reading about the monks in 1178 AD who witnessed “two horns of light” while looking at the moon, which some astronomers speculate was the creation of crater Giordano Bruno. I thought if they could see that with the unaided eye, I might get to see something with my scope.

The time came, and went. Nothing to be seen. Did I miss it? Was I looking in the right place? Did I mess up the time? I went inside to check NASA TV and used the DVR to rewind back to impact time. Nothing there either. Meanwhile, I hear the scientist say that it was successful with data returned to earth. The bombing of the moon that had been trumpeted in the news was a fizzle.

This is one of the difficulties in communicating science to others. Predictions are made – most conscientious scientists will be conservative in their predictions, but often excitement tends to cause over speculation. We really did not know what would happen when the Centaur and LCROSS impacted the moon, although we did have a precedent. In1971, the Saturn V S-IVB third stage of the Apollo 14 mission slammed into the moon at 2.54 km/sec. It left a crater 35 m in diameter, ejecting debris for 1.5 km. Although smaller, the Centaur was traveling faster, and was predicted to evacuate a larger crater and produce a much larger plume. In fact, both of these events occurred, observed by LCROSS and LRO, just not from earth.

Sometimes science can produce a wonderful show that helps to motivate and interest the general public, and sometimes we get disappointed. Nature is fickle. There is a difference between what you see on a tour at Kennedy Space Center and what you see on the Jungle Cruise at the Magic Kingdom. The important thing is not the show, but the data returned. And in that respect, LCROSS was very successful.

Spacecraft of the Week #7

2009-10-13T10:15:00.005-04:00

Forty one years ago this week, Project Apollo became operational with the launch of Apollo 7, our Spacecraft of the Week. This inaugural manned launch occurred at Launch Complex 34 at Cape Canaveral, the same place where 18 month earlier three astronauts were lost in the worst NASA accident at the time. The crew were launched on the Saturn IB booster, while the big sister Saturn V was awaiting clearance to launch her first astronauts later in the year. While Apollo 7 stayed within low-earth orbit, it never the less generated a lot of interest with the inclusion of a TV camera, enabling the first live transmissions from space. I remember watching the black and white show, annotated by hand-drawn notecards: "The Wally, Walt & Don Show".."From the Lovely Apollo Room"..."High Atop Everything!"

While otherwise non-eventful (except for a later released report of illness of the crew), the mission successfully paved the way for those who would follow. Although the spacecraft was featured in the inaugural parade of Richard Nixon, it's importance and popularity were soon eclipsed by it's siblings. For years it was displayed at the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa, Canada. Apollo 7 returned to the States in 2004 to be displayed at the Frontiers of Flight in Dallas, Texas, with a little help from crew member Walt Cunningham, who provided some images for the Field Guide.

Glenn Visitor Center Closes Saturday

2009-10-07T22:46:00.003-04:00

This Saturday will be the last for the Visitor Center at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland Ohio. Due to budget cuts, the VC will close and move to the Great Lakes Science Museum downtown. The VC is currently home for the Skylab 2 Apollo capsule, displayed in a small rotunda on a rotating base. It is assumed the spacecraft will follow the VC to Great Lakes, but the decision is up to the Smithsonian. There are a lot of newer air and space museums that would love to display a flown manned spacecraft.

If anyone is in the Cleveland Area, drop in one more time to great this unique CM.

Spacecraft of the Week #6

2009-10-04T16:02:00.004-04:00

Spacecraft of the Week is back after a short hiatus, and features an unflown spacecraft that would have given America's first astronaut a chance to orbit the earth. The Mercury program was to incrementally allow astronauts and NASA researchers experience into longer stays in space. After the first two suborbital flights would come a trio of three orbit flights, followed by three or four 22 orbit full day flights. This would take the program right to the start of the two seat Gemini flights. The first of these day trips was to be Mercury 10, piloted by Alan Shepard, who was launched on the first sub-orbital manned flight. Shepard's capsule would be outfitted with extra consumables for the longer mission. He christened his second Mercury Freedom 7 II, being the only spacecraft to my knowledge with a name that contains both Aramaic and Roman numbers. Due to budget constraints, the first day mission was reassigned to Gordon Cooper's Mercury 9 flight. After Cooper's successful flight, all remaining Mercury missions were canceled to free up talent for project Gemini, and Freedom 7 II was declared excess.

I originally saw Freedom 7 II at the visitor center for Ames Research Center in California. It was very accessible, displayed without a cover (only over the open hatch) and mounted on a McDonnell service rack. Previously, it was held in storage at Cape Canaveral after its mission was cancelled. For many years it wowed west coast Space Campers, but in 2003 was recalled by the Smithsonian and placed in the new Udvar-Hazy Center. There it sits under the protective wing of the orbiter Enterprise.

Buzz and Buzz

2009-10-02T22:17:00.006-04:00

Buzz Aldrin visited Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom today to be part of a ticker tape parade for the returning Buzz Lightyear. Buzz (Lightyear, not Aldrin) spent over 400 days aboard the International Space Station before returning with Discovery's crew last month. Michael Fincke, a crew mate of Buzz (Lightyear, not Aldrin) also joined in on the celebration. Aldrin and Fincke rode in classic Camaro convertibles while Lightyear was carried by his trusty friend RC Car. The paraders were followed by the WDW Marching Band.

The procession began in Frontierland, made it's way to the Castle Hub, and then down MainStreet, USA. A stop on Main Street allowed for brief interviews, cheers by the crowds, and pictures and videos. Along the way, crowds waved, with many wearing NASA shirts and hats and many children (possibly in anticipation of the evening's Halloween party) were wearing flight suits.

After the parade, Fincke held a Q & A in the auditorium behind the Expo Center, while concurrently Aldrin had a book signing in the same building. I had time only for the book signing, so I waited in the hour long line and finally had my turn. Aldrin looked very good, though much older than when I first met him 20 years ago. I related to him a time we worked an Epcot event together, where he wore a Buzz Lightyear button in which the words 'Buzz off!' were imprinted. I asked him then what he thought of his namesake, and he told me, "I'm as proud as if he were my own son!" I've shared that story with many students and teachers, and Buzz appeared to enjoy it. A good day.

Spacecraft of the Week #5

2009-09-15T08:30:00.004-04:00

This weeks spacecraft is actually a trainer, or rather a suite of trainers, that will soon be up for grabs to museums across the country. NASA has entered into an agreement with the General Accounting Office (GAO) to parcel out space shuttle artifacts to interested museums. A couple things to note about this, is that the agreement does not include the orbiters which is being covered under a separate solicitation (NASA has offered Discovery to the Smithsonian and will choose the location for the other two), and that the Smithsonian get first right of refusal under a longstanding agreement from the days of the Mercury program, and official NASA visitor centers get the second look before it opens to all comers on October 1.

Among the items are the shuttle trainers seen above at Building 9 of the Johnson Space Center. These trainers help accustom astronauts to the tasks that they will perform during their mission. The Full Fuselage Trainer (image left) is a complete mockup of an orbiter, minus the wings. Is is used to orient the astronauts with the locations of items and supplies they will find onboard. It is also used to train emergency egress training - if an orbiter's landing gear fails during landing, astronauts can blow a window and repel down from the cockpit. Located at top center in the image is the Crew Compartment Trainer. This is unique as it can be pitched up 90º to train astros on how to board the craft at the pad. The item seen at the bottom is the Manipulator Development Facility, used to train those astronauts using the Remote Manipulator System or robot arm.

While there is a chance that some or all of these items will remain where they are and be a more integrated part of Space Center Houston's tour of JSC, or parceled out to other museums or NASA visitor centers remains to be seen. Hopefully, it means these important artifacts of our space program will be preserved and cared for for years to come.

"Look at the sky"

2009-09-11T01:48:00.003-04:00

It was a beautiful morning in Houston, with a few days remaining of our Professional Development Conference at NASA's Johnson Space Center. We aerospace educators met annually at a NASA center to get up to date on the latest NASA education and science programs. The night before, we watched the movie Apollo 13 from the original mission control room, the film being projected on the same screen that displayed the televised images from the moon. When it was my turn to watch from the Flight Director's chair, I stood behind and paced - we never saw Gene Krantz sitting down. Earlier that day, I crossed the street to the municipal complex where a refreshed Apollo boilerplate BP-K had been placed on display. But now, a new day to hear from NASA on how to inspire today's youth.

We were meeting at the Gilruth Center, a multi-purpose facility for JSC employees. Noshing on pastries and morning caffeine, we were slowly making our way to our meeting room. Suddenly, someone came in saying, "Return to your duty stations. Return to your duty stations, now!" Someone said we were from across the country and had no duty at JSC, so we were sent to the meeting room where we were going anyway. Wondering why, we were told that something had happened in New York City, so we turned on the TV projector and saw smoke billowing from the World Trade Center. We watched a little, then tried to start our session while we monitored the video.

When the second plane hit we knew that there was something very serious in the works. The JSC guy who told us to get to our duty stations returned to say that JSC was closing down - planes were being grounded and fear that some were heading toward Washington. Or boss took the podium and offered a choice; remain in Houston until flights resumed or take our rentals and drive home. A call to the rental agency confirmed we could do this (with the appropriate rate increases), so we decided to drive home. Within an hour we were checked out of the hotel, with four of us heading east on I-10. Listening to the radio, we pieced together what had happened and discussed how the world was changed. One colleague remarked, "Look at the sky. Not a contrail in sight. We've never seen a sky without airplanes."

Stay tuned for the rest of this story.

Spacecraft of the Week #4

2009-09-08T05:38:00.007-04:00

Sometimes you find spacecraft in the oddest of locations. Last weeks SOTW, an Apollo boilerplate used as a time capsule, was originally located on a boulevard median in a small city. This weeks' spacecraft is also found on a a city street, but what it's history is remains unclear.

On the corner of Red Bluff Road and San Augustine Avenue in Pasedena, Texas, across from J.D. Parks Elementary School, a Mercury capsule complete with escape tower is mounted on a low pedestal. I don't know whether to list it as a boilerplate or a model. This has an air of authenticity that a fabricated model lacks, unfortunately due to the amount of deterioration that has taken place - a model would have been created to handle the weather. But several other questions arise besides its heritage. Why here? Nearby Johnson Space Center did not begin operations until Gemini IV, well after the completion of the Mercury project. Why is a lamp mounted on top of the escape tower aerospike? Normally, this would be for aircraft and indicate it may have once been mounted on a tall booster.

I last visited this capsule in February of 2005. Even though it was winter, the grounds were maintained and the shrubbery surrounding it was trimmed. Google Maps show it as still in this location, and Street View gives some good views of it. But the mystery remains behind the unique placement in this Houston suburb, and that is why I chose it for the Spacecraft of the Week.

Coca-Cola MMU

2009-09-05T11:51:00.003-04:00

The Coca-Cola Space Science Center is a gem of a space museum. Sitting on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in historic downtown Colombus, Georgia, the center houses a digital planetarium, observatory, and Challenger Center along with a small exhibit area. There you will find a full scale front section of a space shuttle orbiter, an Apollo capsule model, and this Manned Maneuvering Unit, all created by WonderWorks. Today I posted images of the MMU, displayed in a glass case by the front desk. Although reminiscent of the untethered EVA by astronaut Bruce McCandless in 1984, the MMU is labeled "#4", although only 3 were built. The exhibit area is free, and well worth a visit.

Go for Orion

2009-09-02T14:32:00.004-04:00

The new Orion spacecraft has just completed its preliminary design review, or PDR. This follows over 300 technical reviews, 100 peer reviews and 18 subsystem design reviews. The PDR is an important step in the development of the new spacecraft, verifying engineering reliability and safety, and is needed before manufacturing begins. Though an important step, waiting on this has not stopped NASA from the testing of subsystems, including the Launch Escape System. The Pad Abort 1 test boilerplate is in New Mexico waiting for it's upcoming test at the White Sands Missile Range. It will be launched by the power of the LES rockets in the same manner as was done with Apollo capsules in the 60's. I'll be watching to see what happens to this Orion test article. It may be tough to keep track of all the test articles, boilerplates and models to come in the next few years, but that is my goal to keep the Field Guide the most complete guide to American spacecraft on the internet!

Intrepid Duo

2009-09-01T21:05:00.006-04:00

Updated pictures of the model capsule on the Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum provided by my buddy Scott Norman of the Coca-Cola Space Science Center. The Intrepid was part of the recovery of Aurora 7 in 1962 and Gemini 3 in 1965. These missions are commemorated on the Intrepid by these two models. The Gemini is displayed in a flotation collar suspended from a crane as if it were being recovered. Also on board is a sit-in Gemini (to be posted later). At one time I also had listed a full size Gemini model with retro and instrument sections, and a model of the Lunar Module Intrepid. I don't know if these were there and removed, if they are still theresomewhere (in storage, maybe) or my initial source was wrong. Someday, I'll get to New York and check it for myself.

Spacecraft of the Week #3

2009-08-31T12:05:00.004-04:00

Apollo Boilerplate #1227 was one of many built by NASA to give to Navy and allied ships to train crews in the recovery of a wayward capsule. In an emergency, the Apollo spacecraft could be brought home earlier, even on land (though very hard on the astronauts!) and NASA wanted friendly help available, wherever it may be. Crews needed to be adept at stabilizing the capsule with a floatation collar, extracting the astronauts, and hauling the capsule on board. In 1970, BP-1127 was being used for training by a UK naval vessel when it became lost at sea. The circumstances surrounding this loss are unclear: bad weather and choppy seas, or perhaps a Soviet spy ship disguised as a fishing trawler grabbed it. Whatever the case, BP-1227 wound up in Soviet hands. Spy wise it had little value as the only thing inside these boilerplates was some ballast, and the size and shape were well known and available from many sources. Perhaps that is why the Soviets were amenable to it's return to the US. On September 8, 1970, the US Coast Guard icebreaker Southwind visited Murmansk as a port of call during a six month arctic survey. They were surprised when, with a considerable amount of hoopla, they were presented with the Apollo capsule.

Space Capsule to Time Capsule

The capsule made its way back to the states. Its history at this point is unclear, but not where it wound up. It was turned over the the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and within a few years it found a home in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There (or possibly in NASM hands) it was fitted with a conical nose cone to cover the parachute compartment and give it the iconic Apollo shape. It was filled with memorabilia collected by local high schools and sealed on December 31, 1976 as a Time Capsule to be opened on our nation's Tricentennial on July 4, 2076. It originally sat in the median of a boulevard in downtown Grand Rapids, but has since moved to a logical and more accessible display area in front of the Public Museum of Grand Rapids. There, it welcomes visitors to the museum and the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium. At least for another 67 years.

Rover Swap

2009-08-28T16:29:00.002-04:00

Allan Needel of the National Air and Space Museum helped to clarify some of the rover locations in the Field Guide. Four lunar roving vehicles were built by Boeing in 1970 - 1971, three of which made it to the moon. The remaining rover was turned over to the Smithsonian, as well as a qualification test unit. Rover #4 was displayed in several places. At the Henry Ford Museum, the rover was displayed with a Quadrocycle, Ford's first automobile. It was subsequently found in the queue area at Epcot's Mission:Space attraction. In January of 2009 it was replaced with a Guard-Lee model and returned to the NASM. A new exhibit featuring the art of Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean is currently graced by the rover.

Space Harley

2009-08-26T14:40:00.004-04:00

A new section titled 'Other Spacecraft' has been posted to the Field Guide. This section will highlight space vehicles that do not fit into other categories. Among them is the Manned Maneuvering Unit used by space shuttle astronauts during extravehicular activity. The MMU was used on three shuttle missions in 1984 - STS-41B, STS-41C and STS-51A. On all three flights MMU #3, pictured at right hanging in the Udvar-Hazy Center, was lofted to provide astronauts an untethered access to work in space. This freedom of flight can be compared to riding a motorcycle, where the sole rider is openly exposed to the environment. While still protected by the EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit or spacesuit), the astronaut is free to travel through space under their own power. While its first two flight helped shake down the MMU, it proved its worth with the capture of two wayward satellites during STS-51A.

Only three MMUs were made by Lockheed-Martin, and only one was flown. MMU #2 is at the US Space and Rocket Center, while #1 has been reported at Johnson Space Center (if anyone has any info on this, please pass it on!). Several models are found at various museums, and it has been used as a space simulator in many interactive displays. It was also featured in a Discovery Channel commercial:

And this commercial always reminded me of a print I own from artist Kim Poor titled "Attitude Hold".

Spacecraft of the Week #2

2009-08-24T12:47:00.004-04:00

This week's spacecraft is one of the reasons the Field Guide exists. As an education specialist at Kennedy Space Center I often conducted facility briefings (tours) of KSC and the neighboring Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Cape is home to the Air Force Space and Missile Museum on the site where Explorer 1 was launched to orbit back in 1958. In the Exhibit Building there is found this week's entry. Gemini 2 was a favorite of those I toured, often stating, "I never knew about that". It made me wonder where other spacecraft were, and I began my list. That list ultimately grew into A Field Guide to American Spacecraft.

Gemini 2 is unique for several reasons. Although it's mission was not one that launched men into space, it is truly one of a kind. Originally launched by NASA in 1965, it flew a suborbital trajectory intended to test the heat shield and the spacecrafts recoverability. After tests, it was given to the Air Force for testing for the Manned Orbital Laboratory program. It was launched a second time in 1966, making it the first spacecraft launched twice to space (while the x-15s made multiple trips, they flew their missions, but let us not split hairs!). As part of a military launch, the standard American flag and "UNITED STATES" was removed to be replaced by the words "US AIR FORCE" and the star and bars representing that service. Again, it's mission was to test the heat shield, but this time the shield had a hatch cut into it. Ultimately, this hatch would allow Air Force astronauts to traverse from the capsule to the orbital lab behind them without donning a space suit. Though the hatch worked, the MOL program was cut due to budget constraints and the increasing capabilities of unmanned spy satellites.

These three things - the first relaunched man rated spacecraft, the first (and only) spacecraft launched with military markings, and the first (and only) launched with a hatch in the heat shield - make Gemini 2 a unique artifact of space history.

The Moonliner

2009-08-19T12:36:00.004-04:00

If you look in the Miscellaneous section of the Field Guide you will see a couple of Disney items. I'll talk about Mission to Mars, I mean, Mission Space later. Today I want to express my infatuation with the Moonliner. This iconic spaceship, bridging the public meme from the V-2s of WWII to the boosters that would take us to the moon, was the centerpiece for Disneyland's original Tomorrowland, giving park visitors a glimpse of the future of 1985. Anchoring the 'Rocket to the Moon' attraction, at 79' foot tall (one foot taller would require red warning lights on the nose) it was just a wee short of the Mercury-Redstone that would 6 years later launch America's first astronauts. Sponsored by Howard Hughes' TWA, it was a staple in advertisements of the airlines modern fleet of aircraft. The attraction itself offered guests a chance to circumnavigate the moon, 'feeling' the forces of flight from increased g at liftoff to reduced gravity of orbit.

The Moonliner displayed was itself a model, as the actual vehicle was said to reach 240 feet, taller than the Saturn 1B. It was powered by an atomic engine, and provided single stage to lunar orbit capabilities. Its three massive legs, whose curves are said to be reminiscent of TWA's Constellation aircraft, would retract for flight and extend back for a pin-point landing.

The original Moonliner was removed in 1966 to make way for the 'New' Tomorrowland. IN 1998 it returned, although at 52 feet only 2/3rds the height of the original. TWA is no longer with us, so this Moonliner is sponsored by Coca-Cola, and rises above a soft drink kiosk. Although there is no longer an attraction to go with it, every visitor knows what is is. A rocket, THE rocket, that has inspired many to imagine trips beyond the atmosphere.

Delta II Launch Spectacular

2009-08-18T10:30:00.004-04:00

This was the view of the final Air Force Delta II launch from Jetty Park in Cape Canaveral, FL. I was not there: I was watching from my front porch but did not think of taking a picture, as I had no idea just how spectacular this launch would be.

I awoke just before sunrise and opened my computer for my morning cyber-ritual, when I heard the sound and felt the rattle that means only one thing - a rocket launch. I went outside to see the contrail rising behind sparse clouds, just in time to see the color change. The rocket arced its way into orbit for a successful launch. Many friends in Orlando, however had the impression the rocket exploded. Here's why:

The Delta launched just before dawn, still in darkness. As it rose, it's contrail was illuminated only by the fire from it's engines. But as it climbed, it reached the sunlight spilling over the horizon from the rising sun, filtered into the ruddy glow we see at sunrise and sunset. At the same time, upper level winds at that altitude distorted the shape of the contrail. From the angle and distance of Orlando, this appeared at the height of the arc the rocket took as it followed the curvature of the Earth away from the Cape. The rocket was then flying in direct sunlight, brightly illuminating the contrail into a white streak. Observers who watched further would have seen the rocket reaching higher more rarified altitudes and see the contrail begin to expand in the thinning atmosphere. Here is a launch from Vandenberg on the west coast during sunset that shows the same phenomena:

(Somewhere I have picture I took like this - I'll substitute it if I can find it).

So, really just a typical Delta launch. The timing at sunset gave us a beautiful display, with the thin crescent Moon and Venus hanging in the morning sky. What a way to start a morning!

Spacecraft of the Week #1

2009-08-17T14:03:00.005-04:00

This week's inaugural entry for Spacecraft of the Week is the Apollo 6 capsule on display at the Fernbank Science Center in Atlanta, GA. This Block 1 capsule was launched on the second Saturn V launch in April 1968. Its successful return to Earth paved the way for the men of Apollo 7 to journey to orbit in their Block 2 capsule.

But this blog is not just about spacecraft. It is also about the places that display them. And Fernbank was a very important part of my childhood. We moved to Atlanta suburb Decatur in 1967 after living a few years in the LA area. There, my dad and I had monthly dates to journey up the mountain to the Griffith Park Planetarium for their star show. I was depressed that Atlanta had no such facility where dad and I could resume our dates, me to learn more about the wonders of space, and he to nap after a hard days work (that's OK dad!).

Shortly after we moved, I discovered just 6 blocks

from home Fernbank, at the time an

excavated foundation for the coming science center. I learned it would house the largest public telescope in the southeast. And it would be home for the third largest planetarium in the country with a brand new Mark V Zeiss projector. I visited the construction site often, watching the walls and dome go up. I trespassed into the planetarium dome imagining what was to come. I wrote my name on the metal roof before the insulation was blown on. And after it opened, I no longer needed to wait for dad to come home (though we still had many visits together there), as I could go there after school. I knew the astronomers and the planetarium operators, and they knew me. It was my own little slice of heaven (figuratively and literally) for a year and a half. Then we moved to the Chicago suburbs, and the Adler became my and my dads monthly get together. I had, though, already been set on a course that would lead me back to Fernbank one day.

Years later, as a NASA education specialist, it was my joy to work in the Fernbank Science center, with its wonderful facilities and staff, teaching educators and students about the things that inspired me there long ago.

LM Updates

2009-08-16T17:05:00.003-04:00

Steven Brower is an artist who, in the last ten years, has constructed two full scale replicas of the Lunar Module ascent stage. The first was placed on exhibit in Italy as part of an art display on the theme "Vacuum". The second, after being displayed in some outdoor locations in New York, eventually found a home at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA. Not too many individuals have tried to build full sized spacecraft, so Brower should be commended. And, for doing a great job, he should be applauded.

Name that Apollo!

2009-08-14T13:09:00.012-04:00

I solicited images of the spacecraft displayed at JSC before Space Center Houston opened, and received several replies. Among them was Jonathan Ward description and pictures of his father's VIP visit to both JSC and KSC in June of 1969. Among his many pictures was this one of an Apollo spacecraft on display.

Ward writes, "Unfortunately, the number on the side of the vehicle is turned away from us, so I am not sure which one it is. Since there is so much of the Kapton foil still

attached to the CM (i.e., not burned away from the heat of re-entry from return from a Moon trip), I assume that it was from an Earth-orbital mission, either one of the unmanned flights or Apollo 7." This

presented itself as a challenge to me, as I'd like to place this in the Field Guide, but as which

spacecraft?

Here are things we know:

1) It is a flown capsule (apparent)

2) It flew before June 1969 (Ward's description)

3) It is a Block 2 spacecraft (most visible, the side by side forward RCS thrusters above the hatch) and therefore a manned flight

This leads us to Apollo 7, 8, 9 or 10. Only Apollo 7 and 9 remained in Earth orbit (a good hypothesis by Ward to account for the foil thermal tape). So, let's compare these, with Apollo 8 and 10 thrown in for comparison.

OK, now this can get tough. But there is a distinct area on each spacecraft that could aid us in identification of our unknown. It is the burned area to the right of the hatch around the reaction control thrusters. Here are close-ups of each of these areas with our unknown.

Apollo 7

Apollo 8

Apollo 9

Apollo 10

Unknown

I believe the pattern in the unknown most closely resembles that of Apollo 9. There are also some correlations in the patterns of the foil tape, although there appears to have been a cleaning and possibly some tape removed before it was placed on display. Pictures of Apollo 9 at the Michigan Air & Space Center show very little difference to the display at San Diego, so any cleaning was done before hand.

You may also note that in the unknown picture the outer window frames are removed. Of the four, only Apollo 9 shows signs the attachment screws were accessed . With these clues in place, I believe we can call this unknown Apollo on display at JSC in 1969 the Apollo 9, returned to Earth earlier that year on March 13.

Why the moon?

2009-08-14T05:03:00.004-04:00

Almost every long trip we've made in the car started by first going to the local quick stop to fuel up, clean windows, get snacks, and make sure we had everything before the long journey. The moon is Earth's quick stop. Anything we need for the moon we will need on Mars, and asteroid or or another moon. It makes sense to do the planning and testing just a couple days out than to just set off and hope for the best. I love the idea of Mars Direct but can't see a future in space without a vibrant moonbase. Rather than competing for the same dollars, we should all work to get new dollars from private industry and investors.

Time Capsules

2009-08-13T21:14:00.005-04:00

Before Space Center Houston, a museum existed in the lobby area of JSC Building 2 and behind the auditorium. Although the space was limited the collection was noteworthy, with a flown example of each of NASA's manned programs including a Lunar Module and Rover. Visitors could just drive onto the center, park, visit the museum, and even take a walking tour of JSC. That all changed with the opening of Space Center Houston. I have updated the Gemini V and Faith 7 pages with pictures of the old display, provided by Lawrence Baldwin and David Temple. More to follow.

Rover over

2009-08-12T11:33:00.005-04:00

Had a couple questions about the rover on display at Epcot's Mission:Space attraction, so I contacted Tom Wilkes at Guard-Lee who set me right. When the attraction opened on October 9, 2003, the rover on display was an authentic artifact on loan from the Smithsonian (possibly a vibration test unit). This last January, it was swapped out for a model built by the Apopka, Florida firm Guard-Lee who has made spacecraft models/props from the full sized Explorer orbiter at KSC Visitor Complex to the capsules on HBO's 'From the Earth to the Moon' (which was filmed incidentally at the former Disney/MGM Studios). So the one at Epcot is a model owned by Disney to keep as long as they desire. Although it is a model, it is closer in appearance to the actual rovers used by Apollo astronauts on the moon.

Lunar Rovers on Earth

2009-08-11T19:24:00.003-04:00

I'm finishing up a big puzzle in the Lunar Rover section. It has been a little difficult to identify some of the rovers on display. According to NASA, "four lunar rovers were built, one each for Apollos 15, 16, qnd 17, and one that was used for spare parts after the cancellation of further Apollo missions. There were other LRV models built: a static model to assist with human factors design, an engineering model to design and integrate the subsystems, two 1/6 gravity models for testing the deployment mechanism, a 1-gravity trainer to give the astronauts instruction in the operation of the rover and allow them to practice driving it, a mass model to test the effect of the rover on the LM structure, balance and handling, a vibration test unit to study the LRV's durability and handling of launch stresses, and a qualification test unit to study integration of all LRV subsystems." The Air & Space Museum lists four LRVs in it's collection. So here is what I've puzzled out:

Model: Location:

LRV-1 Apollo 15, Moon

LRV-2 Apollo 16, Moon

LRV-3 Apollo 17, Moon

LRV-4 Ford Museum, Greenfield, MI

Static ?

Engineering ?

1/6 gravity 1 ?

1/6 gravity 2 ?

1-G trainer Space Center Houston, TX

Mass ?

Vibration US Space and Rocket Center, AL

Qualification NASM, DC

A couple still to puzzle out: Epcot's Mission: Space (said to be on loan from the Smithsonian, although all four on their manifest are accounted for) and at the Museum of Flight (from Boeing). I don't believe they are 1/6 gravity models, but could be one of the static, engineering or mass models. More postings as new data is uncovered!

Orion PORT Trainer Cross Country Trek

2009-08-11T07:27:00.004-04:00

The Post-landing Orion Recovery Test trainer is on it's way across the southern US from KSC to JSC. It stopped yesterday at the Challenger Center in Tallahassee, FL, with a planned visit today to the Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Fla., from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT. The remainder of the trainer's itinerary places it at these locations:

-- StenniSphere, NASA's Stennis Space Center, Miss., Wed., Aug. 12, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CDT.
-- Museum of Natural Science, Jackson, Miss., Aug. 13, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. CDT
-- NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, Aug. 14, 3 p.m. CDT through Aug. 17, approximately 9 a.m. CDT

Be sure to stop by if you are close to one of these sites. And send me a picture or two!

Grissom's Gemini

2009-08-10T22:01:00.004-04:00

Updates were made to the Gemini 3 page. The Molly Brown, which was formerly suspended from the ceiling of the museum at Spring Mill State Park. Is now in a protective case on the main level. The case, designed and built by the good folks at the Cosmosphere, is similar to the ones built for Gemini IV and Gemini XII. These cases provide a much better environment than those encased in plastic, and are safer for the spacecraft than displaying it in the open. While it may prevent a more intimate experience it is important that these historic craft are preserved. Thanks to Fred Karst for the images of the Molly Brown.