50 Years Ago: First Steps toward a Space Shuttle

 

Famous MoonWalker with X-15 in 1962.

By Mark Daymont

Space Center Educator

 

You may or may not recognize the famous pilot in the picture above. But you certainly would recognize his name. Fifty years ago, NASA and the US Air Force were conducting tests with various test craft that would eventually help us build the Space Shuttle. One of those programs was certainly the X-15. In the picture above, Neil Armstrong stands near the nose of one of the three X-15 test rocket planes. At this point, Armstrong had not yet left the X-15 program to train for being an astronaut, yet he had already flown missions to the edge of our atmosphere.

 

 

X-20 DynaSoar mock-up. Credit: Boeing

Beside the X-15, the US Air Force was also working on a potential spacecraft that would glide back to Earth. Designated the X-20 DynaSoar, it would be boosted into space on a rocket, orbit the Earth, dock with a planned orbital space station, then re-enter the atmosphere and glide to a runway landing. Sound familiar? Many of the studies done preparing this spacecraft would be studied by engineers who later designed the Space Shuttle. But in 1962, it was just being developed.

 

 

Conceptual art of DynaSoar on Titan booster.

The Titan rocket figured prominently in the studies. Engineers were already preparing to advance from the Atlas rocket to the Titan when NASA would shift from the single-seat Mercury capsule to the double-occupant Gemini capsule. Fifty years ago in June, the USAF was testing how to add power to the Titan by strapping solid-rocket motors to the main body.

 

 

Computer art of DynaSoar testing. Credit: DeepCold. Learn more about the DynaSoar program as it could have been by visiting http://www.deepcold.com/

In June of 1962, Neil Armstrong was reported to be preparing for the DynaSoar missions. Flying an Air Force F-5 fighter jet, he was practice runway landings using data given to him by the DynaSoar engineers. But DynaSoar was not a lasting project for Neil. In the summer of 1962, he was selected with 8 other test pilots as "the New Nine", the second group of astronauts to work in NASA.

 

Northrop YF-5, prototype test aircraft.

 

F-5 control panel.

Pegasus takes NuSTAR to orbit

 

Nose of the Pegasus rocket, with bulbous arm on top. Viewed from the carrier aircraft, the arm holds the rocket in place underneath the fuselage.

At about 10:00 am MDT this morning, NASA's NuSTAR satellite was dropped suddenly from the belly of an L1011 wide-bodied jet. Moments later the Pegasus XL rocket motor ignited, and the rocket soared up into the dark sky.

Ten a.m.? Dark sky? Well, this launch was not your typical launch. The rocket was lifted up from the Kwajalein Island runway in the pacific, while it was still dark in the early morning hours. Operations were broadcast on NASATV on UStream. The operation was managed by Orbital Sciences Corporation. Like SpaceX, Orbital is a private company making its way into space with innovative new technologies. This is not the first flight of the Pegasus, but it's use to place the NuSTAR into orbit is making news this morning.

Computer rendering of Pegasus lifting towards space.

The Lockheed L-1011 jet, designated Stargazer, lifted off about an hour before fropping the rocket. After a fall of about 5 seconds, the Pegasus blasted off toward orbit. Thirteen minutes later the NuSTAR satellite separated. NASA's TDRS tracking system soon was receiving signals from the spacecraft. Engineers will check out the systems for a week before sending the signal for the equipment to deploy.

Computer image of NuSTAR deployed.

NuSTAR is an unusual-looking spacecraft. It houses a special high-energy X-Ray telescope. When the command is given, the lens section will extend on a framework out to 10 meters. NuSTAR will discover and explore black holes, as well as galaxy clusters and super-dense dead stars. Mission control for the NuSTAR operation will be located at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Mission Control screen during launch. The Pegasus is boosting the NuSTAR, 

at the very left lower corner.

By Mark Daymont

Space Center Educator

Camp Survey Results, and Other Things.

From the Institute of Incomplete Surveys

Hello Troops,
The results are in from EdVenture Camp 1.

Lord of the Votes:  Bracken
SubLord of the Votes:  Bradyn L.

Overall:
Voyager: 1.09
Odyssey:  1.13
Phoenix:  1.20
Galileo:  1.28

Magellan:  1.08

Come Back:  1.07
Class Session:  1.50
Bonus:  9.11

Lagoon:  1.29
Movies:  1.00
Mall:  1.07
Water Park:  1.17

Congratulations to the Magellan!  Magellan takes the first camp.  Great Job Zac, Mark, Nicole, Tanner, Jackie, Scott, Tim, James M., Aliah, Mark S., Matt M., Marissa and Dakota. 

The following was written by Aleta Clegg and taken from her Blog.  Aleta is our curriculum writer, Digitarium Director, Office Assistant, Summer Cook etc., etc.,
Oh, I almost forgot - Ultimate Queen of the Galaxy!

She is also a published author.  

I have a new title at work

My day job (www.spacecamputah.org) is interesting, in all sorts of ways. I never quite know what to expect from day to day. The other week, I had a girl give me a new title.

I had a planetarium show scheduled for the evening, a local youth group wanted to learn more about the night sky. One of the girls was an avid Dr. Who fan. She was so excited to be at a place that celebrated science fiction, even if it was a different universe. Until we got to the planetarium.

Our planetarium is a portable system from Digitalis. (They make the Stellarium software package. If you ever wanted to learn constellations or find out what's in the sky when, this is an excellent program. Plus, it's FREE. And no, they didn't pay me to endorse it for them.) The inflatable dome is dark blue, almost an exact color match to Dr. Who's tardis. She had to point it out to me. So I, being a big Dr. Who fan myself, told her it was bigger inside than outside. Not really, but since we have the entire universe inside, it does look bigger inside than out.

Once we were inside and seated, I launched into my spiel about how we can time travel and where they should look to see what time and date we were at. This girl couldn't contain herself. She blurted out, "You're a Time Lord!"

I love it. I'm going to print that on all my business cards. I'm a Time Lord. I can take you anywhere in time and/or space in my tardis. Oh, yeah, work is sweet.

(I'm also Ultimate Queen of the Galaxy. My boss officially gave me the title because titles cost nothing and it doesn't change my job description.)

Aleta Clegg


And Now, From the Imaginarium.....

 Standing Alone for Right.  

This is how change happens.

The Enterprise, your Grandfather's Ship.

You wouldn't find a USS Voyager crew doing this on a Friday Night.