Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!rutgers!mcdchg!illusion!marcus From: marcus@illusion.uucp (Marcus Hall) Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle Subject: Re: Atlas (was Re: For All Mankind) Message-ID: <1990Oct11.204633.2565@illusion.uucp> Date: 11 Oct 90 20:46:33 GMT References: <15953@wpi.WPI.EDU> <1096@tsdiag.ccur.com> <5633@mace.cc.purdue.edu> <1990Sep28.151756.3973@infonode.ingr.com> <1990Sep29.233359.6067@zoo.toronto.edu> Reply-To: marcus@illusion.UUCP (Marcus Hall) Organization: Magic Numbers Software, Bloomingdale, IL Lines: 24 In article Mike.McManus@FtCollins.NCR.com (Mike McManus) writes: >If I recall correctly, several years ago (8-10?), there was an Atlas on display >at the USAF Museum in Dayton that had a pressurization system that was used to >maintain it's "posture". At some point, the system failed, and the whole thing >collapsed like a paper cup. I can remember seeing the picture on the front >page of the Dayton Daily News, and having seen the rocket at the museum before >the mishap. Several years ago I was at the Space and Rocket Center in Alabama. There is an old Atlas there, laying out by the Saturn V, mounted in it's trailer/trans- porter/whatever. The first day, I noticed that part of the upper tankage was dented in. At the time, I was thinking that it was a shame that most of the rocket was in such good shape except for this (major) flaw. (The dent was several feet long, about 9 inches across, and max about 3-4 inches deep.) On the next day, I saw some technicians out re-pressurizing the tank (with nitrogen I believe) and the "dent" popped back out. It was no longer noticable. I hope that this doesn't happen too often since I would guess that the thin aluminum will eventually tear, but this was a very good illustration of just how thin the skin really is. Marcus Hall