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Aviation History
1960
1960 - 1247.PDF
• WYLOAD VOLUME 53 *CU FT HOSE CONE EJECTED IN TWO HALVES ST0» OF FIRST STAGE GROUND CONNECTIONS & TlEASE MECHANISM FLIGHT, 5 August I960 KEROSENE TANK H.T.P.TANK — 185 TUBE THROUGH INNER TANK FOR ELECTRICAL*OTHER SERVICES EXTERNAL FRAME WITH RELEASE MECHANISM & FAIRING ELECTRICAL GROUND CONNECTIONS SECOND STAGE PROBE SEPARATION GROUND CONNECTORS FOR PROPELLANTS AND OTHER SERVICES HIP SHOWN WORKING PLATFORM POSSIBLE EXTENSION TO GAMMA" MOTORS (SMWK DOTTED) FINAL SEPARATION SEPARATION LINE The drawing on the left was prepared by de Havilland Propellers and published in a recent paper read before the Royal Aero- nautical Society by Mr Pardoe. The second stage is the "squashed" Black Knight seen in the illustration opposite in model form, but the basic booster appears to be virtually identical with the Blue Streak LkBM Another possible space vehicle system could be this combination of Blue Streak and second and third stages having cylindrical tankage for HTP and kerosine in tandem, yet shorter and fatter than Black Knight. The dimensions given are approximate, and the key is: A, Rolls-Royce gimbal-mounted chamber; B, skirt fairing; C, external pipe fairing; D, liquid-oxygen tiller pipe; E, liquid-oxygen delivery pipe; F, kerosine fuel housed in cor- rugated tank; G, liquid oxygen housed in pres- surized tank; H, transition section; J, modified Bristol Siddeley Gamma engine; K, HTP tank; L, kerosine tank; M, gas bottles; N, fairing over payload be very suitable for the stowage of something which could be unfolded or inflated to give an enormous visual or radar cross- section. In the field of meteorology, which could also have been discussed under the "scientific" heading, it is probably fair to state that we are on the brink of finding out how the atmosphere really behaves. Without wishing to conjure up mental pictures of crystal balls and seaweed, the fact remains that meteorologists nave in the past been able to do no more than study an existing situation and forecast what is likely to happen on the basis of previous experience. Nobody today knows why a region of high pressure comes into being, nor why it behaves exactly as it does. Already the Tiros has produced remarkable photographs of cloud cover, and tine two-stage British vehicle could undoubtely place in orbit equipment of a more sophisticated kind. It is not entirely iaceuous to suggest that the United Kingdom would be peculiarly able to benefit from a better understanding of why we get the weather we do. Military There has been no official suggestion yet that this country has a military requirement extending into space, but it would be strange if studies on paper were not being made. Unlikea V w spa?e Programme, which could be conducted with very reliable guidance systems based on an autopilot and command h1Ou military launchings would have to be guided by a system wnich could not be interfered with. Even a vehicle launched from woomera and guided by command signals might be jammed by a lurking submarine, and at present all-inertial guidance would appear to be mandatory. Most kinds of military space mission could be handled by the combination here considered, and Britain would appear to be likely to devote particular attention to defen- sive systems, including early warning against ballistic missiles and reconnaissance by photographic radar and infra-red techniques. It is appropriate in discussing such missions to observe that the Bristol Siddeley Gamma engine should be quite capable of being started in outer space; there should be few ignition problems and, to an outside observer, it seems that the only faaor to worry about is how to keep the liquids on the floor of the tanks. Looking Ahead The stipulated payload of around 2,0001b means that the British vehicle could undoubtedly place a man in a low Earth orbit. Such an exercise would not be undertaken until all of the hardware involved had been thoroughly proven, but it might be accomplished by about 1964. Much earlier, the Blue Streak and modified Black Knight could place a small payload on the face of the Moon. By "small" we mean appreciably more than a Union Jack, and probably something measured in tens of pounds. It is not proposed here to dwell on the subject of costs. Suffice to say that from the technological viewpoint there is no barrier at all to the accomplishment by the British Commonwealth—com- pletely independent of other countries, if need be—of all the missions outlined above. But if we decide to stay in the atmosphere we shall very soon cease to have this ability.
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