March 1978
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CONTENTS
March 1978
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CNews
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Washington, D.C. 20546
AC 202 755-8370
For Release:
David Garrett
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. IMMEDIATE
(Phone: 202/755-3090)
Amos Crisp
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
(Phone: 205/453-0034)
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-- t h e o r b i t e r , e x t e r n a l t a n k and s o l i d r o c k e t b o o s t e r s --
w i l l be t r a n s p o r t e d from C a l i f o r n i a , L o u i s i a n a , Utah and
and c o n t i n u e f o r s e v e r a l months.
how s t r o n g t h e v e h i c l e i s . E n g i n e e r s a t the M a r s h a l l C e n t e r
a p p l y v i b r a t i o n s t o i t s e x t e r i o r w i t h e x c i t e r s powered by
t o another.
s e v e r e v i b r a t i o n s e x p e c t e d d u r i n g l a u n c h and f l i g h t i n t o o r b i t .
The ground v i b r a t i o n t e s t s w i l l c o n t i n u e t h r o u g h m o s t
of t h e y e a r w i t h p a u s e s o n l y t o change t h e t e s t c o n f i q u r a t i o n
of the Space S h u t t l e vehicle.
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S h u t t l e elements f o r t h e t e s t w i l l a r r i v e during t h e
and h a s performed t o n e a r p e r f e c t i o n i n f l i g h t t e s t s i n
o r b i t e r a l o f t f o r t h e f l i g h t t e s t s f e r r i e d it piggyback t o
t h e Marshall Center.
and o t h e r l o c a t i o n s , t h e s o l i d r o c k e t b o o s t e r s w i l l b e
a r r i v e a t t h e c e n t e r d u r i n g t h e May-July t i m e p e r i o d . The
l a r g e s t S h u t t l e e l e m e n t , t h e e x t e r n a l t a n k , assembled a t
New O r l e a n s , a r r i v e d by b a r g e on t h e Tennessee R i v e r e a r l y
i n March.
For f l i g h t , t h e b o o s t e r s , e x t e r n a l t a n k and o r b i t e r w i l l
s i d e s of t h e t a n k and t h e o r b i t e r i s f a s t e n e d on t o p of t h e
t a n k between t h e b o o s t e r s . The b o o s t e r s p r o v i d e t h r u s t i n g
e n g i n e s , p u l l i n g p r o p e l l a n t s from t h e e x t e r n a l t a n k , b u r n
f o r a b o u t t h e f i r s t e i g h t m i n u t e s of f l i g h t ,
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MATED VERTICAL GROUND VIBRATION TEST MILESTC JES -- 1978
Complete t e s t i n g November
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TEST CONFIGURATIONS
Time
Test Article Test in Simulated
Configuration 1 Condition Mi e e ion LOX Level
(Se conds ) (Gallons)
2. Orbiter, Solid Rocket 2. Solid Rocket T t 125 101,000 Empty SRM segments
Boosters Empty, Booster simulate pre-SRB
External Tank Burnout separation
3. Orbiter, External Tank 3. Boost (Main T t 125 101,000 Mated to sirnulate poet
Engine e only) SRB jettison
2Deionized corrosion inhibited water used to eimulate liquid oxygen. Liquid hydrogen tank will be
pressurized but empty
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B 0
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----.t I TO GATE 8
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ARMY AIR FIELD I
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II MSFC HEADQUARTERS
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TEST STAND
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Under t e s t c o n d i t i o n s , t h e c y l i n d e r s w i l l b e p r e s -
s u r i z e d t o a b o u t 1 0 5 , 4 5 0 qrams/sq c m (-1,509p s i ) and c h a r g e d
w i t h a b o u t 3 , 7 8 5 l i t e r s ( 1 , 0 0 0 g a l l o n s ) of a s p e c i a l t y p e
of o i l . The b e a r i n g s a t o p t h e p i s t o n s create t h e " f l o a t i n g "
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s d e s i r e d f o r t h e tests.
During t h e f i r s t p h a s e of t h e t e s t , t h e hydrodynamic
s t a n d s w i l l n o t b e used. Only t h e o r b i t e r and e x t e r n a l
t a n k w i l l be i n s t a l l e d i n t h e t e s t tower and suspended from
a l a r g e a i r bag system l o c a t e d i n s i d e a crossbeam.
For t h e second t e s t p h a s e , t h e s o l i d r o c k e t b o o s t e r s ,
f i l l e d with i n e r t p r o p e l l a n t s , w i l l be stacked i n s i d e t h e
t e s t f a c i l i t y on t o p of t h e hydrodynamic s t a n d s . Then t h e
e x t e r n a l t a n k w i l l b e a t t a c h e d t o t h e b o o s t e r s , and t h e
o r b i t e r w i l l be mated t o t h e e x t e r n a l t a n k .
The SMTAS w i l l p r o v i d e a u t o m a t i c c o n t r o l of up t o 2 4
p r e s e l e c t e d s h a k e r c h a n n e l s from t h e a v a i l a b l e 3 6 68-kg
(150-lb.) s h a k e r s and 2 0 953.5-kq (1,OOn-Lh.) s h a k e r s which
a r e used t o a p p l y s i m u l t a n e o u s l y p r e c i s e e x c i t a t i o n f o r c e s
a t p r e s e l e c t e d p o i n t s on t h e Space S h u t t l e .
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T e s t Hardware
Orbiter Rockwell I n t e r n a t i o n a l
Space D i v i s i o n
E x t e r n a l Tank M a r t i n M a r i e t t a Corp.
S o l i d Rocket B o o s t e r s M a r s h a l l Space F l i q h t C e n t e r
O r b i t e r Support
Preparation f o r T e s t Rockwell I n t e r n a t i o n a l
E x t e r n a l Tank S u m o r t
Ground T r a n s p o r t a t i o n M a r s h a l l Space F l i g h t C e n t e r /
M a r t i n M a r i e t t a Corp.
Preparation f o r T e s t M a r t i n M a r i e t t a Corp.
S o l i d Rocket R o o s t e r S u p p o r t
Ground T r a n s p o r t a t i o n M a r s h a l l Space F l i g h t C e n t e r
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