Apollo Leader Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 I spelled it r-o-c-k-e-t this time. http://www.civilianspace.com/ After sitting in Bruce's driveway buried under snow for the past month, the recently recovered bottom section of the CSXT rocket was brought to our meeting last night, and I was there! It will be going up to Ky Michaelson's home in the Minneapolis area later this week where it will be reunited with the payload section which was found a day after its historic flight into space last May (the booster section - motor and propellant, fin canister, etc. - wasn't discovered until months later since it didn't have a transmitting signal). The talk is that a year or two down the road, the CSXT, in its current condition or maybe a little touched up, might go on display at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in DC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 A close up of the top end of the CSXT... yes this is the top end! What happened was that on its way back to earth, the parachute completely failed (probably 40+ miles up from its 77 mile apogee). It probably augered straight in at some point and hit the rocky, mountain terrain at 400+ MPH. The first several feet were obliterated on impact. The impact was strong enough to cause the screws holding the fin canister to the bottom of the airframe to fail, causing the fin can to shott forward resulting in it being pretty damage and ending up on the other end of the rocket making it look like it is on in reverse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 The rear end of the CSXT. You can tell where the fin can was originally mounted where there is bare aluminum at the end and no faded decals or paint job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 The Go Fast! artwork which was decaled onto the rocket was the result of scanning the labels from some cans or bottles of Go Fast! energy drink... even the UPC ended up on the rocket artwork! Of course all the fading was the result of the high temperatures resulting from Mach 5+ flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 (edited) Closeup of some more of the artwork. Edited February 3, 2005 by Apollo Leader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 A good shot of the entire vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 Here I was back in July with the payload section and nose cone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 And here it was in complete form, ready for its historic flight last May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeo-mare Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 very neat great find chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted February 15, 2005 Author Share Posted February 15, 2005 Bump! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kin Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 lol weapon of mass disstruction muhahahahh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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