85 ton man-operated 'Beetle' built for AFSWC to tend nuclear-powered rockets

was this really built ... or is this just a mock up or artist view ?

and while we are on the subject of nuclear maintainence vehicles ... i am on the search for information on the manipulator vehicle (object 805) used / designed for the Generator-S radiological warheads for the soviet R-5 missile

http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/r5.htm
 
Was this vehicle built to tend NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications) powered rockets?

The 85-ton "Beetle" was built by General Electric to work in "hot" environments. Man is stationed inside lead-shielded cab and operates 16-foot arms. Beetle can rise up to 25 feet from ground and rotate in a complete circle.
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http://www.vintagecomputer.net/robots.cfm
 

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Last picture in Triton's post: Talk about "too hot to handle"..... ;D

Regards & all,

Thomas L. Nielsen
Denmark
 
does anyone have an idea what the "gun" on top of the cab is supposed to be?

water spray for decontamination?
 
Maybe this helps ?
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0402748
Many greetings
 
Revised link for the document moin1900 found: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/402748.pdf
 
original.jpg

http://kotaku.com/5556757/the-real-metal-gear​


ku-xlarge.jpg
 
Triton said:
Was this vehicle built to tend NERVA (Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Applications) powered rockets?

The 85-ton "Beetle" was built by General Electric to work in "hot" environments. Man is stationed inside lead-shielded cab and operates 16-foot arms. Beetle can rise up to 25 feet from ground and rotate in a complete circle.
Click to expand...
http://www.vintagecomputer.net/robots.cfm
Click to expand...
Looks more like Leader’s Murder Module
 
some information
Built by Jered Industries in Detroit for General Electric's Nuclear Materials and Propulsion Operation division,
The Beetle was designed for the Air Force Special Weapons Centre, initially to service and maintain a planned fleet of atomic-powered Air Force bombers. According to declassified Air Force reports, work began on the 'Beetle' in 1959, and it was completed in 1961.
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Source
cyberneticzoo.com

1958-62 - "Beetle" Mobile Manipulator - G.E. Corp. (American) - cyberneticzoo.com

1958-62 - "Beetle" Mobile Manipulator, a self-propelled 85-ton robot designed for nuclear weapons research work. It has 16-foot arms controlled by a man.
cyberneticzoo.com
 
The attached PDF excerpt from a 1962 Project Nerva report provides some information, mostly illustrations, for the Beetle.
There is a 1966 GE report "Remote Handling of Nuclear Systems", available in Google Books, that provides detailed information on the infrastructure and tools developed for the atomic-powered airplane project. Beetle info is on pages 267-284.
Remote Handling of Nuclear Systems

P.S. I don't think this topic belongs under Secret Missile, Bomb and Gun Projects.
 

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Dilandu said:
billybob said:
The British 2000AD sci fi comic took a shine to the design too
Click to expand...
The most ironic is, that Beetle probably could examine human relatively safe for them, with its high accuracy of movement)
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True. But it would scare the crap out it’s patients! Hey we fixed the problem but the patient died of a massive heart attack!
 
In the movie "Fantastic Voyage" there was a "precision handling cart" of some kind...likely a prop---but I could see something designed to handle warheads that may have been an inspiration.
 

POPULAR SCIENCE
JUNE 1958
PAGE 103
-"NUCLEAR GREASE MONKEY"
Wheeled BEETLE

AIR UNIVERSITY QUARTERLY REVIEW
FALL AND WINTER 1959
PAGE 187
GROUND SUPPORT FOR NUCLEAR AIRCRAFT
-SHIELDED-CAB CRASH-RESCUE VEHICLE
(M51 ARV "MASHER")


https://flic.kr/p/2oQWjsN
View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/x-ray_delta_one/53062331402


https://flic.kr/p/gfq3xs
View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rocbolt/10008473704



AVIATION WEEK, MARCH 18, 1957
PAGE 27-28
-General Electric Shielded Vehicle
Early Concept Drawing
 

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