New airdrop record. A 77,000lb. . .what?

[Hanse]

Given the platform and the company's logo on the item being dropped I'd assumed it would be a missile-defense target of some sort. But 77,000lbs? Anybody recall what the weight of the air-launched Minuteman was? Then there's the shape. It doesn't really look like a air-launched ballistic missile with that stumpy base and nose-down attitude. At first I was thinking a MOP-sized Durandal but maybe it's just a generic shape? ???

Hires

http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100421-F-3438T-104.jpg
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100421-F-3438T-103.jpg

 

[Byeman]

Given the platform and the company's logo on the item being dropped I'd assumed it would be a missile-defense target of some sort. But 77,000lbs? Anybody recall what the weight of the air-launched Minuteman was? Then there's the shape. It doesn't really look like a air-launched ballistic missile with that stumpy base and nose-down attitude. At first I was thinking a MOP-sized Durandal but maybe it's just a generic shape? ???

It is a parachute test, with the item just being a test weight. The chute is for Ares I SRB recovery.

As for company's logo's, NASA and USA would not be associated with missile-defense target, air-launched ballistic missile or a MOP-sized Durandal.

 

[Hanse]

Given the platform and the company's logo on the item being dropped I'd assumed it would be a missile-defense target of some sort. But 77,000lbs? Anybody recall what the weight of the air-launched Minuteman was? Then there's the shape. It doesn't really look like a air-launched ballistic missile with that stumpy base and nose-down attitude. At first I was thinking a MOP-sized Durandal but maybe it's just a generic shape? ???

It is a parachute test, with the item just being a test weight. The chute is for Ares I SRB recovery.

As for company's logo's, NASA and USA would not be associated with missile-defense target, air-launched ballistic missile or a MOP-sized Durandal.

I just noticed the L-3/Coleman. didn't really look that close. :-[ So why would they need a new chute? Longer/heavier casing?

 

[Orionblamblam]

So why would they need a new chute? Longer/heavier casing?

A few things:
1) The ares I motor is five segment, not four... with other mods, it weighs a lot more.
2) With the added length, it's more susceptible to snapping in half on impact.

Put these two together, and you have a need for new, bigger chutes. Plus:
3) the existing chutes are old nylon. Ares I would use all-new chutes, possibly made out of Spectra. Anything new requires aqppropriate testing.

 

[Hanse]

It's a bit depressing. Between this and the Ares I "it was cheaper to launch it than throw it in the garbage" launch it's like they're teasing us. "See what we cancelled for you?"

 

[Orionblamblam]

It's a bit depressing. Between this and the Ares I "it was cheaper to launch it than throw it in the garbage" launch it's like they're teasing us. "See what we cancelled for you?"

Welcome to the last forty years.

 

[Hanse]

Tell me about it. Seems like they've ratcheted up the effort lately though.

 

[quellish]

Anything new requires aqppropriate testing.

LIES!

 

[bobbymike]

Some news from the Air Force Association

C-17 Sets Payload Extraction Record: The 418th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, Calif., on April 14 set a record for the heaviest single payload extracted out of a C-17 during flight, according to an April 21 release. The payload was a 77,000-pound jumbo drop test vehicle. NASA, Alliant Techsystems, and United Launch Alliance are using the JDTV to test the parachutes for a new, recoverable five-motor segment solid rocket booster employed with the Ares I launch vehicle. The new SRB is heavier than that employed with the space shuttle. Ellis Hines, 418th FLTS C-17 Ares project manager, said, "The test is designed to collect data and to see how the parachutes react to different weights." The team plans to test 85,000 pounds next, in 2011, followed by the 90,000-pound test in fall 2011. (Edwards release by Kenji Thuloweit)

 

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Put these two together, and you have a need for new, bigger chutes. Plus:
3) the existing chutes are old nylon. Ares I would use all-new chutes, possibly made out of Spectra. Anything new requires aqppropriate testing.

Silly me, I'd thought the big advantage of Ares was that it re-used lots of STS components/technology, so it wouldn't be necessary to pay for the development of lots of new ones and the program would therefore be affordable ...

Update: My apologies I'm rather off-topic, hit a sore nerve - I'll go and calm down

 

[Grey Havoc]

Thought this might fit in here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSUmn7PMPM0

Uploaded on Mar 19, 2009

Dropping a couple of heavies out the back of a C-17. Just as an idea of how heavy the load was, the first extractor to go out was 36220lbs, the day before we dropped an extractor that was 39990...WOOSH! The voices you hear in the background were the two Army safety's on my jet and they were gracious enough to start my camera for me since well....I was flying haha.