tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685907526691141099.post8148328313093352225..comments2024-03-05T09:28:47.377-06:00Comments on Tails Through Time: JP Santiagohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02743418658732808826noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685907526691141099.post-34944601709161348222010-02-21T19:58:46.549-06:002010-02-21T19:58:46.549-06:00Thanks for reading and commenting, Bob. One facet ...Thanks for reading and commenting, Bob. One facet of the US space program that has always fascinated me is how different aerospace companies' designs were integrated into space vehicles- McDonnell's Mercury spacecraft mated to Convair's Atlas ICBM. Apparently the first test launches (unmanned), the weight of the adapter and the Mercury spacecraft caused the forward part of the Atlas to buckle. It was eventually solved by using a slightly thicker metal in the forward part of the balloon structure tank.JP Santiagohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02743418658732808826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3685907526691141099.post-20764505273301892182010-02-20T20:18:08.896-06:002010-02-20T20:18:08.896-06:00I worked on Mercury at McDonnell in St. Louis from...I worked on Mercury at McDonnell in St. Louis from April of 1959. The escape tower was a part of the design at that time and it was used in the suborbital flights as well as the Atlas orbital flights. It has been a long time to remember the details but the tower was intended for lower altitude escapes and was jettisoned by a small nozzle in the middle of the three larger ones.<br /><br />Bob Axsom<br />MAC badge number 86305Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com