General Dynamics News, Volume 16, Number 25, December 11, 1963 Page: 3 of 6
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Wednesday, December 11, 1 963 GENERAL DYNAMICS NEWS Page 3
lt 1
THE LAUNCH-This was how Atlas-Centaur appeared to observers at Cape Ken-
nedy. Sequence probably does not cover more than 10 or 15 seconds from instant(Continued from Page 1)
per pound of propellant than any
chemical combination of fuels
now in use. Thus, it (Centaur)
has broad application to many
programs. For instance upper
stages of three different Saturn
vehicles will employ this fuel, as
will NERVA (nuclear engine for
rocket vehicle applications).
Complex 36-A at Cape Kennedy
was the Nov. 27 launch site for
AC-2. Launch came at 2:03 p.m.
(EST) after an almost letter-
perfect countdown marked by one
minor hold (for ground support
equipment adjustments) and one
major one (for weather).
Dan Sarokon was Astro test
conductor over the 75-man As-
tro launch crew. Roger Lynch,
Centaur launch operations man-
ager, acted as chief test con-
ductor.
Some 200 cameras of every
description focused on Atlas-
Centaur Two as it rose slowly
from the pad, gained momentum
and arched into the heavens.
Within a short span of time aspokesman signaled success with
"It's over Africa and through the
gate."
When Centaur engines were
ignited deep in space for a 380-
second run period, they became
the first hydrogen-liquid oxygen
engines to operate in space. When
the entire Centaur vehicle (tanks,
engines, nose failings, etc.) went
into orbit, it became the heaviest
satellite yet launched by this
nation.
Because this was a research
and development flight, four ma-
jor test objectives were establish-
ed. They were to demonstrate
the structural integrity of the
Atlas-Centaur vehicle; verify the
Atlas-Centaur separation system;
demonstrate the ability of the
Centaur propulsion system to be
ignited in space and to burn for
380 seconds; and evaluate the
accuracy of the Centaur guidance
system.
In addition, the mission helped
to evaluate Atlas-Centaur vibra-
tion, elastic behavior and struc-
tural adequacy; determine en-that engines ignited and umbilical snapped back to point where Atlas-Centaur was
well on its way skyward.vironmental levels; verify trajec-
tory and orbit parameters; and
evaluate performance of major
subsystems.
To verify these many objec-
tives, the entire Atlas-Centaur
Two was heavily instrumentated.
Five telemetry systems constantly
recorded 326 different data meas-
urements aboard Centaur and 167
measurements aboard Atlas. They
cranked out 7,000 items of infor-
mation per second, collecting on
the ground over five million items
of flight information by the time
Centaur engines cut off. As Cen-
taur coasted in space additional
environmental data was trans-
mitted for about 10 hours (life of
batteries).
Centaur is a National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration
program directed by the Lewis
Research Center.
Two days after the launch,
NASA announced that "in all
respects, performance of the ve-
hicle (Centaur) was very close
to that planned."
Improvements
Mark Centaur
In outward appearances, Atlas-
Centaur Two closely resembled
the initial Atlas-Centaur vehicle
launched in May, 1962.
However, it included many sig-
nificant changes, both in the space
vehicle itself and in flight pro-
cedure.
For instance, there is a new
engine chilldown procedure prior
to launch in lieu of extended chill-
down on separation of Atlas and
Centaur.
Insulation panels and nose cone
fairings were not jettisoned dur-
ing this flight, since no payload
was carried. There was also new
and improved RL-10 engines and
a new separation system which
involved a linear-shaped explosive
charge to cut through the inter-
stage adapter and retro-rockets
mounted on Atlas and used for
the first time.
Inside the Centaur tank were
new baffles to prevent sloshing.
Next Centaur
Will Be a 'C'Atlas-Centaur Two was made
up of Atlas 126-D and Centaur2-B. This alphabetical designation
refers to the vehicle series.
Later in the Centaur program,
as improvements are made to the
vehicle, new model series will be
used. For instance, a "C" series
Centaur space vehicle will make
the third flight. Initial opera-
tional configuration will be desig-
ELATION-Two photos taken in blockhouse of Complex 36-A nated series "D."
reflect tension and then elation. In foreground are Daniel Sarokon, Centaur 1-B is being used for
test conductor, Roger Lynch, Centaur launch operations manager, Tom Chitty and static-firing tests at Sycamore
Tom Hill, assistant conductors. Among those in background are K. W. Jeremiah, Canyon, while a permanent-tank-
Astro assistant program director-Centaur, and Bob Gray, head of NASA's Goddard type arrangement is used for
Field Project Branch at Cape. tests at Edwards Rocket Site.iA
/
HEADS UP-Among watchers atop Hangar J in Astro compound
at Cape was Roger Lewis, who drops binoculars momentarily. Upper
photo is time exposure of 31/2 minutes, using infrared film. At top of photo,
booster has been jettisoned, AC-2 is running on sustainers and verniers at some-
thing like 8,000 ft. per second, at 90 miles altitude.
Studies Leading to Centaur Began in 1956;
Astro Received Contract Two Years LaterCentaur evolved from GD/As-
tro (then Convair) studies in 1956
of strategic high-altitude satel-
lites for early warning, global
surveillance, communications and
weather reconnaissance.
Initial Centaur was conceived
for the primary purpose of de-
veloping liquid hydrogen tech-
nology.
Advanced Research Projectsl
Agency awarded Astro a con-tract in 1958 to design, develop,
construct, test and launch six
Atlas-Centaur vehicles.
In 1959 administration was
shifted to NASA and in June,
1960, to NASA's Marshall Space
Flight Center. In October, 1962,
the program shifted to Lewis Re-
search Center and subsequently a
DX priority was assigned to the
program.Atlas and Centaur Team Perfectly
In Excellent Launch From 36-A--
i pPage 3
GENERAL DYNAMICS NEWS
Wednesday, December 11, 1963
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General Dynamics Corporation. Convair Division. General Dynamics News, Volume 16, Number 25, December 11, 1963, periodical, December 11, 1963; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1168241/m1/3/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth.