The 1968 Aerospace Yearbook Part 3

125 Pages·2016·58.34 MB·English

SYSTEMS
MANEUVERING WORK PLATFORM AND
SPACE TAXI
Prime Contractor: LTV Aerospace Corporation, A
Subsidiary of Ling-Temco-Vought, Inc.
Remarks
Two advanced extravehicular units, which could op
erate from a spacecraft to perform construction,
maintenance, and servicing tasks at orbital worksites,
have been designed by LTV Aerospace Corporation's
Missiles and Space Division. The company performed
conceptual design work and constructed full-scale
mockups under contract to NASA's Marshall Space
Flight Center. T~e Maneu;.ering Work Platform
(shown) or MWP IS ar: open space-going tool shop"
with which a space-swted astronaut could maneuver
travel to a structure and a?chor to the worksite b;
means of extendabl~ .dockmg and anchoring grap
plers. The Space }'axi I~ completely enclosed, permit
ting "shirtsleev~ envuo~ment, and has remotely
controlled mampula·t~rs m .addition to anchoring AGIL I AND AGIL II
grapplers. Ea~h vehi.c~e ~as Its own propulsion sys p . Contrac tor. LTV Elehc troIs ystems, Inc., A Sub-
tem, automatic stab1hzat10n s~ste.m, power supply, nme . Temco-Voug t, nc.
sidiary of Lmg-
life support system, commumcatwns, displays and
other equipment to ope.rate independent of the par
ent spacecraft. "0e basic work platform is designed Remarks G neral Illumination Light set (AGIL)
to carry some 21o P?unds of hand tools, maintenance The Airborn:d :nd produced for the Air Force by
equipment, diagnostic equipment and spares onboard was develop t-ms Inc. Greenville, Texas. Mounted
osys e ' ,
plus an external supply of expendables weighing u~ LTV Electr . aft the original system contained
to 200 pounds. Ho;;ever, by using modules such as a in a C-123 aircr la'm ps and was capable of lighting
tanl§er section or a truck bed" it could accommodate 28 long arc x.eno·nn diameter to 4 tu· nes t h e b n' IIi ance
1
far greater loads. The ?race Taxi could carry nearly a circle 2 rni es/om an altitude of 12,000 feet. Later
400 pounds of such eqwpment onboard, plus some 800 of a full moon. r lude both an improved 28-lamp sys-
pounds of expendables mounted externally. Each would developrne nts meb le 3-lamp um.t , campl etely self-con-
be propelled and maneuvered by 24 hydrazine-powered tern and a porta be operated from a helicopter. Ei
jets. The work platfor.m can be extended to accept a tained, whic~ c~n ptable to a variety of airborne vehi
variety of mod.ules, ~eluding a variable geometry ther system IS a a 'de continuous lighting for as long
n provi
cargo frame which can be assembled in space without des and ca be required.
tools from interchangeable aluminum tubing sections. a time as rnaY
-- --------------------
SYSTE-MS
MANNED AEROSPACE FLIGHT SIMULATOR
Prime Contractor: LTV Aerospace Corporation, A
AIRBORNE BATTLEFIELD COMMAND AND
Subsidiary of Ling-Temco-Vought, Inc.
CONTROL CENTER (ABCCC)
Prime Contractor: LTV Electrosystems, Inc., A Sub
Remarks
sicliary of Ling-Temco-Vought, Inc.
The manned aerospace flight simulator enables an as
tronaut to make realistic orbital, ltmar and interplan
Remarks
etary "flights," view the movement of his vehicle in
The Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Cen "space" and experience problems and stresses like
ter (ABCCC), developed and produced for the Air those an actual space vehicle would encotmter-all
Force by LTV Electrosystems, Inc., at its Greenville while remaining safely on earth. Developed by LTV
(Texas) Division, was prototype tested in Vietnam Aerospace Corp., the simulator has been employed by
and later produced in fleet quantities. ABCCC en the U.S. astronauts to practice abort lw1ar landings and
ables battlefield commanders to clirect land, sea and other space missions. Together with its computer facili
air forces in a combat area while airbome in a C-130 ty, the simulator represents a value of more than
aircraft or on the ground in a strategic area. Housed $2,000,000. The simulator consists of a single-place
in a van \Vhich exactly fills the cargo compartment of gondola with a complete set of working controls, i.n
a C-130, ABCCC uses aircraft power and antennas stiuments and visual aids tied into a huge bank of
installed in aircraft structure while airborne. In 2 computers, making possible all types of aerospace
hours, ABCCC can be removed from the aircraft and missions. The simulator is mounted on a pivoted yoke
operate from a standard power cart, using its own permitting pitch, yaw and roll movements. Sm·
antennas. The van is completely self-contained and is rotu1dina the gondola is a 20-foot fiberglass sphere on
mounted on retractable wheels. It is equipped with a which p~·ojections of earth, hmar and star field views
visual situation display and has complete communica can be seen. A laraer Dynamic Crew Procedures
tions links in HF, UHF and VHF, with 14 operating Simulator based on the flight simulator's design was
stations (photo), each provided with a hinged writing developed by the company for the Manned Space
surface and a pedestal console equipped for fingertip craft Center at Houston. The latter has a 40-foot-di
selection of any of 4 transceivers in the 20-trans ameter projection sphere and accommodates a full
ceiver bank. scale Apollo capsule.
SYSTEMS
EJECTABLE RECORDING SYSTEM
AIRBORNE DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM
Prime Contractor: Lockheed Aircraft Service
Prime Contractor: Lockheed Aircraft Service Company
Company
Remarks
Remarks Lockheed Aircraft Service Company has installed the
The aerospace industry's first automatic airborne data Lockheed Ejectable Recording System in the Military
acquisition system (ADAS) was developed and manu Airlift Command fleet of 42 C-133 aircraft. The sys
factured by Lockheed Aircraft Service Company in tem retains a 15-hour, continuous record of critical
1966. First units were delivered to Trans World Air aircraft engine and system operations. A 4-channel
lines for its fleet of DC-9 jet transports. The DC-9 in voice recorder also retains a 30-minute closed loop
stallation, monitoring 50 separate parameters of en tape record of all cockpit area and pilot to crew con
gine information, marked the first fleetwide applica versation. A crash position indicator beacon, also
tion of automatic airborne data collection to provide housed in a single airborne recorder package, signals
a daily "health report" on aircraft engines and sys location of the aircraft in event of an accident. The
tems. ADAS is designed to reduce DC-9 cockpit pa airborne recorder package slides into the tail of the
per work by automatically recording data reflecting C-133 transport aircraft as a small file drawer slides
the state of performance of all monitored compo into a filing cabinet. The recording system will with
nents. Recorded on punched paper tape, data is stand fire and shock associated with a land accident.
transmitted by teletype to the airline's overhaul base In the event of accident over water, it is automatical
at Kansas City, Missouri, where rapid computer anal ly ejected from the aircraft upon submersion. The re
ysis and printout permits quick and accurate diag corder package floats and its beacon serves as a hom
nosis of maintenance requirements. ing target for recovery.
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SYSTEMS
RADA (RANDOM ACCESS DISCRETE
VISUAL APPROACH PATH INDICATOR ADDRESS)
Prime Contractor: Lockheed Industrial Products Prime Contractor: Martin Marietta Corporation,
Orlando
Remarks
Remarks
Lockheed Industrial Products in Atlanta is the manu
facturing facility for t11e Lockheed-Georgia Company In advanced status, RADA is a project directed to
in certain fields of ground support equipment for its ward phase development of a dial telephone system
aircraft and for cargo loading S) stems applicable to with the mobility of the vehicular radio in battlefield
rail, air and sea transportation. LIP has introduced commw1ications. Under project management of
the Mark II Visual Approach Path Indicator, an optical Army .Materiel Command, RADA is envisioned as
device which enables private pilots to make precision being able to handle voice, teletype, facsimile, and
approaches and landings. Employing a tri-colored data transmission vvitllln an Army combat division
beam of amber crreen and reel the pilot c::m tell his without use of heavy, fixed, switching centers or the
'0 '
relative angle of approach to the air strip by straight- time-conswning and dangerous laying of wire during
line sight. Amber means he is too high, reel too low, battle. RADA would provide for priority service
and tl1e green light is the safety zone for a smootl1 among selected subscribers, conference calls, and
and safe landincr area warning. It would provide complete privacy of
o·
communication between sender and receiver. In
Specifications tended to be extremely portable and adaptable to all
:Veight 35 pounds, tmit size 21 by 21 inches, 71;2 military vehicles, RADA is a radio system in which
mches high, 3 power sources through a transformer, simultaneous transmissions could occur within a com
110, 220 and 6 volts. Light is a 35-watt high intensity mon frequency band without mutual interference. The
reflector bulb, which consumes 1 I 400 kilowatts per subscriber set (photo), which has the features of a
hour. Cast aluminum dome protects against ground portable touch-tone telephone automatically selects
equipment. an available frequency within the allotted band and
broadcasts the address of the called party. Distant
Performance subscribers are reached automatically through range
Visibility 12 miles at night. extension units.
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SYSTEMS
LUNAR MISSION SIMULATOR
Prime Contractor: Martin Marietta Corporation,
Baltimore
Remarks
The lunar mission simulator is designed to accurately
forecast pilot performance and reliability for Apollo
space missions and other missions of equal or longer
duration having similar tasks. Under a NASA study
contract, real-time, simulated flights were "flown" by
SNAP-9A RADIOISOTOPE .3-man crews from the Air Force's Aerospace Re
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATOR search Pilots School, Edwards AFB, California. Each
crew spent 7 clays on the simulated round trip to the
Prime Contractor: Martin Marietta Corporation,
moon following .5 weeks of classroom work, physical
Baltimore
conditioning and simulator training. The Apollo mis
sion was chosen for the studies because it represented
Remarks
a system already well defined and requiring a variety
Two SNAP-9A radioisotope thermoelectric genera of tasks to be performed by the pilots. Major ele
tors are in orbit aboard Navy navigation satellites (in ments of the simulator include a full-s<.:ale Apollo
photo, SNAP-9A is finned cylinder). The one spacecraft, incorporating much the same configuration
launched in September 196.3, was the first all-nuclear and instrumentation of the spacecraft that will be
power system to be used on a satellite. The second is used in the Apollo lunar landing program. Adding
part of a 3-satellite navigational system for fleet units. realism to the simulator are visual out-the-window dis
It is the only one in the system to be atom-pow plays for the benefit of the space pilots, including a
ered. The others are powered by solar cells. huge shell-like parabolic screen measuring 24 feet in
diameter. It envelops the Apollo spacecraft in a field
Specifications
of some 2,300 major stars and constellations projected
Finned cylinder shape, 20 inches in diameter, 91/z on its surface. The screen also is used to project a
inches high; SNAP-9A fueled with plutonium-2.38, 25 view of the moon's surface in the lunar landing phase
pounds. . of the missions. Included in the simulator complex is
an extensive group of analog computers, flight control
Method of Operation
and monitoring decks, utilizing closed circuit TV and
The generator has no moving parts. The spontaneous other communications equipment in the spacecraft.
decay of the plutonium generates heat in the con Data collection equipment provides a continuous trans
tainment block surrounding it. The heat is trans mission of over .550 channels of flight data, all of it
formed directly into electrical energy by a series of used to help fly the missions and collect information
thermoelectric elements. · on the pilot's performance.
SYSTEMS
MINUTEMAN LAUNCH FACILITY SHOCK
ISOLATORS
Prime Contractor: Menasco Manufacturing Company
Remarks
The Minuteman Latmch Control Center and Launch
Control Equipment Building are isolated from
gratmd shock by means of pendulum-mounted liquid
BIRDiE (BATTERY INTEGRATION AND spring shock isolators. This system is designed to iso
RADAR DISPLAY EQUIPMENT) late the relatively fragile launch control hardware
and operating personnel from the destructive grotmd
Prime Contractor: Martin Marietta Corporation,
shocks that accompany nearby enemy weapon bmsts.
Orlando
The shock isolators are designed to exhibit dual
spring rate characteristics and include integral damp
Remarks
ing means for enhanced stability. Also included in the
BIRDiE is an electronic, semi-automatic air defense tmits is an electrical position stabilizing system, moni
coorclination and fire distribution system \Vhich toring instn.unentation and servicing elements. The
makes optimum use of electronics with human super liquid spring isolators offer a minimum voltm1e instal
vision imposed at critical points. BIRDiE provides ef lation envelope when compared to equivalent pneu
fective air defense by automatic acceptance, genera matic or mechanical springs. They require negligible
tion, processing and distribution of pertinent target maintenance, and can accommodate a wide variation
data for guided missiles. It can also monitor and/or in static load.
direct fire unit activity and can even operate autono
Specifications
mously if higher command inputs are interrupted.
One of its feah1res is that all functions of surveil Envelope 17 inches diameter by 166 inches length
lance, entry, tracking, monitoring, and friendly pro (static model); weight 1,375 pounds.
tection are combined into a single situation display
Performance
console. BIRDiE is transistorized and transportable.
The system can be tailored to meet the size of the Spring rate 350 pounds per inch for 31.75 inches; to
defense battery requirements. tal stroke 45 inches; damping coefficient variable.
' R-241
SYSTEMS
P-3 ORION LANDING GEAR SYSTEM HAYSTACK 120-FOOT MICROWAVE
ANTENNA SYSTEM
Prime Contractor: Menasco Manufacturing Company
Prime Contractor: North American Rockwell Corpo
Remarks ration
The P-3 Orion Landing Gear System is made up of
2 dual-wheeled retractable main landing gears and a Remarks
dual-wheeled retractable nose gear. The nose gear is The Haystack is the first of a new generation of ultra
supplied with a sealed rack and pinion hydraulic powerful antenna systems whose purpose is to pio
steering motor and control valve. Both the main and neer the development of techniques and equipment
nose gear make use of a folding drag brace and lock for high-capacity satellite relay systems for world
ing jury strut linkage system. Also included on all wide communications. Built by North American for the
gears is a ground sensing linkage interlock system to Air Force Systems Command, it is operated by scien
prevent inadvertent retraction of the gears during tists of MIT's Lincoln Laboratory at a hilltop site
ground handling operations. Other items in the land near Tyngsboro, Massachusetts. The 680-ton appara
ing gear system include sensing switches, wheels, tus is the most precise steerable instnunent of its
brakes, lights, and required hydraulic lines and elec kind. Enclosed in a 150-foot high fiberglass and alu
trical bridles. minum geodesic radome, the giant antenna is a ra
dio telescope of unprecedented -high resolution and
Specifications
sensitivity. It can also be used as a very long range
Envelope; main landing gear length (trunnions to tracking and measuring radar, enabling scientists_ to
ground) 72 inches, width between trunnions 41 inches; accurately locate a pea-sized object a thousand miles
nose landing gear length (trunnions to ground) 58 out in space. Its 100,000 watt transmitter can be used
inches, width between trunnions 34 inches; weights to communicate with space probes at a distance of
main landing gear 1,400 pounds, nose landing gear 100,000,000 miles. The Haystack facility became
500 pounds, total per aircraft 3,300 pounds. operational in 1965.
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SYSTEMS
MINUTEMAN II GUIDANCE AND CONTROL
SYSTEM
POLARIS SIDP'S INERTIAL NAVIGATION
Prime Contractor: Autonetics Division, \eros pace
SYSTEMS (SINS)
and Svstems Group, NortJ1 American Rockwell
Corporation Prime Contractor: Autonetics Division, Aerospace
and Systems Group, Torth American Rockwell
Corporation
Remarks
Microelectronics is ilie key to major technical
Remarks
improvements being incorporated in the fur
Force's new Minuteman II ICBM. The new equip Ship's Inertial Navigation Systems (SINS) enable
ment being furnished by tJ1e Autonetics Division, as Navy Polaris submarines to navigate submerged for
sociate contractor for guidance, fught control and long periods of time and to fix precisely their missile
ground checkout equipment, includes: an inertial latmching positions. This self-contained system basi
guidance platform featuring use of pendulous inte cally consists of a digital computer, velocity meters
grating gyro accelerometers and a new gyrocompass and an inertial platform stabilized by gyroscopes. Au
azimuth assembly that provides backup to ilie pri tomatically and accurately, SINS sense a ship's accel
mary optical reference; microelectronic airborne digi erations, measure them and provide results in the
tal computer witJ1 expanded memory capacit), func fom1 of continuously available position information,
tional capability, greater reliability and reduced size heading and velocity. Autonetics' first production
and \-veight; liquid injection for more efficient Stage model SI TS were installed in 1959 aboard the
II rocket motor flight control. Most of the fught con George \iVashington, the nation's first Polaris subma
trol electronics have been incorporated into the "up rine. Under subsequent contracts, Autonetics became
stage" portion of the system, housed in tJ1e light SINS supplier for the balance of the Navy's 41-ship
\-veight magnesium/cork guidance body section. The Fleet Ballistic Missile force and iliose being built in
"downstage" portion includes an angular accelerome the United Kingdom for ilie Royal Navy. As Polaris
ter unit similar to iliat in Minuteman I Staae I and submarines retw·n for overhaul, ilieir early-model
, b
III nozzle control w1Hs, 2 Stage II electro-hydraulic SINS are being replaced with improved versions. The
control units, and all electrical cabling. Key element Navy's last 12 Polaris submarines and those for the
in the missile's N17 guidance system is the microelec British Royal Navy are equipped with 2 Mk-2
tronic computer iliat accepts information from sensing Mod-3 SINS. This model includes an additional gyro
instruments motmted on the inertial platform and iliat monitors and corrects ilie drift rates of other gy
compares it with previously-stored information. ros to increase overall system accuracy. Other ver
When course and speed deviations are noted, the sions of the Autonetics' SINS are operational aboard
computer signals the flight control equipment, which U.S. Navy attack submarines, 3 attack carriers (USS
then directs rocket engine thrust toward the proper Enterprise, USS Independence and USS Ranger) and
trajectory. In pre-flight operational deployment, the 2 range tracking ships-the USS Twin Falls Victory
computer performs regular checks and reports on in the Eastern Test Range, and the USNS Range
missile flight readiness. Tracker in the Western Test Range.
SYSTEMS
REINS (RADAR EQUIPPED INERTIAL
NAVIGATION SYSTEM) AUTOMATIC
BOMBING NAVIGATION SYSTEM (AN-ASB-12)
Prime Contractor: Autonetics Division, Aerospace
and Systems Group, North American Rockwell
Corporation
Remarks
The AN-ASB-12 REINS provides the North Ameri F-105/R14A MULTIMODE, MONOPULSE
can-built Navy Vigilante carrier-based attack bomber RADAR
with precision guidance, all-weather terrain avoid Prime Contractor: Autonetics Division, Aerospace
ance for low-altitude missions, air-to-ground rang and Systems Group, North American Rockwell
ing, and contour and ground mapping capabilities.
Corporation
REINS target identification and automatic navigation
free the aircraft's pilot and navigator-bombardier for
Remarks
concentration on the critical attack phases of the
mission. The system includes an inertial autonaviga Under subcontract from Republic Aviation Division,
tor, digital computer, analog bombing computer, ra the Autonetics Division of North American Rockwell
dar, television, wide-angle display projector and tie-in Corporation, has produced the Rl4A multimocle, mono
equipment. Eastman Kodak Company and General pulse radar system now operationally deployed in F -105
Dynamics/Electronics, respectively, produced and Thunclerchief fighter-bombers of the Air Force's Tac
supplied the system's closed-loop TV and radar. Oth tical Air Command. Integrated with missile-launch
~r Autonetics' systems integrated into the Vigilante ing and air-data computers, bombing and gun-firing
mclude automatic flight control electronics and the systems, an optical sight and a stable platform, the
shipboard automatic checkout equipment to monitor Rl4A radar makes the F-105 one of the most versa
performance and perform preflight, line and shop tile of USAF aircraft. It performs all radar functions
maintenance. Released for design in 1959, the first on both low and high level missions and gives the F-
REINS engineering model was produced 14 months 105 capability for air-to-air search and automatic
later. The first Navy squadrons of .REINS-equipped A- tracking, ground mapping, terrain avoidance, contour
5 Vigilantes were operationally deployed in Febru mapping and air-to-ground ranging. Autonetics has
ary 196.3. delivered almost 800 of these radar systems.
I
R-244
SYSTEMS
HOUND DOG GUIDANCE AND CONTROL
SYSTEMS
Prime Contractor: Autonetics Division, Aerospace
and Systems Group, orth American Rockwell
Corporation
Remarks
Inertial rruidance and ffirrht control systems produced ALOTS AIRBORNE LIGHTWEIGHT OPTICAL
b b
by Autonetics Division automatically guide the air- TRACKING SYSTEM
launched, operational Hound Dog air-to-ground
Prime Contractor: Northrop Corporation
missile (AGM-28A/B) on a pre-selected path to its
target, including evasive action en route. Basic mis
sion of the Hound Dorr is to increase the capabilities Remarks
0
of the Straterric Air Command's intercontinental B-52 Operational at the Eastern Test Range, the Northrop
manned bon~ber. Launched from the high-flying B- Airborne Lightweight Optical Tracking System (AL
52, the Hound Dog can fly lo'vv-level to escape radar, OTS) was designed to provide precision photographic
or high up at supersonic speeds to avoid grotmd fire. coverage of missiles dm·ing the early latmch, stage
It can fly a dog-leg evasive course to confuse enemy separation and reentry phases of flight. ALOTS is op
defenses, then dive to its target to explode at any erated at an altitude of 40,000 feet to eliminate inter
programmed time. Finally, the Hound .Dog can act f~r~nce fr~m cloud cover and other atmospheric con
as a front runner for the B-52 or deal Its own blow ditions whiCh frequently inhibit grotmd based camera
on a primary target hundreds of miles from its air systems. The Nortronics-developed ALOTS system
borne launch point. Hound Dog's G&C system allo~'S can photograph and resolve a 12-foot target at a dis
new cruise altitudes or new targets to be piO tance of 200 miles. The heart of ALOTS, an inte
grammed after the B-52 is airborne, so that tar~et, grate_d automatic tracking and photographic system,
I·a unc h pm·n t , tI. a 1·e ctory , flight pattern oHr bursdt hDe igh, t was mstalled by Lockheed Aircraft Service in an ex
can be changed as nee d e d · Also ' t 11 e _o un oror , s ternal pod and mounted on the cargq door of a KC-
· . lement the B-o2 bombers
gmdance system can supp 135A, (in photo). ALOTS was developed. by Nor
navigation equipment. throp s Nortronics Division.
I
i).'UI
R-245