Scott Manley | This Rocket Explosion Is Art - Atlas-Centaur AC-1 @scottmanley | Uploaded March 2023 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
In 1962 NASA made the first launch of their Atlas-Centaur rocket, using a new hydrogen upper stage which would enable rockets to throw spacecraft at higher speeds, to targets like the moon and other planets. Unfortunately it was not successful, with the upper stage suffering a structural failure just under a minute into the flight.
Initially the failure was blamed on the foam insulation panels which were needed to stop the liquid hydrogen boiling off. And while there were those who wanted the project cancelled, it ultimately continued and would successfully launch a number of spacecraft before the engineers realised the true nature of the problem lay with the way the fairing was attached to the tank.
60 years later Atlas-Centaur is still flying, and even when Atlas ends its career Centaur will continue.
Years later this public domain footage would be used for the art film Koyaanisqatsi, a visual-musical work consisting of music by Philip Glass and library footage.
A great deal of this footage from the Atlas has been archived and made available by the San Diego Air & Space Museum, this includes lots of engineering camera angles of the launches.
youtube.com/@sdasmarchives
Follow me on Twitter for more updates:
twitter.com/DJSnM
I have a discord server where I regularly turn up:
discord.gg/zStmKbM
If you really like what I do you can support me directly through Patreon
patreon.com/scottmanley
In 1962 NASA made the first launch of their Atlas-Centaur rocket, using a new hydrogen upper stage which would enable rockets to throw spacecraft at higher speeds, to targets like the moon and other planets. Unfortunately it was not successful, with the upper stage suffering a structural failure just under a minute into the flight.
Initially the failure was blamed on the foam insulation panels which were needed to stop the liquid hydrogen boiling off. And while there were those who wanted the project cancelled, it ultimately continued and would successfully launch a number of spacecraft before the engineers realised the true nature of the problem lay with the way the fairing was attached to the tank.
60 years later Atlas-Centaur is still flying, and even when Atlas ends its career Centaur will continue.
Years later this public domain footage would be used for the art film Koyaanisqatsi, a visual-musical work consisting of music by Philip Glass and library footage.
A great deal of this footage from the Atlas has been archived and made available by the San Diego Air & Space Museum, this includes lots of engineering camera angles of the launches.
youtube.com/@sdasmarchives
Follow me on Twitter for more updates:
twitter.com/DJSnM
I have a discord server where I regularly turn up:
discord.gg/zStmKbM
If you really like what I do you can support me directly through Patreon
patreon.com/scottmanley
