APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
Locked
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5344
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am
Contact:

APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by APOD Robot » Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:08 am

Image The First Rocket Launch from Cape Canaveral

Explanation: A new chapter in space flight began in 1950 with the launch of the first rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida: the Bumper V-2. Featured here, the Bumper V-2 was an ambitious two-stage rocket program that topped a V-2 missile base with a WAC Corporal rocket. The upper stage was able to reach then-record altitudes of almost 400 kilometers, about the height of the modern International Space Station. Launched under the direction of the General Electric Company, the Bumper V-2 was used primarily for testing rocket systems and for research on the upper atmosphere. Bumper V-2 rockets carried small payloads that allowed them to measure attributes including air temperature and cosmic ray impacts. Seven years later, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I and Sputnik II, the first satellites into Earth orbit. In response in 1958, 60 years ago today, the USA created NASA.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>

FLPhotoCatcher
Science Officer
Posts: 243
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:51 am

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by FLPhotoCatcher » Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:37 am

It looks photoshopped.
Seriously. I'm not a forensic photo expert, but there is a lighter line that extends down and to the right from the pole that is next to the exhaust plume. At first I thought it was sunlight streaming through the scaffolding, but there is no corresponding shadows from the scaffolding, and regardless, the light line extends above the scaffolding toward the pole. Was there a guy-wire that the pre-NASA folk didn't like, and had covered-up?

FLPhotoCatcher
Science Officer
Posts: 243
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:51 am

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by FLPhotoCatcher » Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:41 am

Also, is this the launch of Bumper 2, or Bumper 8? According to a nasa.gov site (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagega ... e_765.html) this is Bumper 2. On the other hand, wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTV-G-4_Bumper) has a table listing Bumper 8 as the first launch from Cape Canaveral, and showing that with Bumper 2, the "First stage failed due to propellant flow interruption." This data appears to be correct, and taken from a fact sheet by the US Army.

Boomer12k
:---[===] *
Posts: 2691
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:07 am

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by Boomer12k » Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:52 am

FLPhotoCatcher wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:37 am It looks photoshopped.
Seriously. I'm not a forensic photo expert, but there is a lighter line that extends down and to the right from the pole that is next to the exhaust plume. At first I thought it was sunlight streaming through the scaffolding, but there is no corresponding shadows from the scaffolding, and regardless, the light line extends above the scaffolding toward the pole. Was there a guy-wire that the pre-NASA folk didn't like, and had covered-up?
Or, it could be a camera artifact from the angle of the Sun hitting the camera...it could also be from an old film...

Here is another article and picture... this is at White Sands...
https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4401/ch3.htm

:---[===] *

User avatar
MarkBour
Subtle Signal
Posts: 1377
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:44 pm
Location: Illinois, USA

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by MarkBour » Mon Oct 01, 2018 6:00 am

Happy Birthday, NASA. You're 60? But dahling, you look maaaaaaahvelous!
Mark Goldfain

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13372
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by Ann » Mon Oct 01, 2018 6:13 am

Click to play embedded YouTube video.


Is today's APOD photoshopped? How would I know?

More importantly, does it matter if the picture is photoshopped? In my opinion, no. The story is clear enough. In the beginning, NASA made a lot of beginner's mistakes. Then NASA learned how to do it, with a few very regrettable misses.

Ann
Color Commentator

FLPhotoCatcher
Science Officer
Posts: 243
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:51 am

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by FLPhotoCatcher » Mon Oct 01, 2018 6:38 am

Ann wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 6:13 am
Is today's APOD photoshopped? How would I know?

More importantly, does it matter if the picture is photoshopped? In my opinion, no. The story is clear enough. In the beginning, NASA made a lot of beginner's mistakes. Then NASA learned how to do it, with a few very regrettable misses.

Ann
Thanks for the video.

"Photoshopping" a photo of historical value does matter, though in some cases not much. If this particular photo has been 'cleaned up', it's not a big deal.

The big question in my mind is why is this photo labeled as two different launches?

madtom1999
Ensign
Posts: 85
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:21 am

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by madtom1999 » Mon Oct 01, 2018 7:15 am

The WAC has no attitude control (Without Attitude Control) so presumably the V-2 would need to spin somewhat before releasing the 2nd Stage as there would be nothing to keep it pointing in the right direction.
Anyone know anything about this?

Keyman
Ensign
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2012 1:11 pm
Contact:

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by Keyman » Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:58 pm

My first impression was... *damn* they are standing too close.

aelfheld

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by aelfheld » Mon Oct 01, 2018 2:55 pm

[...] the first satellites [...]
The first artificial satellites.

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18112
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
Contact:

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by Chris Peterson » Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:05 pm

madtom1999 wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 7:15 am The WAC has no attitude control (Without Attitude Control) so presumably the V-2 would need to spin somewhat before releasing the 2nd Stage as there would be nothing to keep it pointing in the right direction.
Anyone know anything about this?
The WAC was modified from its ground-launch version, and among other things, included spin rockets to stabilize it after separation.
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

User avatar
RJN
Baffled Boffin
Posts: 1667
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: Michigan Tech

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by RJN » Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:36 pm

The NASA APOD text has been updated to incorporate the fact that 400 kilometers is, actually, on a par with the height of the (modern) International Space Station. We apologize for the oversight.
- RJN

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by neufer » Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:31 pm

FLPhotoCatcher wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:41 am
Also, is this the launch of Bumper 2, or Bumper 8? According to a nasa.gov site (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagega ... e_765.html) this is Bumper 2. On the other hand, wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTV-G-4_Bumper) has a table listing Bumper 8 as the first launch from Cape Canaveral, and showing that with Bumper 2, the "First stage failed due to propellant flow interruption."
Indeed... it is the launch of Bumper 2 from White Sands Missile Base.

Only Bumper 5 from WSMR achieved the famous 393 km (244 mi) altitude record.
http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/FactSheets/bump.htm wrote:
<<Prior to July 1946, Colonel H. N. Toftoy suggested the possibility of combining the V-2 rocket and WAC Corporal. This would provide a two-stage rocket capable of reaching heretofore unattainable altitudes and would greatly increase the possibilities of upper atmosphere research. On June 20, 1947, the Bumper Program was inaugurated. Eight of these missiles were assembled during the Bumper Program and the first six were launched at White Sands Proving Ground.

The first Bumper-WAC was fired on May 13, 1948. This was the first large, two-stage rocket to be launched in the Western Hemisphere. This first combination rocket had a short duration, solid propellant motor propelling the second stage and the WAC attained only slightly more speed and altitude than the V-2. [Bumper 2] was fired on August 19, 1948 and, like Bumper 1, contained only a partial charge. The velocity of the V-2 was about ten percent below normal, but the steering was good. Up to 28 seconds the propulsion system was performing normally, but at 33 seconds the turbine started to overspeed. It reached a peak speed of 4,800 rpm a few tenths of a second later, then decreased in the manner typical of an overspeed trip. This action was attributed to the premature closure of the alcohol preliminary valve in the V-2, due to a failure in the controlling circuit.
.................................................................................................
Bumper 5, fired on February 24, 1949, was the first Bumper to be fired with a fully tanked second stage which allowed 45 seconds burning time. This flight was successful in every phase. Thirty seconds after take-off the V-2 had attained a speed of 3,600 miles per hour and the V-2 and the WAC Corporal separated. The WAC, with its power added to that of the V-2, attained a speed of 5,150 miles per hour and an altitude of approximately 250 miles. This was the greatest velocity and the highest altitude ever reached by a man-made object. The nose cone was instrumented to measure temperatures at extreme altitudes. In addition, the WAC carried telemetry which transmitted to ground stations technical data pertaining to conditions encountered during flight. This was the first time radio equipment had ever operated at such extreme altitudes. Although the missile had been tracked by radar for most of its flight, more than a year passed before the smashed body section was located.
.................................................................................................
Bumper missiles 7 and 8 were shipped from White Sands Proving Ground to Florida by standard Army tractor and flatbed for firing at the Joint Long-Range Proving Ground. Since the V-2 missiles previously shipped to Norfolk, Virginia, had been damaged in transit, modifications were made in the shipping cradle in that the rigid tail support was replaced by a partially inflated truck tire which provided a non-rigid support for the tail. The Army vehicle was driven with extreme care and the missiles arrived in excellent condition.

Bumper 7 was successfully fired on July 29, 1950. Bumper 8 had been fired on July 24, 1950. The experiments to be carried out on these missiles called for a relatively low trajectory, with a separation angle of approximately 20 degrees from horizontal. The General Electric Report on these firings stated:

Bumper shortly after lift off at what is now LC-33 "This trajectory required a relatively rapid turn during the powered flight of the V-2. Both missiles made the turn successfully and the general performance appeared good. A closer examination of the trajectory data showed, however, that the program had been greater than desired. Trajectory data showed the separation angle for Bumper 7 to be approximately 10 degrees and that for Bumper 8 to be about 13 degrees. The fact that the two trajectories showed the same type of discrepancy indicated a systematic rather than a random fault. Since it seemed highly improbable that the pitch device itself would fail in such a fashion as to increase the program, precession of the pitch gyro circuits had been modified to obtain a much larger than normal program, these circuits were among the first investigated. This investigation turned up a "sneak-circuit" which caused the erecting motors of the pitch gyro to be energized after take-off. This in turn caused a procession which operated to increase the program angle. This fault appeared to answer fully the observed discrepancy." Notwithstanding the error in trajectory, Bumper 7 attained a speed of Mach 9, the highest sustained speed that had ever been reached in the Earth's atmosphere.>>
Click to play embedded YouTube video.

Art Neuendorffer

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by neufer » Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:38 pm

FLPhotoCatcher wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:41 am
Also, is this the launch of Bumper 2, or Bumper 8? According to a nasa.gov site (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagega ... e_765.html) this is Bumper 2. On the other hand, wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTV-G-4_Bumper) has a table listing Bumper 8 as the first launch from Cape Canaveral, and showing that with Bumper 2, the "First stage failed due to propellant flow interruption."
Indeed... it is the launch of Bumper 2 from White Sands Missile Base.

Only Bumper 5 from WSMR achieved the famous 393 km (244 mi) altitude record.
http://www.wsmr.army.mil/pao/FactSheets/bump.htm wrote:
<<Prior to July 1946, Colonel H. N. Toftoy suggested the possibility of combining the V-2 rocket and WAC Corporal. This would provide a two-stage rocket capable of reaching heretofore unattainable altitudes and would greatly increase the possibilities of upper atmosphere research. On June 20, 1947, the Bumper Program was inaugurated. Eight of these missiles were assembled during the Bumper Program and the first six were launched at White Sands Proving Ground.

The first Bumper-WAC was fired on May 13, 1948. This was the first large, two-stage rocket to be launched in the Western Hemisphere. This first combination rocket had a short duration, solid propellant motor propelling the second stage and the WAC attained only slightly more speed and altitude than the V-2. [Bumper 2] was fired on August 19, 1948 and, like Bumper 1, contained only a partial charge. The velocity of the V-2 was about ten percent below normal, but the steering was good. Up to 28 seconds the propulsion system was performing normally, but at 33 seconds the turbine started to overspeed. It reached a peak speed of 4,800 rpm a few tenths of a second later, then decreased in the manner typical of an overspeed trip. This action was attributed to the premature closure of the alcohol preliminary valve in the V-2, due to a failure in the controlling circuit.
.................................................................................................
Bumper 5, fired on February 24, 1949, was the first Bumper to be fired with a fully tanked second stage which allowed 45 seconds burning time. This flight was successful in every phase. Thirty seconds after take-off the V-2 had attained a speed of 3,600 miles per hour and the V-2 and the WAC Corporal separated. The WAC, with its power added to that of the V-2, attained a speed of 5,150 miles per hour and an altitude of approximately 250 miles. This was the greatest velocity and the highest altitude ever reached by a man-made object. The nose cone was instrumented to measure temperatures at extreme altitudes. In addition, the WAC carried telemetry which transmitted to ground stations technical data pertaining to conditions encountered during flight. This was the first time radio equipment had ever operated at such extreme altitudes. Although the missile had been tracked by radar for most of its flight, more than a year passed before the smashed body section was located.
.................................................................................................
Bumper missiles 7 and 8 were shipped from White Sands Proving Ground to Florida by standard Army tractor and flatbed for firing at the Joint Long-Range Proving Ground. Since the V-2 missiles previously shipped to Norfolk, Virginia, had been damaged in transit, modifications were made in the shipping cradle in that the rigid tail support was replaced by a partially inflated truck tire which provided a non-rigid support for the tail. The Army vehicle was driven with extreme care and the missiles arrived in excellent condition.

Bumper 7 was successfully fired on July 29, 1950. Bumper 8 had been fired on July 24, 1950. The experiments to be carried out on these missiles called for a relatively low trajectory, with a separation angle of approximately 20 degrees from horizontal. The General Electric Report on these firings stated:

Bumper shortly after lift off at what is now LC-33 "This trajectory required a relatively rapid turn during the powered flight of the V-2. Both missiles made the turn successfully and the general performance appeared good. A closer examination of the trajectory data showed, however, that the program had been greater than desired. Trajectory data showed the separation angle for Bumper 7 to be approximately 10 degrees and that for Bumper 8 to be about 13 degrees. The fact that the two trajectories showed the same type of discrepancy indicated a systematic rather than a random fault. Since it seemed highly improbable that the pitch device itself would fail in such a fashion as to increase the program, precession of the pitch gyro circuits had been modified to obtain a much larger than normal program, these circuits were among the first investigated. This investigation turned up a "sneak-circuit" which caused the erecting motors of the pitch gyro to be energized after take-off. This in turn caused a procession which operated to increase the program angle. This fault appeared to answer fully the observed discrepancy." Notwithstanding the error in trajectory, Bumper 7 attained a speed of Mach 9, the highest sustained speed that had ever been reached in the Earth's atmosphere.>>
RJN wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:36 pm
The NASA APOD text has been updated to incorporate the fact that 400 kilometers is, actually, on a par with the height of the (modern) International Space Station. We apologize for the oversight. - RJN
Click to play embedded YouTube video.

Art Neuendorffer

User avatar
RJN
Baffled Boffin
Posts: 1667
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: Michigan Tech

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by RJN » Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:24 pm

FLPhotoCatcher wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:41 am Also, is this the launch of Bumper 2, or Bumper 8? According to a nasa.gov site (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagega ... e_765.html) this is Bumper 2. On the other hand, wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTV-G-4_Bumper) has a table listing Bumper 8 as the first launch from Cape Canaveral, and showing that with Bumper 2, the "First stage failed due to propellant flow interruption." This data appears to be correct, and taken from a fact sheet by the US Army.
To my understanding, the image depicts the (first) launch of a Bumper V-2 from the Joint Long-Range Proving Ground, which later became known as Cape Canaveral. As the 8th Bumper-Wac launch, it is also labelled BU-8. Here is a link: http://weebau.com/rock_us/bumper.php .

bls0326
Science Officer
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:18 pm
Location: USA, Texas, Amarillo

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by bls0326 » Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:47 pm

Looking at the info in RJN's link, I wonder if those camera men knew there had been some sort of failure on 6 of the 7 previous launches or attempted launches.

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by neufer » Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:21 am

Keyman wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:58 pm
My first impression was... *damn* they are standing too close.
bls0326 wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:47 pm
Looking at the info in RJN's link, I wonder if those camera men knew there had
been some sort of failure on 6 of the 7 previous launches or attempted launches.
  • This is clearly White Sands Missile Range where only the first 6 launches took place.

    This is probably only the second White Sands Missile Range V-2/WAC job launch.

    This telephoto gives no indication how close the photographers were actually standing.
Art Neuendorffer

User avatar
Chris Peterson
Abominable Snowman
Posts: 18112
Joined: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Guffey, Colorado, USA
Contact:

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by Chris Peterson » Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:42 am

neufer wrote: Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:21 am
Keyman wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 1:58 pm
My first impression was... *damn* they are standing too close.
bls0326 wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 11:47 pm
Looking at the info in RJN's link, I wonder if those camera men knew there had
been some sort of failure on 6 of the 7 previous launches or attempted launches.
  • This is clearly White Sands Missile Range where only the first 6 launches took place.
In what way is this "clearly White Sands"? That is the LC-3 tower at Canaveral, and we're almost certainly looking at Bumper 8, which was the seventh Bumper launch and the first at CC.
Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
https://www.cloudbait.com

User avatar
MarkBour
Subtle Signal
Posts: 1377
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 2:44 pm
Location: Illinois, USA

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by MarkBour » Tue Oct 02, 2018 1:10 am

RJN wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:24 pm
FLPhotoCatcher wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:41 am Also, is this the launch of Bumper 2, or Bumper 8? According to a nasa.gov site (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagega ... e_765.html) this is Bumper 2. On the other hand, wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTV-G-4_Bumper) has a table listing Bumper 8 as the first launch from Cape Canaveral, and showing that with Bumper 2, the "First stage failed due to propellant flow interruption." This data appears to be correct, and taken from a fact sheet by the US Army.
To my understanding, the image depicts the (first) launch of a Bumper V-2 from the Joint Long-Range Proving Ground, which later became known as Cape Canaveral. As the 8th Bumper-Wac launch, it is also labelled BU-8. Here is a link: http://weebau.com/rock_us/bumper.php .
I wasn't there, so I'm another person guessing. On the contrary, for White Sands, For me the evidence stacks up that the APOD image is at Cape Canaveral, the Florida "Reed Bed".
If any doubt remains, I think I can read "B8" on the rocket's tail in the higher-res versions of the image ... unless photoshop, of course.
Mark Goldfain

bls0326
Science Officer
Posts: 124
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:18 pm
Location: USA, Texas, Amarillo

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by bls0326 » Tue Oct 02, 2018 1:40 am

neufer wrote: Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:21 am

This telephoto gives no indication how close the photographers were actually standing.[/list]
The "Launched" link in APOD has more details and pics including info that the "blockhouse" is 500 feet from the launch pad.

http://www.spaceline.org/bumper.html

User avatar
neufer
Vacationer at Tralfamadore
Posts: 18805
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by neufer » Tue Oct 02, 2018 1:44 am

MarkBour wrote: Tue Oct 02, 2018 1:10 am
neufer wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:31 pm
FLPhotoCatcher wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:41 am
wiki (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTV-G-4_Bumper) has a table listing Bumper 8 as the first launch from Cape Canaveral, and showing that with Bumper 2, the "First stage failed due to propellant flow interruption."
Indeed... it is the launch of Bumper 2 from White Sands Missile Base.
For me the evidence stacks up that the APOD image is at Cape Canaveral, the Florida "Reed Bed".

If any doubt remains, I think I can read "B8" on the rocket's tail in the higher-res versions of the image ... unless photoshop, of course.
You had me at Cape Canaveral sand bunker #3, Mark.

I can’t begin to comprehend what goes through the mind of a 72-year-old boy who writes such things,
but the insinuation is horrible, hurtful & simply untrue. I pray his daughters are never treated this way.
https://www.nalfl.com/?page_id=2862 wrote:
NASA Alumni League Florida Chapter
NASA's White Sands Missile Range was “a great friend of (Spec 4) Neufer's” and that’s why she was referenced
in several of Neufer's WSMR’s yearbooks and that’s why he describes himself as a “WSMR Alumnius (1969-72).”
Art Neuendorffer

Boomer12k
:---[===] *
Posts: 2691
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:07 am

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by Boomer12k » Tue Oct 02, 2018 2:10 am

This is almost as good as "the search for the Spider Pool"....

Look it up...


:---[===] *

FLPhotoCatcher
Science Officer
Posts: 243
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:51 am

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by FLPhotoCatcher » Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:24 am

My question about the launch referenced in the featured photo seems to have stirred up quite the 'discussion'. I didn't mean for it to escalate into any kind of flame war.
Anyway, thanks for all the info. It does look like the NASA caption for the photo is incorrect. They say, "A new chapter in space flight began on July 1950 with the launch of the first rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla.: the Bumper 2. Shown above, the Bumper 2 was an ambitious two-stage rocket program that topped a V-2 missile base with a WAC Corporal rocket....Bumper 2 rockets carried small payloads that allowed them to measure attributes including air temperature and cosmic ray impacts..." Since they say "Bumper 2 rockets", maybe someone confused V2 with Bumper 2.
And it's kind of ironic that both the White Sands site, and the Cape Canaveral site have white sand.

User avatar
RJN
Baffled Boffin
Posts: 1667
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: Michigan Tech

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by RJN » Tue Oct 02, 2018 1:05 pm

FLPhotoCatcher wrote: Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:24 am the Bumper 2.
The caption says "V-2", not "2". The caption is therefore correct.

User avatar
bystander
Apathetic Retiree
Posts: 21571
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: APOD: The First Rocket Launch from Cape... (2018 Oct 01)

Post by bystander » Wed Oct 03, 2018 7:56 pm

RJN wrote: Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:24 pm
To my understanding, the image depicts the (first) launch of a Bumper V-2 from the Joint Long-Range Proving Ground, which later became known as Cape Canaveral. As the 8th Bumper-Wac launch, it is also labelled BU-8. Here is a link: http://weebau.com/rock_us/bumper.php .

The APOD image is just a mirrored version of the last image on the page RJN referenced above.
Know the quiet place within your heart and touch the rainbow of possibility; be
alive to the gentle breeze of communication, and please stop being such a jerk.
— Garrison Keillor

Locked