maXX_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1960-63 Convair/Gen. Dynamics photo no. 56714)
Convair/General Dynamics artist’s concept of a Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle on the pad. Note the svelte waistline of the Atlas adapter section. To my knowledge, every Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle had a parallel-sided adapter section. Maybe not? Kinda? Sorta? Sometimes?
Unfortunately, and likely due to little else being available, one particular diagram of the “Atlas-Mercury” & Atlas ICBM, printed in “MERCURY ATLAS: MA-6”, an official NASA publication btw, has been replicated/propagated by everybody and their brother. In it, the vehicle does indeed have an obvious waistline. Huh?
A few examples:
www.enginehistory.org/Rockets/RPE05/Mercury-Atlas.jpg
Credit: ‘Aircraft Engine Historical Society’ website
i1.wp.com/www.drewexmachina.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/0...
Credit: Andrew LePage/Drew ExMachina website
Even a version in color:
nickd.freehostia.com/OrbiterVault/download/atlas-mr.gif
Credit: ‘Nick’s Space Center’ website
Views of MA-1. I must admit, the adapter does appear to minimally narrow near its aft end:
i0.wp.com/www.drewexmachina.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/0...
i2.wp.com/www.drewexmachina.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/0...
Both above credit: Andrew LePage/Drew ExMachina website
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Big_Joe_Ready...
Credit: Wikipedia
IDK
No artist signature. Used for press release purposes, some highlighted/outlined areas of the photograph remain…permanently. My impressive new handy-dandy remover couldn't budge them.
maXX_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1960-63 Convair/Gen. Dynamics photo no. 56714)
Convair/General Dynamics artist’s concept of a Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle on the pad. Note the svelte waistline of the Atlas adapter section. To my knowledge, every Mercury-Atlas launch vehicle had a parallel-sided adapter section. Maybe not? Kinda? Sorta? Sometimes?
Unfortunately, and likely due to little else being available, one particular diagram of the “Atlas-Mercury” & Atlas ICBM, printed in “MERCURY ATLAS: MA-6”, an official NASA publication btw, has been replicated/propagated by everybody and their brother. In it, the vehicle does indeed have an obvious waistline. Huh?
A few examples:
www.enginehistory.org/Rockets/RPE05/Mercury-Atlas.jpg
Credit: ‘Aircraft Engine Historical Society’ website
i1.wp.com/www.drewexmachina.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/0...
Credit: Andrew LePage/Drew ExMachina website
Even a version in color:
nickd.freehostia.com/OrbiterVault/download/atlas-mr.gif
Credit: ‘Nick’s Space Center’ website
Views of MA-1. I must admit, the adapter does appear to minimally narrow near its aft end:
i0.wp.com/www.drewexmachina.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/0...
i2.wp.com/www.drewexmachina.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/0...
Both above credit: Andrew LePage/Drew ExMachina website
upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Big_Joe_Ready...
Credit: Wikipedia
IDK
No artist signature. Used for press release purposes, some highlighted/outlined areas of the photograph remain…permanently. My impressive new handy-dandy remover couldn't budge them.