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Author
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Topic: Apollo 13: Titan IIIc launch on adjacent LC-40
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Canaveral
Member Posts: 29
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 01-31-2007 07:42 PM
   
I was surprised that NASA permitted the launch of a Titan IIIc from LC-40 just a couple of days prior to the launch of Apollo 13 from 39A. I would have thought an explosion of the Titan IIIc vehicle upon liftoff could have impacted the Saturn V on LC-39A. Is this a correct assumption or is LC-40 too far away from 39A to be a real danger? - 1970 April 8 10:50 - Vela 12 Launch Vehicle: Titan 3C. Titan IIIC 3C-18
- 1970 April 11 2:13 - Apollo 13 launch, LC39A
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Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 01-31-2007 07:53 PM
No, they are far enough apart; all the large launch pads were spaced far enough such that this would not be a problem.The distance from pad 39A to LC40 is 3.6 miles, outside the impact limit for Titan III. For comparison, the shuttle launch pads are 1.6 miles from one another and there have been several launches from one while a shuttle was on the other pad. There is a photo of the launch you describe somewhere showing the Saturn V with the Titan in the background, let me dig it up. |
art540
Member Posts: 432
From: Orange, California USA
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 01-31-2007 07:57 PM
I would very surprised if NASA could interfere with a national security launch ever. Also consider the Saturn V spent several months at LC-39 prior to launch. That would play havoc with LC-40/41 operations if that was a restriction. It is
a good question to get an answer on. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3413
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 02-01-2007 09:05 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Ben:
There is a photo of the launch you describe somewhere showing the Saturn V with the Titan in the background, let me dig it up.
Is this the one, Ben? |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 02-01-2007 12:22 PM
That is not it. In fact I have never seen this photo, but I like it!The photo I am thinking of shows the MSS in the same way around the Saturn V but the Titan is almost directly behind it, and it is much more zoomed in. I believe the photo was vertical too. Hmm. I don't remember it being that dark out at launch. Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me. Maybe it was a different Saturn V. So far no luck finding the photo. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3413
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 02-01-2007 01:35 PM
You are not thinking about this one, are you? This is AS-500F in 1966. |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 02-01-2007 03:00 PM
Yep, that must be it. I guess I figured the chances of there being two Titan launches with a Saturn V in the foreground weren't likely.Thanks for finding that. Sorry for the confusion. |
art540
Member Posts: 432
From: Orange, California USA
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 02-01-2007 03:15 PM
There is a daylight launch of a Titan III with a Saturn on LC-39 available on a vertical image. At least two images so far... |
Tom
Member Posts: 1610
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 02-01-2007 03:47 PM
Also, in the book "Go For Launch" (page 215) there is a photo of Columbia (STS-3) on Pad 39A with Titan 3C-20 launching from Complex 40 on March 6, 1982... about two weeks prior to the shuttle launch. |
Ben
Member Posts: 1896
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: May 2000
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posted 02-01-2007 05:54 PM
quote:
Originally posted by art540:
There is a daylight launch of a Titan III with a Saturn on LC-39 available on a vertical image.
Do you know where we can find this one? |
art540
Member Posts: 432
From: Orange, California USA
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 02-01-2007 08:12 PM
I looked again and it is horizontal dated June 16, 1966. It is on page 215 of "Go For Launch."I would really like to get Ed's image someday - that is a great perspective and the sky is beautiful. No end to all the missing images we would like to have! |
SpaceCat
Member Posts: 151
From: Florida, US
Registered: May 2006
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posted 02-01-2007 10:22 PM
This shot of GT-11 with the 500F in the background also comes to mind here. It's from Sept. 12, 1966. |
heng44
Member Posts: 3413
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 02-06-2007 09:21 AM
quote:
Originally posted by art540:
There is a daylight launch of a Titan III with a Saturn on LC-39 available on a vertical image.
According to Joel Powell, this could be a Titan which launched Tacsat in February 1969. Thus it must be Apollo 9 in the background. |
SpaceCat
Member Posts: 151
From: Florida, US
Registered: May 2006
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posted 02-06-2007 05:11 PM
Imagine being a worker on the Cape side during Gemini and watching that monster gradually come together, day by day, over on Merritt Island! Who would have thought it would all come to an end in less than 10 years? |
art540
Member Posts: 432
From: Orange, California USA
Registered: Sep 2006
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posted 02-06-2007 07:10 PM
The Saturn V disappeared forever from the Cape skyline only 80 months after the GT-11/500F image was taken. |
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