I found this video because I was reading the Mammoth book of space exploration and disasters and I really wanted to know what the Atlas looked like any watch videos of it take off and I'm so happy but it was a scishow video.
Came for the rockets state for the video, thank you Hank and everyone else at scishow!!
1:45 and hence the near miss that occurred when an ICBM lit off in Arkansas in 1980 (known as the Damascus accident) when technicians accidentally pierced said shell while performing maintenance when the wrong size socket fell off of the wrench and pierced the skin whilst ricocheting down 😅
I'm not sure that anyone in 1945 thought that an ICBM was possible, except perhaps Wernher von Braun and some of his team. It took over a decade of development from the Aggregat-4 (V-2) to achieve the kind if range needed for intercontinental reach.
In the year or two leading up to John Glenn's orbital flight, there was much rivalry between the army and the air force concerning rocket development. The first two manned Mercury missions (those of Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom) were launched on Redstone rockets, because, at the time, these were the ones least likely to explode on the launch pad.
Once the Atlas was thoroughly proven, and modified as you describe, it was used on the Mercury programme. The first two Mercury-Atlas launches were unmanned, although the second did carry a chimpanzee named Enos.
I'm not sure the reason behind the stage-and-a-half design was the difficulty of igniting a second stage in flight. They did, after all, have hypergolic propellants available. I think the main reason is that it was the most expedient compromise between the simplicity of a single-stage design and the thrust-to-weight benefits of a multi-stage design.
Small nit: At 1 minute 30 seconds, an illustration of Atlas 2nd and 3rd generation vehicles are shown, when the video speaks of the 1954 development of the original. Atlas 3 and later vehicles share only the name and none of the tech of the original SM-65 missile, which the illustration doesn't include. Great video otherwise and appreciate the shout-out for a legendary launch vehicle.
i won't lie..
i'm honestly looking forward to one day having a rocket called 'rocky mcrocket-face' or a satelite called 'satty mcsatelite-face'
and the scientists behind it will groan and then smile as they get to come up with an insanely long yet accurate name that can be spelled as such.
Soon as Hank said they let the internet name it, of course my first thought was Rocky McRocketface. And my second thought was that the internet has warped all of our minds.
i like how no one ever mentions that alan sheppard was the first american in space. for years i always thought it was glenn because no one cares enough to talk about sheppard lol
I've had the chance to work on the latest rocket in this family. It's a true beast and you can practically feel the history when you watch it loft a rover and helicopter toward Mars. Can't understate the importance of the Centaur either. It's been around nearly as long as the Atlas and is rooted in the same design as the original ICBM. In a way, the original Atlas from the 1960s is still flying today. It's just a little smaller and carrying hydrogen instead of kerosene.
Order your SciShow Space Pinboard and all SciShow merch here: dftba.com/scishow
We use cookies, device fingerprinting and cross-device tracking to personalise content, serve targeted advertising, and analyse how you use our site across your devices. By clicking Accept all you consent to the use of these tracking technologies. Your data may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you personalised ads on other sites.
Privacy policy
Comments (20)
Daily Junction discussion mixed with clearly attributed comments from the original video provider.
Join in — free. Comments on Daily Junction are for members, so real names stay rare and bots stay out.
One field. We email you a 6-digit code — no password needed. Your comment is kept while you do it.
Under 13? You’ll need a parent’s OK first — it takes them one click.
Came for the rockets state for the video, thank you Hank and everyone else at scishow!!
Shame I'm too late for the pen 😢
In the year or two leading up to John Glenn's orbital flight, there was much rivalry between the army and the air force concerning rocket development. The first two manned Mercury missions (those of Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom) were launched on Redstone rockets, because, at the time, these were the ones least likely to explode on the launch pad.
Once the Atlas was thoroughly proven, and modified as you describe, it was used on the Mercury programme. The first two Mercury-Atlas launches were unmanned, although the second did carry a chimpanzee named Enos.
I'm not sure the reason behind the stage-and-a-half design was the difficulty of igniting a second stage in flight. They did, after all, have hypergolic propellants available. I think the main reason is that it was the most expedient compromise between the simplicity of a single-stage design and the thrust-to-weight benefits of a multi-stage design.
i'm honestly looking forward to one day having a rocket called 'rocky mcrocket-face' or a satelite called 'satty mcsatelite-face'
and the scientists behind it will groan and then smile as they get to come up with an insanely long yet accurate name that can be spelled as such.
I want that.