Tag: rocket sled
Today in Science History March 19th
by Greg on Mar.19, 2009, under Science Life History
In 1954, a sled powered by six rockets with a human rider reached 421 mph, running 3,550-ft on heavy rails mounted in concrete at rails at Holloman Air Force Base, Alamogordo, NM. It was the effects of braking from such speed that was being studied. Known as the “abrupt deceleration vehicle,” it was built by the Northrup Aircraft, Inc., to simulate the effects on pilots bailing out of airplanes travelling at supersonic speeds. It was braked rapidly by water scooped in vents in the bottom of the sled from a trough five feet wide and 18 inches deep. Riding on the sled to test the effect of sudden deceleration was Lt. Col. John Paul Stapp, chief of the Aero Medical Field Laboratory at the base. By year’s end, tests increased speed to 632 mph.
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Nasa's Image of the Day
Large X-class Flare Erupts on the Sun
On Jan. 27, 2012, a large X-class flare erupted from an active region near the solar west limb. X-class flares are the most powerful of all solar events. Seen here is an image of the flare captured by the X-ray telescope on Hinode. This image shows an emission from plasma heated to greater than eight million degrees during the energy release process of the flare. Image Credit: JAXA/Hinode
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