Space Shuttle Launch Pad 39A with Challenger STS-6 (1:144)

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Hello everybody,
once again to this photo of the Access Door, that was shown by Michael Key, whose source was previously unknown.



A friend from the ARC Forum (southwestforests) has found the same photo in this Article, that was published by Jacques van Oene.


Source: spaceflightinsider.com (Jacques van Oene)

By the end of 2012, this Original Test-ET (1977-80) had been exhibited on the KSC-Visitor Complex, but 2013 had to give place for the new Atlantis Exhibition Hall, in front of whose entrance since then there is standing a huge Mock-up ET with boosters.

And in this Article I found many other interesting photos of this ET, including also this photo of the Carrier Plate, which is just five stringers above the Access Door, as we now know.

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Hello everybody,

and now back to the 3D Intertank, where Michael Key is coming down the stretch after his considering of my last little changes.

And just now, my "special" friend and helper DaveS in the NSF Forum comes out of the wood and presents me this interesting photo of the Access Door at STS-31 (1990), unfortunately without source.

But after I've found the image in Google, I recognized it from the URL, according to which it comes from the collection of George Gassaway, which I know by now.


Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)

And since I found a similar photo of the STS-30 (1989), I suspect that since the use of the Leightweight Tanks (LWT), starting at STS-6, such doors were installed, which apparently also had a foam insulation.


Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)

For this also militates this photo of my friend James MacLaren, which also shows such a door in the background. The image shows the Challenger on Pad 39-B, probably during the preparation for her fateful final mission STS-51L (1986), what I still will find out.


Source: forum.nasaspaceflight.com (James MacLaren)

Consequently the photo used so far for the 3D modeling shows a Graphite-Composite door, as has been used later on the Super Lightweight Tanks (SLWT),


Source: NASA

like here at the STS-133 (2011).


Source: NASA

For Michael Key's 3D-Modeling this realization is coming too late unfortunately, but which is not a problem, because I can glue this door with the two handles later on, especially since it is very small (9 mm x 8 mm), as one can see here.

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Hello everyone,

now it goes on with the 3D Intertank journey, which went into the next round, which keeps me in suspense.

Unfortunately I have yet overlooked an important detail that was not yet correct in the last pictures of Michael Key's 3D model and consequently could not remain, what was to be seen 14 days ago in this picture.


Source: shapeways.com/forum (Michael Key)

I had circled the part already, but at first I was only interested in the bottom plates of the two Fairings.

After I had Michael Key pointed this and had been once more showing the still too high Carrier Plate, he wanted to get back to with the final model for the final checkup, for what I specifically had asked him befor a possible upload to Shapeways .

Almost at the same time DaveS came up with this, so far unknown Access Door, how it most likely had looked like at ET-8 during STS-6.


Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)

About this I have informed Michael Key and told him at the same time that he should not change the door, because I could scratch this little detail as well.

After that he surprised me with his final Intertank version, in which he had even considered this door in addition to the lower located Carrier Plate, which of course I was pleased.


Source: shapeways.com/forum (Michael Key)

And here are further pictures of his 3D model:



After I have begun to wonder about the arrangement of the two Fairings as well as the PAL Ramps and Cable Trays


at this close-up my hair suddenly stood on end.



Apart from the somewhat too crude shape of the big LO2 Fairing, both fairings are next to each other almost at one height, but what is not true, although in turn was clearly visible on previous photos, but what apparently he has not registered and consequently not so implemented.

In reality, the arrangement of the fairings however looks like as at these two photos.


Quelle: NASA


Source: NASA

But the bafflement was following, by telling me at the same time that he had uploaded his model to Shapeways, which would have allowed everybody to order immediately, but what was agreed otherwise, by the way, for EUR 58 (WSF) or EUR 91 (FUD), but with these errors.

And in the 3D panorama view of the Intertank in his Shapeways Shop, this error was also clearly visible (see red dashed line).

Furthermore, I wondered about the tapering shape till the top of the two PAL Ramps and the resulting gap to the Cable Trays, which is not true.


Source: shapeways.com (The Aerospace Place)

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Then I have immediately communicated Michael Key this change requirement on the basis of these earlier photos,


Source: NASA


Source: NASA

what I have marked on this image again.


Source: shapeways.com (The Aerospace Place)

Because of these mistakes, I have asked him to remove his offer from his shop site immediately, which he then has done.

A controversial point is still the form of the fairings and the arrangement of the GH2/GO2 Press. Lines, for which he has sent me this picture, in which I have marked my changes in red.


Source: shapeways.com/forum (Michael Key)

And as one can see in these photos, the two Press. Lines should run closer to the LO2 Feedline .


Source: NASA


Source: georgesrockets.com (George Gassaway)
As far as the current state.
Slowly but surely, but somehow we'll crack the hard nut like the squirrel.

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Hello everybody,

the Intertank in Michael Key's Shapeways Shop currently looks like this, but still with the important note Not For Sale, what will hopefully change soon.


Source: shapeways.com (The Aerospace Place)
While everything looks awesome on this side, there are a few detail problems to solve on the other side.
But we can do it together, in any case I have supplied the necessary reference ammunition.

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Hello everybody,

Michael Key has still modified the shape of the two Fairings a bit, which looks really better now.


Source: shapeways.com/forum (Michael Key)





And the arrangement of the details now agrees fairly well with the original and can therefore remain so.


Source: NASA



And since the wall thickness of the LO2 Fairing is only 0,25 mm in 1:144, we have agreed on to insert no opening for the LO2 Feedline (Ø 3mm), so I can glue the line directly.


With that Michael Key has now reached the home stretch and the final is heralded.

[colwyne]

Awesome work mate
Words fail me
Thanks for sharing your build

Cheers

[elliott]

Haven't commented lately Manfred but am reading every word and looking at every pic. Watching you and Michael, and others, work through this knotty problem is awesome. Congratulations on getting this far.

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Thanks elliott for your nice compliment,
yeah, yeah, this Intertank chapter was very tricky and has been on my mind for a long time already, but now on the fourth attempt the time has come and together with Michael Key we are successful.
Therefore, the MLP had to be parked in the cupboard in the meantime and will be continued now again.

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Hello everybody,

so friends, we are just before completion.

At first still this small addendum, which I have reached out non-binding to Michael Key, without knowing whether he would go into rapture in view of my previous special requests.

But I thought, asking does not cost anything, either-or?

On this image of the STS-6 one can see these two areas, in which the Stringer-Valleys are filled up with Insulating foam, which would perfectly complete the already nicely detailed Intertank.


Source: retrospaceimages.com (J. L. Pickering)

The white part (left) is the RSS Antenna, as well as an Aerodynamic Vent in the middle of the right-hand area, as I found it in George Gassaway's ET collection,

here at STS-37 (ET-37),


Source: georgesrockets.com

as well as here at STS-36 (ET-33).


Source: georgesrockets.com

And what should I tell you, in his final version, he has even implemented these two details.


Source: shapeways.com/forum (Michael Key)


Source: shapeways.com/forum (Michael Key)

This surprise he really succeeded.