International Space Hall of Fame
On my way to the 1995 IPMS National Convention, I stopped at the
International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Actually,
the ISHoF is just a part of the Space
Center. Also included
in the complex is the Clyde Tombaugh Planetarium and Omnimax (the
world's smallest Omni theater!), The Hubbard Space Science Education
Building (a Challenger Learning Center) and the John P. Stapp Air and
Space Park.
I have visited here several times, each time there has been at least
one new exhibit to see. Unfortunately, this time, they were in the
middle of changing the fourth floor into a new exhibit, so I didn't
get to see anything new... Anyway, I visited this time just to check
out which rockets were on display. As of July 5, 1995, the rockets on
display were:
Outside:
Inside:
Rocket garden and ISHoF
From left to right: Little Joe II, J-2 engine, ISHoF, Lance Missile
and Aerobee 150. The rockets aren't really bent and leaning over:
that's the result of my using a 28mm lens to get it all in.

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Sonic Wind No. 1
Here's Colonel John Stapp's rocket sled on which he subjected himself
to a bunch of positive, then negative g's. The tests were conducted
at nearby Holloman Air Force Base.

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Lance missile and Aerobee 150
I believe the Lance was an Army artillery rocket, while the Aerobee
150 was a sounding rocket, but don't quote me on that (all my
reference books are packed away).

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Little Joe II and ISHoF
This Little Joe II isn't an accurate representation of any of the test
rounds fired at nearby White Sands. But it does give an idea of the
overall size and shape of the vehicle. The Hall o'Fame is in the
background, reflecting the escarpment of the Sacramento Mountains.

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Nike Ajax
This missile looks poised to protect the Tularosa valley from all
invaders. White Sands can be seen at the base of the mountains across
the valley.

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V-2 engine
Here's a somewhat crushed example of the engine that launched the
Space Age.

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F-1 engine
There were five of these monsters on the first stage of the Saturn V
moon rocket, each generating 1.5 million pounds of thrust, burning
kerosene with liquid oxygen.

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J-2 engine
On December 21, 1968, the single J-2 engine in the third stage of the
Saturn V rocket ignited, sending humans to the moon for the first
time aboard Apollo 8.

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Aerobee 150 sustainer and Nike-Cajun
Sounding rockets, nothing but sounding rockets.

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Model rockets
The rockets in this case are (left to right):
You can see a pink outline in the picture above the All-American
Alpha. That outline shows the All-American Alpha flying next to a
Hermes missile on display at White Sands Launch Complex 33. (You can
also see my reflection in the glass... a sort of geeky
self-portrait.)

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[Scale models page]
[Model rockets page]
Sven Knudson, sven@ninfinger.org
IPMS#32490
NAR#63297