Produced by Cinefonics for NASA, “Establishing a Rocket Research Range” is a 1960s color documentary on the extensive use of sounding rockets by U.S. scientists. The film begins with footage of many sounding rocket launches before delving into the necessary components for a rocket research range and a successful launch. The film includes an explanation of the conditions required for a testing site, recovery of experiments, various areas within a testing site, testing of rocket timers, telemetry and tracking equipment, a sounding rocket launchpad, control center, closed-circuit observation equipment, recording of radar data. Additionally, the film features an example of how the facilities are used to launch a grenade experiment starting at T-2 days and ending at the time of launch. Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) is operated by the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, primarily as a rocket launch site to support science and exploration missions for NASA and other Federal agencies.
Film opens, NASA logo (0:06). Opening credits play over footage of construction site along coast (0:11). Narration begins, montage of sounding rocket launches and reasons why US launches so many sounding rockets: Low cost, carry relatively large payload, ease and low cost of payload recover, check out experiments that may occur later (0:26). Chart of atmosphere cross-section showing how sounding rocket fills research gap between balloons and satellites (1:32). Entrance sign for Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia (1:48). Segment begins examining different facilities that guide establishment of new rocket research range (1:53). Illustration depicting size and scope of range, how it should be designed and optimized depending on location, geography, local population (2:21). Recovery of experiments and establishing launch site: Jeep traverses desert landscape, 1961 Chevrolet Brookwood Wagon drives through remote forested landscape to launch site (2:44). Requirements of launch facility (storage, assembly, communications, control, timing); Footage cuts between illustration explaining requirements of launch facility and live footage of each building: Rocket storage area (3:27). Payload storage area: Men use electrical check-out equipment to check grenade, repairs as needed (4:35). Telemetry equipment and data recording centers: Man stands in front of large apparatus with various readers, nobs, trackers; Radar tracking equipment i.e. GMD-1, SCR-584 radar; Ground support items i.e. electrical cables, meteorological balloons (5:37). Launch pads: Components include launch pad, floodlights, loudspeakers, telephone, 16mm cameras set up to observe launch (7:11). Close-up of employee adjusting launcher made from simple rail type that is easily adjustable depending on need of rocket (7:50). The control center/ “blockhouse:” Windows or close-circuit television equipment for observing launch pad, radar control switch panel, radar data photo recorded on what appears to be magnetic conversion kit (similar to PR-23 recorder) (8:09). Case study of payload launch (grenade experiment), two men at payload storage area conduct checks on equipment (10:00). T-12 hours rocket moved from storage on proper dolly, flat and smooth concrete roadways (10:22). Special forklift positions rocket onto launch rail (10:46). In remote area, man loads grenades into nose of rocket (10:58). T-4 hours payload minus grenades carefully loaded onto rocket booster (11:16). Wind observations using meteorological balloon, inside data recording center man determines desired launch settings on apparatus (11:31). Two men assist in adding nose cone with grenades to rocket (11:56). Screen with count-down timer (12:10). Range safety info collected by aircraft (small biplane) or tracking radar (12:15). In instrumentation area employees do final equipment checks on sound ranging recorders; Sound ranging microphones installed under covers in forest to collect data (12:35). Final adjustments made to launcher after it is angled up towards sky (13:33). Instrumentation turned on to internal power in rocket, all recording instruments prepared for launch (transponders, recorders for tracking and telemetry, sound ranging recorders) (14:15). Rocket dramatically launches into sky (14:49). Close-up strip recording sound waves at each time of explosion of payload (15:17). Closing credits (16:09).
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit [ Ссылка ]
