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SSRT: DC-XA Flight 4 McDonnell Douglas News Release



>Return-Path: chrisj@mail.utexas.edu
>From: chrisj@mail.utexas.edu (Chris W. Johnson)
>To: "Single Stage Rocket Technology News" <ssrt-news@zimbazi.cc.utexas.edu>
>Subject: SSRT: DC-XA Flight 4 McDonnell Douglas News Release
>Date: Fri, 2 Aug 1996 13:56:32 -0600
>Sender: listserv@zimbazi.cc.utexas.edu
>X-listname: <ssrt-news@zimbazi.cc.utexas.edu>
>
>-------
>
>From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
>Newsgroups: sci.space.news
>Subject: Fourth Test Flight of the Clipper Graham
>Followup-To: sci.space.policy
>Date: 1 Aug 1996 14:22:57 -0700
>Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
>Lines: 38
>
>STATUS REPORT: FOURTH TEST FLIGHT OF CLIPPER GRAHAM
>
>A McDonnell Douglas news release
>July 31, 1996
>
>WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M., July 31, 1996 - The experimental
>NASA-McDonnell Douglas Clipper Graham rocket flew today, but a problem
>during landing caused the vehicle to tip over and catch fire.
>
>The Clipper Graham began its 2-minute, 20-second test flight at 1:15 p.m.
>MDT. It was the fourth flight in a test series that began in May.
>
>Program managers Dan Dumbacher of NASA and Dave Schweikle of McDonnell
>Douglas said the vehicle performed its flight maneuvers extremely well. It
>completed its planned test profile, which included an arc-like sweeping
>maneuver from a near upright position, before descending base-first from the
>4,100-foot maximum altitude. All of the vehicle's components appeared to
>function normally.
>
>However, approximately 200 feet above the landing pad one of four landing
>gear failed to deploy. The Clipper Graham touched down on the three deployed
>landing gear, shut off its engines, then fell on its side because it lacked
>the support of the fourth landing gear.
>
>A committee will be established to investigate the cause of the incident.
>The committee will gather flight and landing data to determine what caused
>the problem. Engineers and technicians will not be able to examine the
>severely damaged vehicle for at least 24 hours because of safety
>considerations.
>
>Dumbacher and Schweikle said the Clipper Graham is an experimental,
>high-risk technology program. The Clipper Graham is a follow-on of the Delta
>Clipper-Experimental vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing rocket that
>successfully completed a series of eight flight tests.
>
>Dumbacher and Schweikle said each of the tests in the program has been more
>demanding, demonstrating the behavior of the experimental vehicle under a
>variety of dynamic flight conditions.
>
>
>
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+                                                                             +
+  Weave a circle 'round him thrice, and close your eyes with holy dread...   +
+                                                                             +
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