Visiting Air & Space Museum in DC

[ka9q]

Not beyond the bounds of possibility but it would be hard to recover in terms of size. The craft recovering it would have to encapsulate it. As I understand it, even the orbit would be difficult to plot due to the action of things like the solar wind.

Yeah, recovering it would be the easy part. The really hard part would be to simply find it.

[beedarko]

An Arby's 2-for-1 coupon to the first aviation geek who can identify this object.   

[smartcooky]

An Arby's 2-for-1 coupon to the first aviation geek who can identify this object.   

A recovered part of Columbia?

[beedarko]

An Arby's 2-for-1 coupon to the first aviation geek who can identify this object.   

A recovered part of Columbia?

Negative.

Hint: This craft did not go to space.

[bknight]

Me in front of Charlie Brown..

I'll see your Charlie Brown and raise you a Columbia.   



Even got a closeup of the heat shield.  When I was there, they hadn't yet encased it in Lucite.  She was right out in the open.

Is that darker mark toward the top where a thinner amount of heat shield exists or just the lighting?

[beedarko]

Is that darker mark toward the top where a thinner amount of heat shield exists or just the lighting?

The dark patch is where a large chunk of the outer skin is missing.  The honeycomb pattern of the remaining shielding is still visible, as well as a round, exposed section which I'm assuming might be a structural point.  I'm sure Jay or someone more familiar with the CM design could do a better job of identifying it.

Here's a better view:



More erosion from the edge:



Mercury 7's shield for comparison:

[Count Zero]

An Arby's 2-for-1 coupon to the first aviation geek who can identify this object.   

It's an inanimate carbon rod!

[BazBear]

An Arby's 2-for-1 coupon to the first aviation geek who can identify this object.   

Wing tip of the Rutan Voyager?

[smartcooky]

An Arby's 2-for-1 coupon to the first aviation geek who can identify this object.   

Wing tip of the Rutan Voyager?

You might just be right...



...note the ceiling tiles and the two-tone grey pattern on the far wall.

I think its the wing-tip with  the winglet removed! Actually, I seem to remember something I saw on a Discovery programme about the winglets breaking off during takeoff...forced down by the fuel load and impacted the runway, or something like that.

[bknight]

The dark patch is where a large chunk of the outer skin is missing.  The honeycomb pattern of the remaining shielding is still visible, as well as a round, exposed section which I'm assuming might be a structural point.  I'm sure Jay or someone more familiar with the CM design could do a better job of identifying it.

Then Those missing areas may be the sign of handling or pieces breaking off during handling.

[beedarko]

Wing tip of the Rutan Voyager?

Tell him what he's won, Johnny!

I still remember watching the takeoff live on TV.  The one winglet was badly damaged and sort of flapping around.  A chase plane was following and monitoring its progress, and eventually it ripped away.  There was some discussion about whether they should abort the flight, but it was decided that it likely didn't compromise the wing integrity, so they flew on.

History!

 

[smartcooky]

Wing tip of the Rutan Voyager?

Tell him what he's won, Johnny!

I still remember watching the takeoff live on TV.  The one winglet was badly damaged and sort of flapping around.  A chase plane was following and monitoring its progress, and eventually it ripped away.  There was some discussion about whether they should abort the flight, but it was decided that it likely didn't compromise the wing integrity, so they flew on.

History!

 

Landing Voyager with a full fuel load would have been very, very risky.

[BazBear]

Wing tip of the Rutan Voyager?

Tell him what he's won, Johnny!

I still remember watching the takeoff live on TV.  The one winglet was badly damaged and sort of flapping around.  A chase plane was following and monitoring its progress, and eventually it ripped away.  There was some discussion about whether they should abort the flight, but it was decided that it likely didn't compromise the wing integrity, so they flew on.

History!

 

My train of thought was "why would the museum display something damaged?", as most of the articles there are restored. It had to be something damaged when it did whatever it was famous for. Which made me recall the Voyager damaging it's wingtip taking off for it's historic flight around the globe. Checked to see if it was in the collection, and bingo, there it was, including the photo of it in what appeared to be the same hall as your photo.

There's no Arby's within a hundred miles of me, so you can donate that coupon to the charity of your choice 

[BazBear]

Before I forget again, Beedarko, thanks for all the great photos. I need to get my butt down to that museum sometime in the not too distant future.

[beedarko]

Before I forget again, Beedarko, thanks for all the great photos. I need to get my butt down to that museum sometime in the not too distant future.

You are certainly welcome Baz.  I just wish I could've stayed longer to take it all in!  Very much worth the visit, and..... completely free!  What's not to love?