A question to increase my bank of random trivia answers; has there been any other traditional rocket with a 3 engine cluster? There's the Shuttle, but I can't think of any booster with or even upper stage with 3 engines.
Quote from: JEF_300 on 05/14/2019 03:30 pmA question to increase my bank of random trivia answers; has there been any other traditional rocket with a 3 engine cluster? There's the Shuttle, but I can't think of any booster with or even upper stage with 3 engines.Atlas (Original balloon tank) Family, if you count the outboard engines.
2020.02.13 H3ロケット用第1段厚肉タンクステージの燃焼試験 LE-9 ３基クラスタ燃焼試験 速報版Combustion test of the first thick tank stage for H3 rocket LE-9 3-unit cluster combustion test
Updated July 27, 2020Functional test of the first H3 rocket testerAt the Tobishima Plant of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., located in Aichi Prefecture, the 1-stage and 2-stage aircraft for the H3 rocket tester No. 1 are showing their appearance and conducting functional tests.(Left photo) Lying majesticly is the first stage H3 rocket tester. The size is 5.2m in diameter and about 37m in length, which is equivalent to two cars on the Yamanote line. The cylindrical cream-colored parts that extend horizontally are the liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank that carry fuel. Two 1-stage engines LE-9 are mounted on the lower part in front.(Right photo) This is a two-stage fuselage of the H3 rocket tester No. 1. The cream-colored part is the liquid hydrogen tank, which had a diameter of 4 m for the H-IIA rocket, but 5.2 m for the H3 rocket. The LE-5B-3 engine (no nozzle installed) is combined with a liquid oxygen tank wrapped with silver-colored insulation. The two-stage fuselage is equipped with structural members that support the fuel tank, piping that guides fuel to the engine, and electrical equipment that controls the fuselage.For the first time, I was able to get a sense of accomplishment at the same time as seeing how the components that had been hard to complete until now were assembled as an actual launch vehicle, and at the same time, I was more enthusiastic about the successful launch.The functional test currently underway is the work of carefully checking the functions of many rockets one by one. Tests to check if the function of distributing power to each device is correct, tests to check if the signals from various sensors are output correctly, check for leaks in the pipes through which fuel passes, and check whether valves are operating correctly After conducting the test, perform the test to electrically connect the 1st stage aircraft and the 2nd stage aircraft and run the same sequence as at the time of launch, move each device and valve, and check whether the signal is output properly. I will.This is the first functional test of the H3 rocket. When I started the functional test, there were parts that did not go as I expected, and I am working forward by solving them one by one. The appearance of the aircraft is imposing, but the contents are like a freshly born deer, and its feet are indistinct. In the first power distribution test, we put in switches of hundreds of items one by one and check the voltage output of that line. Various troubles occur, such as signals not being able to communicate properly due to a slight time difference. I would like to be able to send it out as a full-scale rocket before the factory is shipped.There are some past rocket launch failures that we could have found during the functional tests at this factory. I would like to proceed with the confirmation work carefully so as not to overlook it. After successfully completing the functional tests at the factory, it is finally time to carry the first test aircraft to the Tanegashima Space Center, assemble the aircraft, and perform a comprehensive system test to check the interface with the ground equipment. The mountain top is finally visible as the test machine is launched. We will continue to challenge ourselves.
