Author Topic: HEXAGON Photos  (Read 6337 times)

Offline Paul Adams

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HEXAGON Photos
« on: 03/20/2012 05:46 pm »
Taken at the Air Force Museum, March 15, 2012.

The display is really something, eventually they will be moved into the new 'space hall'.

The museum itself if well worth a long trip to visit.

Paul
« Last Edit: 03/20/2012 06:22 pm by Chris Bergin »
It's all in the data.

Offline Paul Adams

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #1 on: 03/20/2012 05:52 pm »
Two of Four 'dumps'
It's all in the data.

Offline Paul Adams

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #2 on: 03/20/2012 05:59 pm »
Three of Four 'dumps'
It's all in the data.

Offline Paul Adams

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #3 on: 03/20/2012 06:06 pm »
Four of Four 'dumps'
It's all in the data.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #4 on: 03/20/2012 07:19 pm »
Many thanks. I want to go up there, but it's an eight hour drive and flights are pricey.

The bottom ones are from the (KH-7) GAMBIT 1. Please post (KH-8) GAMBIT 3 pictures if you have them.
« Last Edit: 03/20/2012 07:41 pm by Blackstar »

Offline Blackstar

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #5 on: 03/20/2012 07:29 pm »
I'm not sure if this is the same GAMBIT 1 (KH-7) that was displayed at the Udvar-Hazy Museum for the evening in September 2011. I was told that there might be as many as three GAMBIT 1s in storage (and I believe that I read in one of the official histories that when the program was ended there were five left, so there could be five of them).

I do notice that the outriggers are not deployed for this display (they appear to be covered by the black protrusion along the side). They were deployed for the one in September. Could be the same vehicle and they simply chose to keep everything stowed. I don't know the purpose of those deployed systems, however. They were very confusing when we looked at it up close, and none of the histories or documents fully explain their purpose.
« Last Edit: 03/20/2012 07:30 pm by Blackstar »

Offline Malderi

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #6 on: 03/20/2012 07:31 pm »
Are there any declassified photos of the flight articles? I've seen pictures of this one (mockup? ground test article?) before, but there must've been MLI or something over the structure and I'm curious what it looked like.

Many thanks for the pictures, hoping to make the pilgrimage over there at some point.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #7 on: 03/20/2012 07:40 pm »
Are there any declassified photos of the flight articles? I've seen pictures of this one (mockup? ground test article?) before, but there must've been MLI or something over the structure and I'm curious what it looked like.

Many thanks for the pictures, hoping to make the pilgrimage over there at some point.

There are declassified photos and some have been posted elsewhere here (see the HEXAGON thread). This HEXAGON was a ground test engineering model, but it was not a mockup. The camera could have been flight qualified, and there were proposals to fly it in the shuttle payload bay at the end of the program.

The GAMBITs are actual flight models. I believe that one of the histories said that there were something like five GAMBIT 1s and three GAMBIT 3s left over when the programs were shut down.
« Last Edit: 03/20/2012 07:41 pm by Blackstar »

Offline Paul Adams

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #8 on: 03/20/2012 08:17 pm »
Are there any declassified photos of the flight articles? I've seen pictures of this one (mockup? ground test article?) before, but there must've been MLI or something over the structure and I'm curious what it looked like.

Many thanks for the pictures, hoping to make the pilgrimage over there at some point.
I would wait a couple of years until the new space hall is complete. They have plans for a complete Titan 3, X15, X24 and the shuttle trainer.
« Last Edit: 03/20/2012 08:17 pm by Paul Adams »
It's all in the data.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #9 on: 03/20/2012 09:21 pm »
Somebody asked about actual flight hardware photos.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #10 on: 03/20/2012 09:26 pm »
Some more.

Offline Silmfeanor

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #11 on: 03/20/2012 11:10 pm »
Wow, these are amazing! Really gives you a better sense of scale, with the whole system visible instead of the various smaller shots on the exhibitions.

Thanks a lot for posting these!

Offline ngc3314

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #12 on: 03/22/2012 12:35 am »
Taken at the Air Force Museum, March 15, 2012.

That's a coincidence. I was there with my son on the same day, and will now not feel the need to post any of my KH-n closeup shots!

One closely relevant exhibit is outside - the C-119J on display was the first to catch a "Discoverer" film bucket during descent. And speaking of mission support, near it is an ARIA aircraft.
« Last Edit: 03/22/2012 01:04 am by ngc3314 »

Offline ngc3314

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #13 on: 03/24/2012 01:19 pm »
The KH-8 display isn't nearly as flashy without big clear panels or all the exposed hardware, but this is what I got. With the dim lighting, I went to the car for a tripod and repeated most of my pictures throughout the museum.

Offline Blackstar

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #14 on: 03/24/2012 02:07 pm »
Thanks for those. That's disappointing that they don't have anything more for the KH-8. This artifact may never have been on display before, and might not be configurable for display. In addition, there is more that remains classified about the GABMIT-3/KH-8 and maybe that explains why they won't open it up.

I found out that the agreement with the museum is apparently for five years, meaning that at the end of that time the artifacts could end up somewhere else. However, that's all going to depend upon how the museum treats them vs. any other possible suiters. For example, if the Smithsonian asked for one or more of them with the promise to prominently display them, they might have a chance. You'd think that the NRO would like to have one or more of these on display at the Udvar-Hazy center, which is only a few miles from their Headquarters. It would allow them to show off some of their hardware and use the backdrop for parties, etc. Unfortunately, Udvar-Hazy is running out of room in their space hangar.

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: HEXAGON Photos
« Reply #15 on: 03/24/2012 07:03 pm »
Dumb question, can anyone tell if the KH-8 on display has a single or two reentry capsules. The two tone, shiny top, black bottom is interesting. I would assume the black side would be pointing earthward.

So anyone want to hazard if the black was for thermal control, or a first attempt at making the KH-8 harder to spot.
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