Author Topic: What Spaceflight Hardware Might this Be?  (Read 2104 times)

Offline llanitedave

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What Spaceflight Hardware Might this Be?
« on: 07/24/2014 03:27 am »
This morning, I spotted the container pictured below heading west on U.S. Highway 50 outside of Ely, NV.  It was a wide load vehicle with escorts in front and behind, and there was a placard on the side (sorry that the photo quality isn't good enough to show it) that read something to the effect of "Space Flight Hardware".  It's a huge refrigerated container, and the convoy was travelling fast -- on parts of U.S. 50 it was hitting 80 miles per hour.  It slowed down greatly on uphill runs, and at one point pulled over so that traffic could pass it -- that's how I could get ahead of it to take the approach shot.

I'm curious as to what it might be, where it might be coming from, and where it might be going.  If it really is space flight hardware, in heading west I would assume it would be heading to Vandenberg.  But why U.S. 50 through central Nevada?  Why not at least take Interstate 80 from parts further east?

Any clues by those in the know would be appreciated.

"I've just abducted an alien -- now what?"

Offline kevin-rf

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Re: What Spaceflight Hardware Might this Be?
« Reply #1 on: 07/24/2014 12:19 pm »
Speeding and heading west, could it be an empty container heading west to pickup a payload?
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Offline TerryNaylor

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Re: What Spaceflight Hardware Might this Be?
« Reply #2 on: 07/24/2014 02:28 pm »
Looks like a satellite transporter.

Offline northenarc

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Re: What Spaceflight Hardware Might this Be?
« Reply #3 on: 08/09/2014 01:39 am »
  I will hazard a guess that this is the payload for NRO Launch 35, which is waiting for a launch date on an Atlas V, either a 531 or 541, I think it was originally set for Dec. That looks to be a pretty big payload, so I kind of doubt it is SMAP. No idea what it is of course, except that its slated for LEO and is probably fairly large.   

Offline llanitedave

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Re: What Spaceflight Hardware Might this Be?
« Reply #4 on: 11/18/2014 03:26 am »
I just found this thread again -- either it was moved from where I originally posted it or my mind is shot!

Thanks for the feedback, in these containers I don't know how much of the volume is padding/insulation and how much is vehicle.
"I've just abducted an alien -- now what?"

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