Reggie The Rocket by Douglas Anderson

Author:Douglas Anderson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Publication Consultants

Chapter 5

Reggie Gets It Right

Now it was time for Blue Streak F3 to have a go. He’s the one we named Reggie the Rocket because we pampered him and believed he was special.

Reggie had also been in storage. In due course he passed all the difficult tests at Spadeadam and was benefiting from the experience of F1 and F2. Soon he was loaded on the cargo ship and sent out to Woomera. Upon arrival, just like the others, he was checked all over very carefully.

Static test of F3 at Woomera

One day his engines were fired for a static test. There was no steam from the hot exhaust because there was no cooling water available at Woomera. Instead Reggie created a great big cloud of desert dust. During this static test the engineers found F3 needed to have some component parts replaced. Technicians had to open some hatches and climb inside Reggie’s body to change those defective parts. There was not much room to work inside there and it was so very hot and dry in the desert climate.

Finally, the engineers and other people in Launch Control were satisfied and they held a big meeting. They all agreed F3 was ready and that it was time to give Reggie the Rocket his freedom. Learning from the experience of F1 and F2, Reggie’s guidance system and computer had been supplied with a new set of instructions that he had to follow very carefully. His thrust chambers could still move seven degrees if necessary but would now move very gently so he wouldn’t wobble. All the down-range tracking instruments had been calibrated so there would be no mistakes there either.

Reggie was given a fresh supply of fuel—that liquid oxygen is always freezing cold—but he was getting used to it because his tanks had been filled several times for the static tests. This time Reggie knew he was being was prepared for flight.

There’s always a long count-down, with a few “holds” while controllers make sure all systems are ready. Early in the count-down Reggie’s lower tank was filled with kerosene. Later his upper tank was filled with Liquid Oxygen—that super cold one. He weighed almost a hundred tons when it was all completed.

The count-down continued then suddenly there was a thirty minute delay. Reggie stood there nervously while his handlers sorted out a technical glitch. He was worried because all the time he waited some of his super cold liquid oxygen was ‘boiling off” in the desert heat.

Finally the count-down started again. Reggie was bracing himself for launch but then there was another delay. Only for eight minutes this time, and then the count-down resumed. Down-range at Mt. Eba and Mirikata the operators were warned to be on station and ready for the impending Blue Streak launch.

Finally it was down to the last few seconds of the ‘count-down’ sequence: 10—9—8—7—6—all systems go—5—4—3—2—1. Reggie’s computer called for fuel to be supplied from ground systems to the small gas generator on each engine. The combustion gas

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