Back in the Olden Days

[OFSO]

Three-Axis-Stablised spacecraft are kept pointing the right way by Hydrazine thrusters on each corner (and sometimes also by spinning flywheels which are braked to transfer momentum to the actual vehicle). These devices are located with great precision. The thrusters, which only fire for fractions of a second, are set up with pointing angles to a fraction of a degree. In reviewing post launch CCTV shots of one pre-launch assembly of spacecraft to the vehicle, one colleague to his horror noticed a worker swipe one thruster wth a back-swing of his rubber mallet, knocking it to one side. Since attitude maneuvers had taken place after launch with no problems, they called the worker in and asked for an explanation. "Well", he said, "I just tapped the thruster back into place with my mallet until it looked right".

The hydrazine fuel has a secondary use, for which it was not designed. Being kept alive long after its planned usefulness had expired, one spacecraft which repeatedly entered eclipse then had fuel shunted to the side facing the sun on exiting the shadow, and then moved around to warm the batteries. This was very successful.

Back on the planet, a batch of large sounding rockets delivered to the test range in Sardinia were found to have corroded multi-pin sockets for pre-launch connection of ground telemetry (and lots of other things). These sockets contain release springs and pyro cutters, the purpose of which is to release the ground cable when necessary at the 'last moment', literally firing the multi-pin plug out of the side of the vehicle. Safing them, removing them, fitting new ones, and soldering the connections and getting approval would have cost a fortune. The solution was to find some old, but still mobile chap from the local village, and paying him per launch half a bottle of whiskey and a few packets of cigarettes, to stand next to the sounding rocket on the pad and listen for turbo pumps spinning up inside, whereupon he'd give the plug a good kick, move with alacrity down the ladder, and upon reaching ground run like f*ck away from the launch stand until he could suddenly see his own shadow in from of him, when he was told to throw himself to the ground and place his hands over his ears.

This worked for quite a few launches until the poor chap tripped on the last stair and broke his leg. He was well looked after.....