"lfk f; \"A Lt. - Airborne Systems

door of a cradle rrounted platf:rm reStrained
missile.
b. Removal of missile restrant following clearance
from the aircraft which allowed the constant
extraction force applicaton to the plat.
form La separate the cradle/platfol m assembly
from the missile and deploy three each, 32 ft
c iometer ribbon stabi I i"ation pa-achutes.
c. Stabilized descent of rris3ile prior to lau.lch.
It was deierrninp.d lhat this methorJ , prs'liiously developed
bv the 6511th Test Squadron for air launch of
bomb type vehicles from cargo aircraft, required the
minimum aircraft modification and used a large
amount of existing equipment and proven aircraft
drop procedures. It was also the safest and most cost
effective approach.
The development and test program demorstrated
the fecsi bil i ty of ex I r flct'lng an' 86 000 Ib missi le/
cradle system separatin;J the cradle/platform from the
missile snd stabilizing the missile prior to launch.
Basic aspects of the program that required careful
analysis ane tests wer" the ",irt:raft irst"II;otiDn and
Lhe aircraft::ontrol response to the extensive shift in
center :Jf gravity during lTissile extraction. Irstolla
tion considerations included the procedures for airera
t load ing and vehcle tierJown , crew tra in i r'
ext' action of the modified 11ssile/cradle platform
with proven parachute extraction procedures and the
various connect/disconr' ect functions required for
restraining the cradle in the aircraft. Deployment
considerations ' ncluded retention af the extracticn
system to the platform , the sej:aration of the cradle/
platform from the miss Ie and the deployment of the
Missile stabilization parachute system. The following
r1issi le/crad' e !:xtraction 81' d stabil ization parachute
deployment sequence was used.
Upon drup command, Lwo 32-ft diameter ribbon
extraction parachutes were deployed by 'the stand.
ard extraction parachute ejection system. These
parachutes were attached with a 170-ft extraction
riser to the cradle/platform.
When the paraclutel::ad re"ched a predetermined
IEYliel. the platform/cracife was discO'lnected hom
the a:rcraft restraint rail3 and extracted through
tre aft cargo doors. The extraction force for the
000 Ib missile/cradle system was approximately
000 pounds.
Four seconds after the missile/cracle left the aircraft,
circumferential straps that connected the
f"issile to the cradle were pyro-discornected, The
extraction parachutes retarded the cradle, the missile
fell free.
Sepa-ation of the missile from the crodle deployed
three 32.ft ribbon stabilization parachutes stowed
cn the cradle a1d attached to the missile. These
parachutes after opening, stab Ii zed the missile in
the vertical position.
On the last of three missi Ie drops, the first stage
Minuteman motor was fired for ten secolds
immediately following tne cisconnect of the s:abi-
I ization parachutes.
The Air Force conducted 5 careful test :.rogrsm
approaching the final system dmp in a logical weight,
speed, load build-up and crew training approach.
Testin;j included five extraction parachute tests . six
::rew training te ts and seven we ght bui d-up tests.
We gh: build- p tests used a simulated load platform
wei(:hing up to 86 OOC pounds, extracted and stabi.
lized with tile stabilization parach.Jte systel1 Platfo-ms
wp,n then r" PCllVef2o using cI.Jste-s of up tD tell
1CO-ft each G-l1A cargo parachutes for final ::escent.
/\irdrop la\Jnch speeds rangedfrorn 159 to 178 knots
with the final three missile drops made at an indicated
airspeed of 160 knots and 20,000 fl pressur!: altitude.
Reference 200 ';ives an account of the systematic
cOllsccntious flig1t safety aj:proach to this test
of the heaviest single weig lt ever airdropped.
Air. Laurched Balloon-Supported Relay Station.
A systef" being devalooed places a coml1unicafons
relay station at a giver location and to float at a
desired Clltitude by means of a balloon.
The entire system, consisting of the relcy station
the balloOl, liquid helium for balloon inflation . the
pa-achL.te extractior and ballcon deployment system
and related o!.ar , weighs 150C Ibs and is stored in a
cubica. container. The system is air- 18unchcd tram
the cargo com0artment ::f a C- 130 aircraft at 25,800
feet altitud:: by mean" :Jf a standard EX trr.ction system.
A 28-ft diameter rin';Jsiot parachute is der;loyed
by the pendulJI1 release mcthod on a 200- ft extraction
line which connects with a four-legged harness '
the four corners of :he corrtainp.r Ten secDI cls after
extraction, the lour-fegged harness is disconnected
frOIT the 1200 Ib des:ending container and in turn
deploys a 42-ft diameter ringsail main parachute
150 000 cubic ft balloor is stowed in a bag above and
around the \lent of the main parachL. te. The para-
chute inflates aroLnd J ccntcr line that keeps the 28ft
ex.traction parachute attached to the container. An
appropriate time after rnain pariJchute inflation. the
ba loon bags :Jpened and the inflation of the bafl::on
starts from tho liquid helium cryogenic unit on the
bottom of the container. The extraction parachute
remains attached to the lop of the balloon through
initial inflation to support ale, con rol stretch. .L\fter
the balloon is half inflated, the extraction parachute
is disconnected in order to lower the system weight
and avoid destabilizing Torces on tll!: balloon. Ah8r