06-26-2019, 04:34 PM
|
|
BAR
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Needville and Shiner, TX
Posts: 6,134
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by tbzep
BTW, the SA-207 Skylab 3 flight had all white tanks, no black ones.
|
The all-white tanks on the Saturn IB were a change made on the Skylab IB's... On the older Saturn I's and IB's, the oxygen tanks on the first stage were white, and the kerosene tanks black. It was discovered that the black tanks absorbed a lot more solar heating and then re-radiated that heat onto the adjoining oxygen tanks, causing more boiloff of the liquid oxygen. Switching to all-white tanks meant the solar heating was reflected instead of absorbed, thus lowering the heat re-radiated onto the oxygen tanks, thus lowering boiloff. Plus, it was simpler to just paint them all the same color and be done with it.
Later! OL J R
__________________
The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!
|