Question about the movie "The Right Stuff"

[NFS4]

There's a scene about halfway through the movie where they show about 10 or so failed rocket booster launches (this is right after Glen and his wife are joking around in bed). Well, on the last test firing, the operator pushes the launch button after the countdown and instead of the rocket launching, the parachute pops off the top of the rocket while sitting on the launchpad. Did this really happen and does anyone have any info on it? It seems as though that last test fire was put in the movie for comedic effect, but I'd like to know some more details...

 

[TitanDiddly]

Doubt it. Haven't seen it, but the probability of that is... low.

 

[FoBoT]

i believe it did happen
maybe not in that chronilogical order, but i think there was a case where the emergency thingy on top went off like that
i'll have to google on it

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: PhasmatisNox
Doubt it. Haven't seen it, but the probability of that is... low.

Well, the movie is pretty much a documentary (well, close enough), and I remember seeing that footage before. I just want to know what the backstory is on that launch.

 

[Raincity]

Try here Link

 

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: Raincity
Try here Link

From there.


Launch of MR-1 was attempted on November 21, 1960, but after rising a few inches from the pad, the engines cut off and the rocket settled vertically back on the launcher. The termination of thrust resulted in the escape tower being jettisoned, but the spacecraft did not separate from the booster due to g-load sensing requirements not being met. However, because the barostats properly sensed the altitude as being less than 10,000 feet, the drogue, main, and reserve parachutes were released in the proper sequence

 

[Bootprint]

I'm looking, but here's the configuration of the pod and the escape rocket motor.

Nasa's mecury listings.

 

[freebee]

My favorite song from the New Kids on the Block..."The Right Stuff".

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: Raincity
Try here Link

From there.


Launch of MR-1 was attempted on November 21, 1960, but after rising a few inches from the pad, the engines cut off and the rocket settled vertically back on the launcher. The termination of thrust resulted in the escape tower being jettisoned, but the spacecraft did not separate from the booster due to g-load sensing requirements not being met. However, because the barostats properly sensed the altitude as being less than 10,000 feet, the drogue, main, and reserve parachutes were released in the proper sequence

Cool, thanks

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: Raincity
Try here Link

From there.


Launch of MR-1 was attempted on November 21, 1960, but after rising a few inches from the pad, the engines cut off and the rocket settled vertically back on the launcher. The termination of thrust resulted in the escape tower being jettisoned, but the spacecraft did not separate from the booster due to g-load sensing requirements not being met. However, because the barostats properly sensed the altitude as being less than 10,000 feet, the drogue, main, and reserve parachutes were released in the proper sequence

Cool, thanks

The footage in the movie was not real though

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: Raincity
Try here Link

From there.


Launch of MR-1 was attempted on November 21, 1960, but after rising a few inches from the pad, the engines cut off and the rocket settled vertically back on the launcher. The termination of thrust resulted in the escape tower being jettisoned, but the spacecraft did not separate from the booster due to g-load sensing requirements not being met. However, because the barostats properly sensed the altitude as being less than 10,000 feet, the drogue, main, and reserve parachutes were released in the proper sequence

Cool, thanks

The footage in the movie was not real though

You mean the footage of that particular launch was not real, or that all of the launch sequences in that scene weren't real? They all looked like archival footage to me.

 

[Raincity]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: Raincity
Try here Link

From there.


Launch of MR-1 was attempted on November 21, 1960, but after rising a few inches from the pad, the engines cut off and the rocket settled vertically back on the launcher. The termination of thrust resulted in the escape tower being jettisoned, but the spacecraft did not separate from the booster due to g-load sensing requirements not being met. However, because the barostats properly sensed the altitude as being less than 10,000 feet, the drogue, main, and reserve parachutes were released in the proper sequence

Cool, thanks

I found the site after wondering if Shepard really did take a leak in his suit.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: Raincity
Try here Link

From there.


Launch of MR-1 was attempted on November 21, 1960, but after rising a few inches from the pad, the engines cut off and the rocket settled vertically back on the launcher. The termination of thrust resulted in the escape tower being jettisoned, but the spacecraft did not separate from the booster due to g-load sensing requirements not being met. However, because the barostats properly sensed the altitude as being less than 10,000 feet, the drogue, main, and reserve parachutes were released in the proper sequence

Cool, thanks

The footage in the movie was not real though

You mean the footage of that particular launch was not real, or that all of the launch sequences in that scene weren't real? They all looked like archival footage to me.

Everything was real except for the parachute scene. The cork popping was a nice effect

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: Brutuskend

Originally posted by: Raincity
Try here Link

From there.


Launch of MR-1 was attempted on November 21, 1960, but after rising a few inches from the pad, the engines cut off and the rocket settled vertically back on the launcher. The termination of thrust resulted in the escape tower being jettisoned, but the spacecraft did not separate from the booster due to g-load sensing requirements not being met. However, because the barostats properly sensed the altitude as being less than 10,000 feet, the drogue, main, and reserve parachutes were released in the proper sequence

Cool, thanks

The footage in the movie was not real though

You mean the footage of that particular launch was not real, or that all of the launch sequences in that scene weren't real? They all looked like archival footage to me.

Everything was real except for the parachute scene. The cork popping was a nice effect

Yeah, it was quite funny...along with all of the water references while Shepard had to take a leak.

It's one of my favorite moveis and I polish off the DVD every 6 months or so to watch it

 

[Horus]

"Way-oh...I'm a beautiful ray of sunshine now!"