Why did NASA build a vehicle designed to attack aircraft tires?
December 27, 2023 11:35 AM Subscribe
Why did NASA create the Tire Assualt Vehicle (TAV), a model radio-control tank with a drill?
The Space Shuttle Program had experienced some close calls with the landing and braking system, especially the tires. Hard data was desired about the response of the tires to various off-nominal situations. To obtain this data, a Convair 990 jetliner was converted into the Landing Systems Research Aircraft by adding an instrumented version of a Shuttle Orbiter landing gear.
(StackExchange, with an answer by the creator of the TAV)
And NASA articles: 1 2
Video of landing test (but no video of TAV)
And NASA articles: 1 2
Video of landing test (but no video of TAV)
I saw the Shuttle land in person once. It was a lot of sitting and waiting for a thing that happened very quickly and then was out of view again. But it feels cool to be able to say I've seen it.
There were no TAVs present that I could see.
posted by hippybear at 12:09 PM on December 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
There were no TAVs present that I could see.
posted by hippybear at 12:09 PM on December 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
That's because their wheels are painted red, so they can hide in cherry trees.
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:17 PM on December 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:17 PM on December 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
Love this answer from StackExchange:
"The statement "A radio-controlled model of a Tiger tank was acquired and modified by adding a DeWalt battery-powered drill, some metal armor, and a video camera.", is very misleading and supported by the three comments about "un-NASA-like" and the idea of the NASA logo. To keep costs down, the tank started out as a Tayma German Tiger Tank, to provide the parts needed to drive it. Eventually, 90% of those parts were too weak to support the on-board equipment and 12v motorcycle battery. As can be seen in the picture only the rear end, external drive train, and underbody hull remained. The major work included the power controller (12v conversion to the 5v steering control), dual interior DeWalt motors (for left and right drive train), and power distribution to the on-board equipment (drill motor, thermal camera, TV camera, and radio). The top haul used to mount the on-board equipment and hold the battery was built by the NASA machine shop, as well as a special drill bit to drill the rubber and still allow air to safely leak out. Note the bald tire (Shuttle nose wheel), where the main tires are 34 ply and filled to 360 psi ambient. On landing the pressure rises by the Ideal Gas Law (pv=nrt), so as the temperature inside the rubber insulator rises, proportionally so does the temperature. In fact, it was estimated that if the tire exploded, it would have been equivalent to 2.5 sticks of TNT. For example, in one explosion of a failed tire, pieces of the tire were found embedded in the airframe. Now you know why it was dangerous and not "Very un-NASA-like" How do I know this - I built it."
posted by doctornemo at 4:31 PM on December 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
"The statement "A radio-controlled model of a Tiger tank was acquired and modified by adding a DeWalt battery-powered drill, some metal armor, and a video camera.", is very misleading and supported by the three comments about "un-NASA-like" and the idea of the NASA logo. To keep costs down, the tank started out as a Tayma German Tiger Tank, to provide the parts needed to drive it. Eventually, 90% of those parts were too weak to support the on-board equipment and 12v motorcycle battery. As can be seen in the picture only the rear end, external drive train, and underbody hull remained. The major work included the power controller (12v conversion to the 5v steering control), dual interior DeWalt motors (for left and right drive train), and power distribution to the on-board equipment (drill motor, thermal camera, TV camera, and radio). The top haul used to mount the on-board equipment and hold the battery was built by the NASA machine shop, as well as a special drill bit to drill the rubber and still allow air to safely leak out. Note the bald tire (Shuttle nose wheel), where the main tires are 34 ply and filled to 360 psi ambient. On landing the pressure rises by the Ideal Gas Law (pv=nrt), so as the temperature inside the rubber insulator rises, proportionally so does the temperature. In fact, it was estimated that if the tire exploded, it would have been equivalent to 2.5 sticks of TNT. For example, in one explosion of a failed tire, pieces of the tire were found embedded in the airframe. Now you know why it was dangerous and not "Very un-NASA-like" How do I know this - I built it."
posted by doctornemo at 4:31 PM on December 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've personally seen two light truck tires explode; one inside dual and one outside. The former excavated a 1' deep and 2' wide hole in the packed gravel parking lot and the latter blew the windows out on a truck parked two spots over and in both cases the bang was deafening. And those were 16" tires and 65ish psi (cold). The boom from tire at 360 would be just off the chart.
posted by Mitheral at 5:24 PM on December 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Mitheral at 5:24 PM on December 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
Tires for heavy trucks (think semis, dump trucks, delivery trucks and the like) are demounted from their rims inside heavy steel cages because of the danger of uncontrolled explosive deflation. Being around one of those shuttle tires when they go kablooie would be scary af.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 5:36 PM on December 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Big Al 8000 at 5:36 PM on December 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
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