Flight OCT 4th 1959
Tests of the launcher, and aerodynamics and structural integrity of the booster. Thrust termination via radio command also added to test. This flight used the body 001 that was to be used for LJ1. No capsule or tower seperation was planned, but thrust termination charges attop the pullux "C" motors, blew the motor caps off.
Four Pollux "C"(45,000lbs thrust for 32 seconds each),two being ignited on launch, the second pair 25 seconds after launch.Premature ignition of motor 3 at T+9secs, and motor 4,T+18 secs. Four recruit motors also ignitied at launch,( 36,500lbs thrust each for 2.4 seconds). Max Altitude 196,000ft.(intended 140,000ft)Termination signal given at "T" plus 170 seconds.
It Is not known at this point, if the large cone on top of one of the probes was removed before flight, or if LJ6 flew with this still fitted.
The sequence of images for LJ1 and this series do seem to have been taken
at differant times, but no other differances can as yet be detected between
LJ1 and LJ6.
Half orange booster transition, orange on lower capsule does not go up as far as the junction with the corrugated inconel.
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Note that to the right of the visible Pollux nozzle, the Chevron plate(known
as "space metal") has been shattered and blown apart during launch.(right
half remaining only).
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