From The Archives: Thor At 100,000 Ft.

The cover image on the Mar. 17, 1958, of Aviation Week & Space Technology shows a long-range photograph of the ROTI II of a 62 ft. Thor firing which was taken when the missile was at an 18 mi. altitude and 35 mi. slant range from the tracking telescope. The lens used had a 500 in. focal length. The link diamond exhaust shock pattern was expanded due to decreased atmospheric pressure at altitude; the length of flame is approximately 130 ft. 

ROTI II tracking telescope which took picture is located five mi. out of Melbourne, Fla., some 30 airline miles from Cape Canaveral launching site. 

Second ROTI system was recently installed at Vero Beach, Fla., and third system is nearing completion on San Salvador, BWi., one of the islands along the 5,000 mi. Air Force Missile Test Range.

ROTI tracking telescope systems are made by Perkin Elmer Corp. Norwalk, Conn.

Read more about space technology in this issue, including a feature about how simulated Moon flight shows that man can overcome psychological hazards if he keeps his mind busy. Read more on page 37. 

See the cover of the issue dated Mar. 17, 1958, of Aviation Week & Space Technology. 

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