Alamogordo in Otero County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)
PTV Parachute Test Vehicle
Photographed by James Hulse, July 24, 2024
1. PTV Parachute Test Vehicle Marker
Inscription.
PTV Parachute Test Vehicle. . This unmanned sled was the first liquid-fueled, rocket-powered vehicle to be run on a high-speed test track. The rocket, burning liquid oxygen and alcohol, propelled the vehicle to Mach 1.2 in a mere 4.5 seconds. The PTV was used primarily for parachute testing, but was also run to test track instrumentation and camera reliability. The sled was used at the Air Force Flight Test Center Test Track at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Upon deactivation of the Edwards Test Track, the PTV was transferred to the High Speed Test Track at Holloman Air Force Base, but was never used there., Sled Length - 25.5 feet (7.8 meters) , Width - 5.2 feet (1.6 meters) , Engine - NAA 50-4,5 LOX-Alcohol Power Plant , Speed - 886 miles per hour (1,426 km/hr) , Used - October 1952 to May 1956 , Test Runs - 16 Engine Checkout, 91 Test Project , Manufacturer - Rocketdyne Division of North American Aviation, Inc., Captions , On loan from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright Patterson AFB, OH-NMMSH #IL.075.005
This unmanned sled was the first liquid-fueled, rocket-powered vehicle to be run on a high-speed test track. The rocket, burning liquid oxygen and alcohol, propelled the vehicle to Mach 1.2 in a mere 4.5 seconds. The PTV was used primarily for parachute testing, but was also run to test track instrumentation and camera reliability.
The sled was used at the Air Force Flight Test Center Test Track at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Upon deactivation of the Edwards Test Track, the PTV was transferred to the High Speed Test Track at Holloman Air Force Base, but was never used there.
Sled Length - 25.5 feet (7.8 meters)
Width - 5.2 feet (1.6 meters)
Engine - NAA 50-4,5 LOX-Alcohol Power Plant
Speed - 886 miles per hour (1,426 km/hr)
Used - October 1952 to May 1956
Test Runs - 16 Engine Checkout, 91 Test Project
Manufacturer - Rocketdyne Division of North American Aviation, Inc.
Captions
On loan from the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright Patterson AFB, OH-NMMSH #IL.075.005
Erected by New Mexico Museum of Space History.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1956.
Location. 32° 55.278′ N,
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105° 55.278′ W. Marker is in Alamogordo, New Mexico, in Otero County. It is on State Route 2001 0.4 miles east of N Scenic Drive. The marker is located on the grounds of the New Mexico Museum of Space History. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3198 State Rte 2001, Alamogordo NM 88310, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in New Mexico’s Pecos Valley. It is also in the American Southwest. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Comancherνa, and the Republic of Texas.
3. The view of the PTV Parachute Test Vehicle and Marker along the outside static display area
Credits. This page was last revised on August 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 9, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 142 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on August 10, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
