The High Rack is our workhorse test vehicle. Even though it has the held on to the same basic configuration I was stuck this morning looking at Away 25 from 2004 how much has changed. The foam fins have been replaced by nylon ones stretched over a carbon frame, Those three pound each (there’s two!) Hi-8 camcorders are no more, on top the balloon cutaway pyros wrapped in fiberglass insulation have been replace by a neat plastic box with nichrome string cutters, I shudder thinking about that fin mounted parachute with the ground commanded release strap. The parachute auto deploy baskets we use now are bulkier but don’t require any input from anywhere to work. The standard upper deck is no where to be seen on this old guy. From the antennas I can tell this was our old second generation command and control system. We’re on gen five now and on the verge of moving to all satellite/internet command systems. I think there are about 40 other changes since 2004. With all that from 100 feet away after launch it’s still our old reliable cargo hauler to the edge of space. I hope we fly a few hundred more.
