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Ablative nosecone tip from a retrieved Aerobee rocket that carried an instrument that detected the first non-solar x-ray source in the sky. Recovered after the June 18, 1962 flight from White Sands, New Mexico, it was presented to Riccardo Giacconi, the team leader of the American Science & Engineering that built the x-ray telescope payload and pushed to detect x-ray radiation from celestial sources. This solid nosecone tip, assumed to be part of a typical payload shroud system built by Space-General Corporation, formerly a part of Aerojet-General (the original manufacturer of the Aerobee family), was donated to NASM in August 2000 by Riccardo and Mirella Giacconi.

 Display Status

This object is on display in Rockets & Missiles at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.

Rockets & Missiles
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type CRAFT-Missile & Rocket Parts Manufacturer Aerojet General Corp.
Space-General Corporation, El Monte, California
 Dimensions Overall: 8 in. long x 3 3/4 in. diameter (20.32 x 9.53cm)
Other (cone): 6 in. long x 2 in. diameter (15.24 x 5.08cm)
 Materials Oxydized metal on a brass base
 Inventory Number A20000792000 Credit Line Gift of Ricardo and Mirella Giacconi Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.