Big Bill
The requirement for a transportable payload launch vehicle capable of handling
increasingly heavier payloads resulted in the design and purchase of the Mobile
Launch Vehicle (MLV). The large NSBF Palestine based payload launch vehicle
called Tiny Tim was not able to be moved from NSBF due to its extremely wide
wheelbase and inability to be easily disassembled. The uniqueness of the vehicle
specifications made a commercial procurement attempt untenable, so NSBF was
tasked to design and fabricate the MLV. PSL-NMSU had a shop in Las Cruces,
Fig. 3.10 The original Tiny Tim launcher. Photo courtesy of NASA/WFF/CSBF
Fig. 3.11 The updated 1981 Tiny Tim launcher. The vehicle went through many modifications during the years. In this case it was carrying the Japanese American Collaborative
Emulsion Experiment (JACEE) experiment. Photo courtesy of NASA/WFF/CSBF
50 Balloon Elements
The requirement for a transportable payload launch vehicle capable of handling
increasingly heavier payloads resulted in the design and purchase of the Mobile
Launch Vehicle (MLV). The large NSBF Palestine based payload launch vehicle
called Tiny Tim was not able to be moved from NSBF due to its extremely wide
wheelbase and inability to be easily disassembled. The uniqueness of the vehicle
specifications made a commercial procurement attempt untenable, so NSBF was
tasked to design and fabricate the MLV. PSL-NMSU had a shop in Las Cruces,
Fig. 3.10 The original Tiny Tim launcher. Photo courtesy of NASA/WFF/CSBF
Fig. 3.11 The updated 1981 Tiny Tim launcher. The vehicle went through many modifications during the years. In this case it was carrying the Japanese American Collaborative
Emulsion Experiment (JACEE) experiment. Photo courtesy of NASA/WFF/CSBF
50 Balloon Elements