Jim Frankenfield - Science & Engineering Pages
Rocket Science Pages
Below are a few photos and galleries related to rocket science, including one series I took while employed in the field.
Following some time working in the computer and microelectronics industries I worked as a special projects facilities engineer at Morton-Thiokol (aka the "Lazy T Rocket Ranch") in the 1980's. The sprawling facilities were/are north of the Great Salt Lake in open high desert. A suitably remote location given the large quantities of explosives we worked with.
Thiokol produced the space shuttle solid rocket boosters as well as various motors for missiles. The shuttle schedule was ramping up and one of my projects was to investigate the use of robotics for quality control to speed up the addition of mixed propellant into the cast. The mix needed to be analyzed quickly using FTIR.
When the shuttle blew up there was a large reorganization and I was to be moved to testing instrumentation. As interesting as that may have been the commute to/from Logan made for 11 hour work days and I was also taking a full time graduate engineering course load. (Without giving up time at the White Owl tavern, of course!) So I took the opportunity to leave and return to grad school.
In addition to the practical considerations there was the dilemma many engineers face at one point or another of working in a capacity attached in some way to implements of war and destruction. Sure we made shuttle boosters but we also made rockets for missiles such as the MX. I did not miss this issue invading my pacifist demeanor and consciousness.
