Nitrogen Gas Tanks
These nitrogen tanks stood almost directly beneath the 576th Strategic Missile Squadron Atlas D launch pad at Vandenberg AFB. Built in 1959, 576-A3 is the only remaining Atlas site with a fully intact gantry.
Nitrogen was used to replace the missile tank’s internal space when it wasn’t filled with the rocket fuel. The huge tanks, which constituted 80% of the missile’s mass, were built from thin sheets of stainless steel, ranging between 0.1 and 0.4 inches thick.
When empty, the tanks were filled with nitrogen gas at 5 psi to maintain a positive internal pressure, and also to reduce the possibility of corrosion (nitrogen being an inert gas).
Read about our journey to Vandenberg here >>
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4 comments
This empty world wrote...
Beautiful detail man. I appreciate the care that was taken with this image...
Geo wrote...
amazing!
Cassidy Curtis wrote...
The original Death Star! And its little sister!
I have been reading your stories. i am very very impressed. i had no idea that this was still around. thanks for the vicarious adventures.