Object Details
- Manufacturer
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- Summary
- This low power neutral particle beam (NPB) accelerator developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory was one of several directed energy weapons investigated by the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization for possible use in missile defense. As part of the Beam Experiments Aboard Rocket project, it was launched from White Sands in July 1989 to an altitude of 200 kilometers (124 miles), operated successfully in space, and after reentry was recovered intact. The test's goals included determining NPB propagation characteristics in space and the effects on spacecraft components. Although research continued into NPBs, no deployed weapon has ever employed this technology.
- Los Alamos transferred this artifact to the Museum in 2006.
- Credit Line
- Transferred from the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- Inventory Number
- A20070004000
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Type
- SPACECRAFT-Uncrewed-Instruments & Payloads
- Materials
- Aluminum, Kapton (Polymide), Plastic, Copper, Stainless Steel, Rubber (Silicone), Paint, Acrylic (Plexiglas), Gold Plating, Fiberglas, Synthetic Fabric, Adhesive, Brass, Teflon, Phenolic Resin, Cadmium plating
- foam
- dolly - metal
- Dimensions
- Overall (BEAR) : 13ft 8in. x 3ft 7in. (416.56 x 109.22cm)
- Overall (dolly) : 5ft 7in. x 4ft 7in. x 12ft (170.18 x 139.7 x 365.76cm)
- Overall (arm of the dolly) : 7ft 1in. (215.9cm)
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- See more items in
- National Air and Space Museum Collection
- National Air and Space Museum
- Record ID
- nasm_A20070004000
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9c67e2652-153b-4bea-9c0e-4f3172938e11
