G4080 F-1 Engine Nozzle Extension Handling Fixture

One of the stops on my fall 2008 tour of MSFC was a bay on the south end of Building 4205 which building housed a plywood and PVC pipe full-scale mockup of the Ares I frustum, interstage, and aft end of the second stage used to verify that the components can be serviced in the VAB or on the pad.

While that was interesting enough, I couldn't help but notice a fairly nice-looking F-1 rocket engine (along with a separate nozzle extension and spare G4080 F-1 engine nozzle extension handling fixture) located a short distance away from what I was supposed to be be paying attention to.

After the tour guide was done giving his presentation, I excused myself and photographed the F-1 and nozzle extension handling fixture. I also photographed the nozzle extension handling fixture when I an active-duty military member drove me around MSFC the next summer.

Presumably, this loose nozzle extension handling fixture is the one from the nozzle extension mated with F-5036 and installed in front of Building 4200 in May 2008.

About a year after my visit, on October 21, 2009, the F-1 thrust chamber and nozzle extension I saw were mated and installed in front of Building 4205; this presumably means that there are now two nozzle extension handling fixtures somewhere at Marshall.

I have a page with additional photos and information about the nozzle extension with its G4080 handling fixture.