🚀 go-pugleaf

soc1070@CRABAPPLE.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU (Tim Harincar) writes
>
>What about the big RCA logo on the Delta rockets (as seen in "the
>Illustrated Encyclopedia of Space Technology")? I hope RCA had to pay
>for that.
>
I'm not 100% sure, but I think it worked something like this:
1.  Customer (RCA Americom) contracts with satellite vendor 
    (RCA Astro Electronics) to build satellite, and with rocket vendor
    (McDonnell-Douglas) to build a rocket.  NASA may have been an
    intermediary in the second transaction.
2)  In keeping with tradition, rocket builder paints logos of major
    participants (RCA & McD-D) on rocket.  Since customer and satellite
    builder have same parent company, several quarts of paint are saved,
    lowering launch weight and increasing performance.
3)  Since rocket builder doesn't own a launch site, someone (customer or
    rocket builder) contracts with launch site owner for pad & services.
    Launch site owner is either NASA or the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
    I don't know which, but somehow both are involved.
4)  Everyone involved cooperates in launching rocket & payload from 
    launch site.  
5)  Customer pays for everything.

When Mars Observer was launched, the following logos were on the payload
fairing: NASA (top billing goes to the customer), JPL, GE, and OSC.  
On the rocket body, Martin-Marietta takes top billing (word TITAN is at least
20 feet high), while names of 8 subcontractors (can't read them from AW&ST
picture) were painted near the bottom.

-- Bob Mills     Mills@Astro.Dnet.GE.com
-- Not speaking for Astro or its previous, current, or future owners.