Heavy ST-90 stabilized platform made by the Ford Instrument Company for use with the Jupiter missile program and later with the early Saturn rockets. The ST-90, which approximately measures 23″ x 17″ x 16″ and weighs 89 lbs, is marked “Sled Test” on one end, stamped on another with “Mich. Ord. Missile Plant, Contract — AF-01-601-30522, Repair Date Sep 19, 1962,” and features a handful of parts tags, including “Assem. Dwg. No. 73 065G, Serial No. 21,” “Assem. Dwg. No. 10327756, Serial No. SG 281LT,” and “Assem. Dwg. No. 10327756, Serial No. SF-664 A.” The unit includes its spherical two-piece housing, approximately 22″ in diameter and 16″ in height, with its Ford Instrument Co. (Division of Sperry Rand Corp.) label reading: “Stabilized Platform, ST-90, Ord. No. 8970100, Mfg. Part No. SG-31, Cont. No. DA30-069-ORD-1862, Model No. 0, Mfg. for U.S. Army Ordnance Corps.” In very good to fine condition, with varying degrees of wear to ST-90, including some rusting, and scattered dents and marks to the housing, which bears some cracks to the windows.
Designed circa 1957 to serve as a guidance and stabilization system for the Jupiter missile, the ST-90 system provided the missile with the necessary guidance and control to ensure it could accurately reach its intended target. It included gyroscopes and other sensors to detect changes in the missile's orientation and position, information that was then used to adjust the missile's flight path, ensuring that it stayed on course and reached its target with precision. The combination of the ST-90 stabilized platform and the missile's propulsion system allowed the Jupiter missile to achieve a significant range, making it one of the first IRBMs in the U.S. arsenal.
As American rocketry continued to evolve, the early Saturns incorporated the ST-90 stabilized platform with an IBM computer, the ASC-15 model, adapted from the equipment used on the uprated Titan II. At a later date, as other vehicle test milestones were passed, a different guidance and control unit was proposed. This new unit, the ST-124, was an improved inertial guidance platform intended for the Saturn V's complex and long-term orbital mission. The evolution from ST-90 to ST-124 represented a step forward in guidance and control technology, contributing to the United States' efforts in space exploration and military capabilities during the Cold War era.
From The Peter Gerry Collection.
