USNS Vanguard (T-AGM 19) Class: Photographs

USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21)

A progress photo dated 27 August 1965. The conversion began with the tanker (in this case the former USNS Mission San Juan, T-AO 126) being placed in the drydock at an angle, being cut into three parts, and the tanker's midsection being floated out through the space to the left of the bow for use elsewhere. Here the new midsection is being constructed between the tanker's bow and stern, after which the three sections would be merged to form the new ship.

Photo No. BUSHIPS 171478, NAID 6930244
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)

USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20)

Being floated out on 7 December 1965 at General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass., after lengthening and during conversion for the Apollo program. Her "old reliable" AN/FPS-16 C-band tracking radar with a maximum range of 37,000 miles is already in place. By March 1966 she was being modified to receive a satellite communications system with a large dish antenna plus a multiple helix command control antenna on a new large deckhouse near the bow in place of the small deckhouse seen here.

Photo No. None
Source: Shipscribe

USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21)

Being floated out on 15 March 1966 at General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass., with the completed Vanguard behind her. Note the environmental cover over the deck opening for the small forward deckhouse, which this ship never received.

Photo No. BUSHIPS 172668, NAID 6930250
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)

USNS Vanguard (T-AGM 19)

An illustration from the magazine Electronics, issue of 27 June 1966, showing the ship on trials in her original configuration with a Apollo calibration aircraft added overhead. The caption explains that "to tie in with communications satellite, the two small deck houses (inside the dotted rectangle) will be replaced by one large house. The log periodic receiver [forward] will be eliminated and its function taken over by one of the log periodic transmitters [aft]. The command control [antenna] will be moved forward and a Satcom [satellite communications] antenna installed." The acquisition antenna for the unified S-band system was three feet in diameter and was mounted on the periphery of its 30-foot antenna.

Photo No. None
Source: Electronics magazine, 27 June 1966, page 141

USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21)

Alongside at the shipyard on 7 October 1966 with her new large forward deckhouse. She is probably preparing to begin her post-conversion trials. The base ring on the deckhouse is for her large satellite communications dish antenna, which she still lacked in March 1967.

Photo No. BUSHIPS 173631, NAID 6930261
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)

USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20)

Running trials on 4 June 1967 with the changes described in the above caption including a new large forward deckhouse and with her main antennas labeled.

Photo No. BUSHIPS 176083, NAID 6930230
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)

USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20)

Running trials on 4 June 1967 after reconfiguration, in a photo by General Dynamics, Quincy. The forward large dish Satcom antenna was missing in a photo in Jane's 1968-69 dated 1966 and credited to General Dynamics, although the base ring was present. (That photo was mis-identified as Vanguard in Jane's 1967-68.)

Photo No. Unknown
Source: Shipscribe

USNS Vanguard (T-AGM 19)

Arriving at the U.S. Naval Station, Bermuda, on 1 November 1967 in her original configuration. Her conversion was too far advanced in January 1966 when it was decided to add a satellite communications system to the Apollo complex. For the same reason her unified S-band satellite tracking and communications system could initially track only one spacecraft at a time while the other ships could track two.

Photo No. USN 1128695
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC)

USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21)

At Port Canaveral circa 1967-68. She later moved to the Pacific where she made port calls at Sydney, Australia, while part of the command and control network for the Apollo 9 and 10 missions.

Photo No. NH 88075
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command

USNS Vanguard (T-AGM 19)

After being reconfigured as her sisters. In addition to adding a Satcom capability, this reconfiguration also responded to radio interference problems involving the 10-kilowatt HF log periodic antennas, the HF equipment on the bridge, and the S-band and C-band radars. The ship retained this configuration for her NASA work through at least 1978.

Photo No. Unknown
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC)

USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20)

Departing Port Canaveral on 11 May 1970. She is as in 1967 except that the forward large Satcom antenna is again missing, perhaps removed when the ship was transferred to the Eastern Range at the end of 1969 to work with the two ARIS ships (T-AGM 9-10).

Photo No. Air Force PL 70C-21624
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (UA-281)

USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20)

As reconfigured before 1976 for the Air Force Eastern Test Range. She retains the AN/FPS-16 tracking radar forward of amidships. Her telemetry system consists of four completely independent 17-ft diameter autotracking antennas, each in a protective radome and operating in the 2,200-2,300 MHz frequency range. The two log periodic CA-3038 antennas aft were part of her HF radio component that also included numerous transmitters and receivers. Other features of interest are marked on the drawing.

Photo No. None
Source: Air Force Eastern Test Range, Range Instrumentation Handbook, 1 July 1976

USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20)

Underway in January 1983 reconfigured as in the above drawing.

Photo No. DN-SC-85-08568
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) and NARA (RG-330)

USNS Vanguard (T-AG 194)

Underway in August 1985 after being reconfigured in 1980 to replace Compass Island (AG 153) as a platform for testing Navy submarine navigation systems.

Photo No. DN-SC-86-03308
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) and NARA (RG-330)

USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20)

Underway on 4 December 1989 off the coast of Florida to monitor the test launch of a Trident II D-5 SLBM. Three of the air-inflated radomes are larger than in the 1985 photo, above.

Photo No. DN-SN-90-02638
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) and NARA (RG-330)

USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20)

At Port Canaveral, Florida, on 24 July 1993 with USNS Hayes (AG 195). She now has two large radomes and a vacant position for a third.

Photo No. DN-SC-93-06012
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-330)

USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21) A progress photo dated 27 August 1965. The conversion began with the tanker (in this case the former USNS Mission San Juan, T-AO 126) being placed in the drydock at an angle, being cut into three parts, and the tanker's midsection being floated out through the space to the left of the bow for use elsewhere. Here the new midsection is being constructed between the tanker's bow and stern, after which the three sections would be merged to form the new ship. Photo No. BUSHIPS 171478, NAID 6930244 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) Being floated out on 7 December 1965 at General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass., after lengthening and during conversion for the Apollo program. Her "old reliable" AN/FPS-16 C-band tracking radar with a maximum range of 37,000 miles is already in place. By March 1966 she was being modified to receive a satellite communications system with a large dish antenna plus a multiple helix command control antenna on a new large deckhouse near the bow in place of the small deckhouse seen here. Photo No. None Source: Shipscribe
USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21) Being floated out on 15 March 1966 at General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass., with the completed Vanguard behind her. Note the environmental cover over the deck opening for the small forward deckhouse, which this ship never received. Photo No. BUSHIPS 172668, NAID 6930250 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)
USNS Vanguard (T-AGM 19) An illustration from the magazine Electronics, issue of 27 June 1966, showing the ship on trials in her original configuration with a Apollo calibration aircraft added overhead. The caption explains that "to tie in with communications satellite, the two small deck houses (inside the dotted rectangle) will be replaced by one large house. The log periodic receiver [forward] will be eliminated and its function taken over by one of the log periodic transmitters [aft]. The command control [antenna] will be moved forward and a Satcom [satellite communications] antenna installed." The acquisition antenna for the unified S-band system was three feet in diameter and was mounted on the periphery of its 30-foot antenna. Photo No. None Source: Electronics magazine, 27 June 1966, page 141
USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21) Alongside at the shipyard on 7 October 1966 with her new large forward deckhouse. She is probably preparing to begin her post-conversion trials. The base ring on the deckhouse is for her large satellite communications dish antenna, which she still lacked in March 1967. Photo No. BUSHIPS 173631, NAID 6930261 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) Running trials on 4 June 1967 with the changes described in the above caption including a new large forward deckhouse and with her main antennas labeled. Photo No. BUSHIPS 176083, NAID 6930230 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-NN, negatives)
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) Running trials on 4 June 1967 after reconfiguration, in a photo by General Dynamics, Quincy. The forward large dish Satcom antenna was missing in a photo in Jane's 1968-69 dated 1966 and credited to General Dynamics, although the base ring was present. (That photo was mis-identified as Vanguard in Jane's 1967-68.) Photo No. Unknown Source: Shipscribe
USNS Vanguard (T-AGM 19) Arriving at the U.S. Naval Station, Bermuda, on 1 November 1967 in her original configuration. Her conversion was too far advanced in January 1966 when it was decided to add a satellite communications system to the Apollo complex. For the same reason her unified S-band satellite tracking and communications system could initially track only one spacecraft at a time while the other ships could track two. Photo No. USN 1128695 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC)
USNS Mercury (T-AGM 21) At Port Canaveral circa 1967-68. She later moved to the Pacific where she made port calls at Sydney, Australia, while part of the command and control network for the Apollo 9 and 10 missions. Photo No. NH 88075 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command
USNS Vanguard (T-AGM 19) After being reconfigured as her sisters. In addition to adding a Satcom capability, this reconfiguration also responded to radio interference problems involving the 10-kilowatt HF log periodic antennas, the HF equipment on the bridge, and the S-band and C-band radars. The ship retained this configuration for her NASA work through at least 1978. Photo No. Unknown Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (MSC)
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) Departing Port Canaveral on 11 May 1970. She is as in 1967 except that the forward large Satcom antenna is again missing, perhaps removed when the ship was transferred to the Eastern Range at the end of 1969 to work with the two ARIS ships (T-AGM 9-10). Photo No. Air Force PL 70C-21624 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (UA-281)
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) As reconfigured before 1976 for the Air Force Eastern Test Range. She retains the AN/FPS-16 tracking radar forward of amidships. Her telemetry system consists of four completely independent 17-ft diameter autotracking antennas, each in a protective radome and operating in the 2,200-2,300 MHz frequency range. The two log periodic CA-3038 antennas aft were part of her HF radio component that also included numerous transmitters and receivers. Other features of interest are marked on the drawing. Photo No. None Source: Air Force Eastern Test Range, Range Instrumentation Handbook, 1 July 1976
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) Underway in January 1983 reconfigured as in the above drawing. Photo No. DN-SC-85-08568 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) and NARA (RG-330)
USNS Vanguard (T-AG 194) Underway in August 1985 after being reconfigured in 1980 to replace Compass Island (AG 153) as a platform for testing Navy submarine navigation systems. Photo No. DN-SC-86-03308 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) and NARA (RG-330)
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) Underway on 4 December 1989 off the coast of Florida to monitor the test launch of a Trident II D-5 SLBM. Three of the air-inflated radomes are larger than in the 1985 photo, above. Photo No. DN-SN-90-02638 Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command (L-file) and NARA (RG-330)
USNS Redstone (T-AGM 20) At Port Canaveral, Florida, on 24 July 1993 with USNS Hayes (AG 195). She now has two large radomes and a vacant position for a third. Photo No. DN-SC-93-06012 Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-330)