john@newave.UUCP (John A. Weeks III) (03/12/91)
In article <1991Mar11.063845.8672@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) summarizes: > Congress is very interested in the Augustine commission's recommendation > for a heavylift launcher, and there is starting to be specific interest > in one particularly heavylift launcher... the Saturn V!! On my way back from the Confederate Air Force air show last fall, I stopped in Houston to visit the rocket park. That was the first time I looked at a Saturn V. My first impression was that the think was large laying on its side, so it must be huge when it is standing up. After wandering around for a while, I started to notice all of the individual parts that make up the Saturn V and how each part was connected to the rocket. I came to a personal conclusion that I could make or purchase any one of the parts, therefore I could build an entire Saturn V if I wanted to. Although the command and serivce modules in the visitor's center appeared to be too complex for me to build, the rest of the Saturn V is just a few large aluminum tanks with a few other parts (like engines) added on. Then it dawned on me that each of those parts were designed for a particular weight, strength, functionality, temperature range, vibration response, etc. Each part had to function more or less flawlessly while the vehicle was powered by what was little more than a controlled explosion. Every piece of the Saturn V must have been the result of a team of engineers, and was tested and retested innumeral times. All without the benefit of modern supercomputers, or even the luxury of a hand calculator. It amazes me that the Saturn V was possible at all, let alone 25 years ago. I wouldn't mind seeing the Saturn V fly again, but I would like to think that we (humans, including those north of the boarder) could do better. Knowing that a problem has a solution makes the problem that much easier to solve. -john- -- =============================================================================== John A. Weeks III (612) 942-6969 john@newave.mn.org NeWave Communications ...uunet!rosevax!tcnet!wd0gol!newave!john ===============================================================================