Rockets and Rockets

[TheSilverBuick]

NASA's new Space Launch System (SLS) is being assembled for testing!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2774080/Countdown-Mars-Nasa-starts-assembling-huge-rockets-needed-test-spacecraft-hopes-man-red-planet.html

I've always looked at the Saturn V rocket launch video's in awe thinking how awesome that raw power was going up, and never realized the Space Shuttle programs actually had more overall thrust. Interesting. Designed to lift 3 times more weight in cargo than the Space Shuttle did with the new rockets being developed have almost a million more pounds of thrust than the Saturn V! I will go and see one of these things launch in my lifetime.

If my math holds, in 4.5 hours of launch to splash down holds, it'll travel 102,201 miles in that 4.5 hours! And they have even bigger rockets in the works

[Loren]

Randall, prior to working w/ an automotive stamping co. for awhile then going "freelance", I was with the shop building the "quad-pod" mounting system for those RS-68 engines and assigned to assembly, this while the -A upgrade was just being introduced. Four 6" dia. x half-inch thick 4130 tubes, welded into a pyramid w/ various plate and forgings, machined to .010" across sixteen feet then heat-treated...steering means having attached hydraulic cylinders pull on and deflect the mount, there's no actual pivots other than on the cylinders. Doesn't take much of an angle change to steer a vehicle at 4,000 mph. A real kick, I guess if I'd stayed there I'd be getting pretty busy with that these days. By-the-way, I was given that task (even while pretty new at the company) after taking the Challenger to a work event and having my supervisors be kinda into it. Never say hot rodding isn't good for helping get you somewhere.

[pdub]

I was a tremendous space fan as a kid. Of course I was, it was the times. Kennedy said, in the MA accent, "We shall go to the moon, and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

When you look at the Saturn V, that's how much horsepower was required to pop a little thing out of earth orbit, to the moon and back. Ohhh you'll get back with a small amount of help, gravity will take care of that. Back then, at least, with computers that are were not nearly as smart as smart phones are today.

And building a rocket, I can see how that Saturn V happened from an engineering standpoint, AT THAT TIME in history. We need a bigger engine, so we need more fuel. So now we have to lift more fuel, so we need a bigger engine. To lift more fuel. So now we need a bigger engine that drinks more fuel. So we need a bigger engine to lift more fuel which will drink more fuel so we need a bigger engine to lift all of that fuel. And more fuel on board, so a bigger engine. I can see that. How the Saturn V happened.

[Barry Donovan]

that is good stuff.
seeing the photos up close for mars.. a footprint seems do able.

cars greatest era of success was the rocket age....still applies to all we run today. Fuel is still an ongoing thing.
I have a self cancel engine (self balanced), this means endless possibles for fuel. Future is always coming on.

We built slobs sharing rod journals and theorizing every balance but the real thing...because of fuel. The fuel did not need more effort in better engines.

the anchor is economy, as usual.

[TheSilverBuick]

By-the-way, I was given that task (even while pretty new at the company) after taking the Challenger to a work event and having my supervisors be kinda into it. Never say hot rodding isn't good for helping get you somewhere.

Good stuff, and I bet it doesn't take much to change course at 4,000+ mph! My boss is into cars, and he drives his '69 Camaro around town with the headers uncorked from time to time, so today I saw him getting into his truck when leaving work so I uncorked the headers in my Skylark as I fired it up and motored off. I'm sure I'll find out tomorrow if he noticed (I'm not sure how he couldn't =P )

[corvettedad]

Neat stuff, my oldest Robert ( besides liking classic hot rods ) has always been deeply involved with space from sputnik to present. As always technology be it military or something from Nasa or some other high tech branch filters down for us all to enjoy. Oh, good insight Peewee on the bigger engine more fuel combination.

[DanStokes]

I don't know why they don't just run a Diesel.....

But seriously - ME's oldest brother worked for Aerojet as a sort of "think-tank" engineer. He developed an underwater engine for the Navy in his bathtub - that sort of thing. He's gone now but I'm sure would be excited by this.

Dan

[JOES66FURY]

Phallic....