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Saturn V Launch

goon.jpg
 
Ah yes the Saturn V....
The family huddled in front of the B&W television awaiting the launch....Then after that, mandatory viewing in elementary school science class....
 
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Am thinking it remains the largest mobile machine that mankind has ever built... that most of us are aware of anyway.
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Am thinking it remains the largest mobile machine that mankind has ever built... that most of us are aware of anyway.
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I was completely unaware that this thing was larger than an open ocean post-panamex supertanker.

I still doubt it, so I'm off to do research.....
 
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Airborn... how that be? Don't want to take away the fun you'll have by proving me wrong, so go right ahead.
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Airborn... how that be? Don't want to take away the fun you'll have by proving me wrong, so go right ahead.
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Rog-oh, going ahead.


<TABLE class="infobox hproduct" style="FONT-SIZE: 88%; WIDTH: 22em; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><CAPTION>Saturn V</CAPTION><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: smaller; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>
The first Saturn V, AS-501, before the launch of Apollo 4


</TD></TR><TR><TH>Function</TH><TD>Manned LEO and Lunar launch vehicle</TD></TR><TR><TH>Manufacturer</TH><TD>Boeing (S-IC)
North American (S-II)
Douglas (S-IVB)


</TD></TR><TR><TH>Country of origin</TH><TD>United States</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Size</TH></TR><TR><TH>Height</TH><TD>363.0 feet (110.6 m)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Diameter</TH><TD>33.0 feet (10.1 m)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Mass</TH><TD>6,699,000 pounds (3,039,000 kg)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Stages</TH><TD>3</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Capacity</TH></TR><TR><TH>Payload to LEO</TH><TD>262,000 pounds (119,000 kg)</TD></TR><TR><TD>Payload to
Lunar vicinity


</TD><TD>(100,000 pounds (45,000 kg))</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Associated rockets</TH></TR><TR><TH>Family</TH><TD>Saturn</TD></TR><TR><TH>Derivatives</TH><TD>Saturn INT-21</TD></TR><TR><TH>Comparable</TH><TD>N1 rocket</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>





Specifications (An-225)

Data from Vectorsite,<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-goebel_1-3>[2]</SUP> Antonov's Heavy Transports<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-aht_22-0>[23]</SUP>


<BIG>General characteristics</BIG>
  • Crew: 6
  • Payload: 250,000 kg (550,000 lb)
  • Door dimensions: 440 x 640 cm (14.4 x 21 ft)
  • Length: 84 m (275.6 ft)
  • Wingspan: 88.4 m (290 ft 2 in)
  • Height: 18.1 m (59.3 ft)
  • Wing area: 905 m<SUP>2</SUP> (9,743.7 ft<SUP>2</SUP>)
  • Cargo Volume: 1,300 m<SUP>3</SUP> (46,000 cu ft))
  • Empty weight: 285,000 kg (628,315 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 640,000 kg<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-Forward_8-1>[9]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-Spaeth_9-1>[10]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-Gordon_10-1>[11]</SUP> (1,323,000 lb)
  • Powerplant:ZMKB Progress D-18 turbofans, 229.5 kN (51,600 lbf) each
  • Takeoff run: 3,500 m (11,500 ft) with maximum payload
<BIG>Performance</BIG>
<TABLE class="infobox hproduct" style="FONT-SIZE: 88%; WIDTH: 22em; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><CAPTION>




Shuttle

</CAPTION><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: smaller; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>
Space Shuttle Discovery launches at the start of STS-120.
</TD></TR><TR><TH>Function</TH><TD>Manned partially reusable launch and reentry system</TD></TR><TR><TH>Manufacturer</TH><TD>United Space Alliance:
Thiokol/Alliant Techsystems (SRBs)
Lockheed Martin (Martin Marietta) – (ET)
Rockwell/Boeing (orbiter)
</TD></TR><TR><TH>Country of origin</TH><TD>USA</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Size</TH></TR><TR><TH>Height</TH><TD>184 ft (56.1 m)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Diameter</TH><TD>28.5 ft (8.69 m)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Mass</TH><TD>4,470,000 lb (2,030 t)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Stages</TH><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Capacity</TH></TR><TR><TH>Payload to LEO</TH><TD>24,400 kg (53,600 lb)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Payload to
GTO
</TH><TD>3,810 kg (8,390 lb)</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Launch history</TH></TR><TR><TH>Status</TH><TD>Active</TD></TR><TR><TH>Launch sites</TH><TD>LC-39, Kennedy Space Center
SLC-6, Vandenberg AFB (unused)
</TD></TR><TR><TH>Total launches</TH><TD>130</TD></TR><TR><TH>Successes</TH><TD>129</TD></TR><TR><TH>Failures</TH><TD>1 (launch failure, Challenger)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Other</TH><TD>1 (re-entry failure, Columbia)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Maiden flight</TH><TD>April 12, 1981</TD></TR><TR><TH>Notable payloads</TH><TD>Tracking and Data Relay Satellites
Spacelab
Great Observatories
Galileo
Magellan
Space Station components
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Boosters (Stage 0) - Solid Rocket Boosters</TH></TR><TR><TH>N<SUP>o</SUP> boosters</TH><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TH>Engines</TH><TD>1 solid</TD></TR><TR><TH>Thrust</TH><TD>2,800,000 lbf each, sea level liftoff (12.5 MN)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Specific impulse</TH><TD>269 s</TD></TR><TR><TH>Burn time</TH><TD>124 s</TD></TR><TR><TH>Fuel</TH><TD>solid</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>First stage - External Tank</TH></TR><TR><TH>Engines</TH><TD>(none)
(3 SSMEs located on Orbiter)
</TD></TR><TR><TH>Thrust</TH><TD>1,225,704 lbf total, sea level liftoff (5.45220 MN)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Specific impulse</TH><TD>455 s</TD></TR><TR><TH>Burn time</TH><TD>480 s</TD></TR><TR><TH>Fuel</TH><TD>LOX/LH2</TD></TR><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Second stage - Orbiter</TH></TR><TR><TH>Engines</TH><TD>2 OME</TD></TR><TR><TH>Thrust</TH><TD>53.4 kN combined total vacuum thrust (12,000 lbf)</TD></TR><TR><TH>Specific impulse</TH><TD>316 s</TD></TR><TR><TH>Burn time</TH><TD>1250 s</TD></TR><TR><TH>Fuel</TH><TD>MMH/N<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>4</SUB></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
That's mindblowing! 6.7 million pounds!!!!!! Holy @#*&

What an incredible video! Thanks for the link! :jump::jump::jump:

I've run out of exclamation points lol.
 
I remember watching all the real launches when I was a boy. Quite spectacular! Too bad NASA didn't go with the NOVA Rocket instead of the Shuttle!

Nova_Rocket.jpg
 
results?

I think the fair thing would be to call the facts inconclusive. I've always been a bit annoyed by how aircraft are judged on size. If it's area dimension, then it's clearly not the largest. I was still shocked to find out that beast was over 300 feet tall.That's positively HUGE in anyone's book. The only thing that hurts it is it's width. I was standing on the Golden Gate Bridge looking down the other day, and the height is staggering to behold. It's not even 300 feet. Are we to judge it based on weight? If so, it's a hands down no-contest winner. I had no idea that the Saturn V rocket weighed nearly 7 million lbs.

You guys know I love a good debate, and I learned something tonight. Thanks Boxcar.:ernae:


I_like_where_this_thread_is_going.jpg
 
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Cool. My preference, if it isn't already obvious, is for discussion. Always seems more productive, imo. Thanks.

Regarding "mobile" machines, this baby is even larger by a good amount: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061122.htmlhttp://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...obile+machines+on+Earth&um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch:1

though the Overburden Conveyor Bridge F60 is presently the largest moving machine on Earth, so far as I am aware: http://coalscapes.com/pictures/reclamationlg1.jpg + http://www.hfinster.de/StahlArt2/images/_BW-72-5-22.11.2000.jpg

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For sheer airborn power the Saturn V wins hands down for an operational machine at one time.
Saw a video once of Wernher Von Braun's face as the first one took to the sky. Precious.
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*Edit*- The largest supertanker is the "Knock Nevi's", over 1,500 feet in length as well as over one billion pounds!!!
So for the mass of the machine, as tig suggested, this is one of the most impressive, eh?
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I think we can all agree that the thing is freaking huge. They have one laying on its side at Johnson Space Center in Houston, it's wild to look at it and imagine it lifting off.
 
I think we can all agree that the thing is freaking huge. They have one laying on its side at Johnson Space Center in Houston, it's wild to look at it and imagine it lifting off.


I really wish I could've heard it and watched it, much less feel the pride all those around the western world felt when it lifted off.
 
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Experiencing a Saturn V launch was an unforgetable experience for many.
Beyond most people's comprehension for loudness. In decibels:

40 - ..whisper
65 - ..normal conversation
100 - average car stereo
110 - very annoying car stereo
125 - tinnitus starts; front row: rock concert
140 - threshold for pain
152 - painful joints & difficulty swallowing
160 - NHRA rail dragster
165 - Boeing 727 takeoff; air begins to heat from compression
194 - sound waves begin becoming shock waves
195 - eardrums rupture more often than not
212 - sonic boom
220 - Saturn V rocket liftoff

& if that weren't loud enough...


240 - F5 tornado
257 - 1 Megaton nuclear detonation
286 - Mt. St. Helens explosion
302 - Tunguska event, estimated


I witnessed the 2nd Space Shuttle launch from 11 miles away & it was plenty loud from that distance.
The Saturn V rattled people to their cores who were much closer. Awesome to have experienced, indeed.
Here is how one witness describes it:

"I am 51 and saw an Apollo launch when I was 15. In the past 36 years I don't believe I have heard anything as loud as that launch. I have worked concerts and heard many heavy duty pyrotechnic displays civilian and military. The percussive sound and pressure waves from the Saturn five engines kept thumping my chest as the rocket went down range. I'll never forget that."


................................................................................. :)
 
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