Saturn V Apollo 11 - Ultra slow motion launch pad video. One of my favourites to rewatch

a reply to: 3danimator2014

Your so right, I wonder how many birds die from a launch. The power of the launch is just amazing.

WOW!! AMAZING! One of the best launch vids I’ve seen. Thanks Animator...

The Saturn V was the big, bad boy that put the 1st men on the moon. I believe it generated over 7 milion pounds of thrust. Can you imagine what it must have been like to take a ride on that thing? All the extreme shaking, vibrating and rumbling on launch, and the feeling of constant acceleration all the way up? And then at one point finally leaving the atmosphere and suddenly feeling like you’re weightlessly gliding smoothly across an ice field? Man, what a rush that must have been!

I work for an engineering R&D company that specializes in scientific services and systems. Most of their work involves contracting with NASA, DoD, the nuclear power industry, and other agencies. They have expertise in many areas including systems engineering, life science research, space medical operations, the effects of long-duration spaceflight on human health and performance, IT/System Design, and test/evaluation of aircraft, rocket and weapon systems and networks. The company has divisions all around the country and a few overseas offices, as well.

We have a division in Huntsville, AL that did a lot of work on development and component testing for the Saturn V. I believe it was actually on the Dynamic Test Vehicle (SA-500D). Marshall Space Flight Center (located in Huntsville) was responsible for developing the propulsion system and handing out the contracts. My company did a lot of work testing and evaluating the Instrument Unit/electronics, as well as doing shock/vibration/shake stress analysis during simulated lift-off conditions. They built a special facility that housed enormous shock & vibration systems to do it. I think after the Apollo program wound down they converted the facility to test the effects on different types of equipment under various earthquake scenarios; eqipment intended for use in nuclear power generation.

At any rate, I’ve been to the Huntsvile division a few times and always make sure to stop by the shake facility. It has some interesting photos mounted on the walls taken during the heyday of the space program. It must have been great working on some of those projects back in the day.

Thanks again Animator. Great thread...

a reply to: netbound

Netbound, your so right. The viedo is amazing. Seven million pounds of thrust wow. I would like to see a race to space. Apollo vs Shuttle on launch. I wonder which rocket would win! I live north of you in Santa Monica.

a reply to: 3danimator2014

Sputnik 1 looked like a big star traveling across the night sky. similar to the ISS, but not quite as big or bright. Certainly not as spectacular as your first ISS sighting!

Thank you for the book info! Yes, I would enjoy reading it. I just did a search for the pdf, and I now have a copy sitting on my desktop. Just skimming through it was a joy. You did right to buy the print book....some people would think that's crazy ("So much money for an old book!), but it IS a treasure.

At some future point, I will tell you about something that has to do with the exotic fuels. Right now, my husband just finished cooking dinner, and he's a good cook!

a reply to: desert

Desert I would love to talk about exotic fuels. I am sure they can make a plane or rocket go faster and a greater distance!

originally posted by: desert
a reply to: 3danimator2014

Sputnik 1 looked like a big star traveling across the night sky. similar to the ISS, but not quite as big or bright. Certainly not as spectacular as your first ISS sighting!

Thank you for the book info! Yes, I would enjoy reading it. I just did a search for the pdf, and I now have a copy sitting on my desktop. Just skimming through it was a joy. You did right to buy the print book....some people would think that's crazy ("So much money for an old book!), but it IS a treasure.

At some future point, I will tell you about something that has to do with the exotic fuels. Right now, my husband just finished cooking dinner, and he's a good cook!

Thanks. Yes. My wife thought I was nuts...but its my go to book to read when I just want something I know and find interesting.

Enjoy it.

I want to hear about the exotic fuels too.

originally posted by: netbound
WOW!! AMAZING! One of the best launch vids I’ve seen. Thanks Animator...

The Saturn V was the big, bad boy that put the 1st men on the moon. I believe it generated over 7 milion pounds of thrust. Can you imagine what it must have been like to take a ride on that thing? All the extreme shaking, vibrating and rumbling on launch, and the feeling of constant acceleration all the way up? And then at one point finally leaving the atmosphere and suddenly feeling like you’re weightlessly gliding smoothly across an ice field? Man, what a rush that must have been!

I work for an engineering R&D company that specializes in scientific services and systems. Most of their work involves contracting with NASA, DoD, the nuclear power industry, and other agencies. They have expertise in many areas including systems engineering, life science research, space medical operations, the effects of long-duration spaceflight on human health and performance, IT/System Design, and test/evaluation of aircraft, rocket and weapon systems and networks. The company has divisions all around the country and a few overseas offices, as well.

We have a division in Huntsville, AL that did a lot of work on development and component testing for the Saturn V. I believe it was actually on the Dynamic Test Vehicle (SA-500D). Marshall Space Flight Center (located in Huntsville) was responsible for developing the propulsion system and handing out the contracts. My company did a lot of work testing and evaluating the Instrument Unit/electronics, as well as doing shock/vibration/shake stress analysis during simulated lift-off conditions. They built a special facility that housed enormous shock & vibration systems to do it. I think after the Apollo program wound down they converted the facility to test the effects on different types of equipment under various earthquake scenarios; eqipment intended for use in nuclear power generation.

At any rate, I’ve been to the Huntsvile division a few times and always make sure to stop by the shake facility. It has some interesting photos mounted on the walls taken during the heyday of the space program. It must have been great working on some of those projects back in the day.

Thanks again Animator. Great thread...

That's really interesting info mate. Are there any photos you could share with us?

originally posted by: Quantum12
a reply to: netbound

Netbound, your so right. The viedo is amazing. Seven million pounds of thrust wow. I would like to see a race to space. Apollo vs Shuttle on launch. I wonder which rocket would win! I live north of you in Santa Monica.

Well I always loved the shuttle launch videos cuz of way the nozzles on the shuttle flexed/oscillated when the engine started up. Always got a kick from seeing that. I just love rocket engine design so much. It's fascinating how they work and what can and does go wrong.

a reply to: Bedlam


Bedlam, thank-you a million for taking the time to answer each of those questions I had about this incredible video. In many ways, it seems like we haven't advanced rocket science much at all since the 1960's. I suppose mankind has become consumed with lower intellect needs, instead of improving our propulsion technologies.

a reply to: 3danimator2014

I have to say 3danimator2014, you are a brilliant person! I hope life takes you far into the stars. You deserve it!

a reply to: Quantum12

Oh, Quantum, after desert's first college class in Chemistry, she decided that chemistry was not for her.....too many spilled chemicals, so many glass apparatus to accidentally break. Now, I do know enough to get through the book, Ignition!, but not enough to discuss. .....and Biology labs proved too odorous for my likes. So, this is more like a history additive to the topic of boron fuels.

What I wanted to tell about the exotic rocket fuels came from an off-road stop next to the Rio Tinto Borax Mine. We happened upon some old block buildings, and in researching what they could have been for, I came upon uses for boron that went way beyond adding borax to my laundry.... As much as I'ld like to think that exotic fuel research had been conducted in those old buildings, the use was probably storage.

From the Rio Tinto website

In the early days of the Cold War Arms Race, aircraft and missiles could not fly far enough or fast enough to deliver weapons to their intended targets on distant continents. This military need gave birth to intense effort in both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to produce more powerful jet and rocket fuels. Attention naturally focused on the high-energy boron hydrides.

Massive, top secret government programs were set in motion to manufacture large quantities of boron-based fuels, and to develop new and better ones. The U.S. Army launched Project HERMES in the late '40s; in 1952 the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics started Project ZIP; and, in 1956 the U.S. Air Force sponsored Project HEF (High Energy Fuels).
.....
News reports of the 1950s conveyed electrifying rumors about boron fuels. Many at the time believed that the Russians used boron fuels to launch Sputnik in 1957. U.S. Borax made news as a material supplier in the race to make full-scale boron fuels a reality. And the U.S. government launched a major project in 1955 to build a boron-fuel-powered long-range strategic bomber called the Valkyrie XB-70A.

Two of these magnificent jet aircraft were eventually built....Although they never flew solely on boron fuel, their construction led to technological advancements in the design of high speed aircraft. In fact, the XB-70A served as a model for the design of the Concorde supersonic jet.

Ultimately, the era of boron fuels came to a close. By the end of the 1950s, new generations of jet engines and new fuels involving liquid hydrogen and hydrazine made boron fuels obsolete. Technical problems with boron fuels - including byproducts that decreased engine function and high fuel consumption rates - had proved too hard to overcome.

In 1959, the U.S. military cancelled the boron fuels program, having invested the equivalent in modern currency rates of more than one billion dollars. In wasn't until 1964 when both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. almost simultaneously declassified documents about their boron fuels projects that the public could finally see the monumental scale of these efforts.

For sure I was lucky to have lived in an era in the United States, when kids (and a nation) were so entertained by science, that many chose to study science. By the mid 1970s, students were going into other majors, turning to the new fascination, business and law. The nation would go on to turn from a love of science to outright disdain.

What if, instead of memorizing from a book to earn points on a test, a video like this one were shown at the beginning of the school year, and the teacher asked, "Ok, what just happened? What did you see?" And then, just like one thing leading to another, science is learned by the desire to understand what just happened, which leads to more questions, which leads to more understanding.... and so on....

a reply to: desert

Desert I am at awe. Still reading your post and links. I will reply more after I soak up your information. You are one intelligent person!

originally posted by: Quantum12
a reply to: Bedlam

Bedlam, did you get to see the Apollo 17 launch?

Wasn't there, sad to say. I was an absolute space maniac at the time, and since I have no shame, used to write everyone in the program I could identify, constantly. Wangled a couple of invites to see things firsthand but couldn't be there for the last launch.

I think they were sort of startled by a 7 year old who could write a lucid letter and not ask about peeing in space. I wanted to grow up to be Scotty.

originally posted by: desert
a reply to: Quantum12

Oh, Quantum, after desert's first college class in Chemistry, she decided that chemistry was not for her.....too many spilled chemicals, so many glass apparatus to accidentally break. Now, I do know enough to get through the book, Ignition!, but not enough to discuss. .....and Biology labs proved too odorous for my likes. So, this is more like a history additive to the topic of boron fuels.

What I wanted to tell about the exotic rocket fuels came from an off-road stop next to the Rio Tinto Borax Mine. We happened upon some old block buildings, and in researching what they could have been for, I came upon uses for boron that went way beyond adding borax to my laundry.... As much as I'ld like to think that exotic fuel research had been conducted in those old buildings, the use was probably storage.

From the Rio Tinto website

In the early days of the Cold War Arms Race, aircraft and missiles could not fly far enough or fast enough to deliver weapons to their intended targets on distant continents. This military need gave birth to intense effort in both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to produce more powerful jet and rocket fuels. Attention naturally focused on the high-energy boron hydrides.

Massive, top secret government programs were set in motion to manufacture large quantities of boron-based fuels, and to develop new and better ones. The U.S. Army launched Project HERMES in the late '40s; in 1952 the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics started Project ZIP; and, in 1956 the U.S. Air Force sponsored Project HEF (High Energy Fuels).
.....
News reports of the 1950s conveyed electrifying rumors about boron fuels. Many at the time believed that the Russians used boron fuels to launch Sputnik in 1957. U.S. Borax made news as a material supplier in the race to make full-scale boron fuels a reality. And the U.S. government launched a major project in 1955 to build a boron-fuel-powered long-range strategic bomber called the Valkyrie XB-70A.

Two of these magnificent jet aircraft were eventually built....Although they never flew solely on boron fuel, their construction led to technological advancements in the design of high speed aircraft. In fact, the XB-70A served as a model for the design of the Concorde supersonic jet.

Ultimately, the era of boron fuels came to a close. By the end of the 1950s, new generations of jet engines and new fuels involving liquid hydrogen and hydrazine made boron fuels obsolete. Technical problems with boron fuels - including byproducts that decreased engine function and high fuel consumption rates - had proved too hard to overcome.

In 1959, the U.S. military cancelled the boron fuels program, having invested the equivalent in modern currency rates of more than one billion dollars. In wasn't until 1964 when both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. almost simultaneously declassified documents about their boron fuels projects that the public could finally see the monumental scale of these efforts.

For sure I was lucky to have lived in an era in the United States, when kids (and a nation) were so entertained by science, that many chose to study science. By the mid 1970s, students were going into other majors, turning to the new fascination, business and law. The nation would go on to turn from a love of science to outright disdain.

What if, instead of memorizing from a book to earn points on a test, a video like this one were shown at the beginning of the school year, and the teacher asked, "Ok, what just happened? What did you see?" And then, just like one thing leading to another, science is learned by the desire to understand what just happened, which leads to more questions, which leads to more understanding.... and so on....

Desert. ..If you are interested. I also have a wonderful book on pdf called "the green flame". It's all about Boron based fuels and how they were manufactured. Fascinating stuff. Notably diborane and decaborane and the middle one whose name I forget now.

originally posted by: Quantum12
a reply to: 3danimator2014

I have to say 3danimator2014, you are a brilliant person! I hope life takes you far into the stars. You deserve it!

Awww..Thank you so much. Same to you.

a reply to: Bedlam

didnt you finally get the opportunity to be scotty at one point?

anyways, having no shame, writing strangers constantly?.....sounds like someone I know, err minus the coherent lucid part

a reply to: desert

Desert I found a interesting article about boron and borax here is the link

originally posted by: BASSPLYR
a reply to: Bedlam

didnt you finally get the opportunity to be scotty at one point?

Pretty much.

And I learned the Astronaut's Prayer!

a reply to: Bedlam

random question. how does one shower in space? is there like some space shammy you use or a giant sponge? always wanted to know.

also, is there nausea associated with the weightlessness initially or is it not so bad and more like swimming underwater?

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: BASSPLYR
a reply to: Bedlam

didnt you finally get the opportunity to be scotty at one point?

Pretty much.

And I learned the Astronaut's Prayer!

"come on mach drive, don't let me be a ten percenter..." something like that?