rocket1sm

That is cool stuff! Looks like the Saturn stage 1 engine?

Matt

I wished that they had the building with the Saturn open when I was there. It is supposed to be open to the public sometime in July I think. I saw the one in Florida a long time ago and it's a very impressive machine.

It is amazing how small the Atlas rocket is. The Mercury astronauts were either nuts or incredibly brave to get in that thing. Not to mention the Redstone.

"It is amazing how small the Atlas rocket is. The Mercury astronauts were either nuts or incredibly brave to get in that thing."

At least the Saturn was designed for space flight. The Atlas was a missle...

Matt

Important thing to remember about the Redstone: it was essentially a V-2 built from von Braun's memory; the changes were to make it simpler to build and increase the range, but everyone at Raketenflugplatz would have recognized it as an obvious outgrowth. And Alan Shepard knew what he was getting into when he climbed into the Mercury on top -- and still did it.

Atlas was designed as a missile, but at least it was a clean-sheet design started after the War was over. Shepard's ride would have been right at home aimed at London.

I just read this morning that there is an outfit in Canada rebuilding V2s with the goal of selling rides on them to tourists. Soviet engine and new composites, but essentially just a V2! Hopefully not like the one in Gravity's Rainbow...