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I always thought that the Lunar Module† was the single coolest piece of technology of the Apollo program. (Sorry Saturn V, raw power doesn’t really do it for me

by arrrg 11y ago

I always thought that the Lunar Module† was the single coolest piece of technology of the Apollo program. (Sorry Saturn V, raw power doesn’t really do it for me and beyond that you are mostly … boring.) It’s such an astonishing accomplishment to build something so lightweight, so complex, so versatile in such a short amount of time. It’s astonishing that it came together at all. And worked! Every single time, even beyond what it was originally intended for (during Apollo 13). A hypothetical MAV would have a similar role during a Mars trip. Be this complex yet lightweight and versatile little thing, a rocket that can take off from another planet without all the fancy infrastructure we have on Earth. (Luckily Mars has still relatively low gravity. Imagine trying to take off from Venus with it’s atmosphere and Earth gravity and think of all the stuff we need on Earth to pull that off.) — † https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Lunar_Module https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Lunar_Module

scrumper 11y ago
I'd never thought about a favorite piece of Apollo tech, but you make a strong case: the LM is pretty amazing. The MAV will have to do all that and a lot more besides, and in a much bigger gravity well, and with an atmosphere, and for a multi-year period in an incredibly hostile, dusty environment. EDIT: Actually, I had a favorite - the F1 engine. I find the idea of needing an auxiliary gas generator rocket engine inside just to turn a fuel pump pretty amazing. Likely I'm a bit more impressed by raw power than you :)
- baobabaobab 11y ago
  The gas generator is pretty standard in rocket engines, but yeah, it's hard to wrap your head around an engine with a 55,000 horsepower fuel pump.
Mvandenbergh 11y ago
The Lunar Module is the only real space-ship we've ever built. Everything else has been essentially designed around getting into or out of Earth's gravity and atmosphere.

by arrrg 11y ago

scrumper 11y ago

I'd never thought about a favorite piece of Apollo tech, but you make a strong case: the LM is pretty amazing. The MAV will have to do all that and a lot more besides, and in a much bigger gravity well, and with an atmosphere, and for a multi-year period in an incredibly hostile, dusty environment. EDIT: Actually, I had a favorite - the F1 engine. I find the idea of needing an auxiliary gas generator rocket engine inside just to turn a fuel pump pretty amazing. Likely I'm a bit more impressed by raw power than you :)

baobabaobab 11y ago
The gas generator is pretty standard in rocket engines, but yeah, it's hard to wrap your head around an engine with a 55,000 horsepower fuel pump.

Mvandenbergh 11y ago

The Lunar Module is the only real space-ship we've ever built. Everything else has been essentially designed around getting into or out of Earth's gravity and atmosphere.