4 ms·
True enough, and new info to me! Saturn V remains the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful (highest total impulse) rocket ever brought to operational status, a
by eltoozero 10y ago
True enough, and new info to me!
Saturn V remains the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful (highest total impulse) rocket ever brought to operational status, and holds records for the heaviest payload launched and largest payload capacity to low Earth orbit (LEO) of 140,000 kg (310,000 lb).
To date, the Saturn V remains the only launch vehicle to launch missions to carry humans beyond low Earth orbit. A total of 15 flight-capable vehicles were built, but only 13 were flown. An additional three vehicles were built for ground testing purposes. [0]
So why aren't we just building more of these damn things and iterating on the (proven!) design? While we're at it let's un-mothball the SR-71 and those wicked Buick start carts! [1]
[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_V https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturn_V
[1]: http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/startercart.php http://www.sr-71.org/blackbird/startercart.php
- Aloha 10y agoI'd have to dig around to find the source - but honestly, its because we dont have good drawings, or even partially complete understanding on how to build the pieces. The Saturn V was not mass produced, and was built on something less then an assembly line - it was semi-bespoke basically.
- Gracana 10y agoOn a related note, ars technica has an absolutely fantastic article on reverse engineering and re-building the Saturn V. http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/04/how-nasa-brought-the-monstrous-f-1-moon-rocket-back-to-life/ http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/04/how-nasa-brought-the-...
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- jahnu 10y agoPerhaps it would be orders of magnitude more expensive to make it now? At least compared to the rockets we currently need and build regularly for LEO and so on.