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Von Braun knew that you can't have a giant rocket deployed like a blowtorch onto concrete structures. He knew that without ever trying it.

sho_hn 4y ago
To be fair, Von Braun and parts of his team had a huge amount of experience from many years of testing experimental smaller rockets at Peenemünde (the museum is great) and other places. You can find footage of V-2 test launches where the entire test article comes falling/crashing down into the countryside. I would also assume that approvals for risky launches or going hard on gear was a bit easier to get during a war time weapons research operation, so they presumably had their cowboy years.
- krisoft 4y ago
  > You can find footage of V-2 test launches where the entire test article comes falling/crashing down into the countryside. Absolutely. Here are some of the test footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YFU4KaJSSc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YFU4KaJSSc (not really fancying the music, but couldn't find one without.)
s1artibartfast 4y ago
The concrete launchpad that SpaceX built has already withstood forces greater than any rocket in Von Brauns lifetime and every other rocket that has ever flown. The successful half-thrust Starship test applied more force than the Saturn V or SLS in development do at full thrust. People quick to criticize the spaceX pad conveniently ignore this fact, as well as the fact that SpaceX knew it was not reusable and was already planning to upgrade it. If Von Braun actually thought what you claim, he has already been proven wrong.
- Tommstein 4y ago
  > The concrete launchpad that SpaceX built has already withstood forces greater than any rocket in Von Brauns lifetime and every other rocket that has ever flown. "withstood"
  - s1artibartfast 4y ago
    I'm not sure what you are getting at. The half-thrust test had very little damage and was more force than every other rocket on the planet.
blach 4y ago
Von Braun knew that if you didn't ask questions, your government might just give you Jewish forced labor for your rocket plant, which you'd gladly accept. Von Braun also knew that if you built missiles for the power-hungry US military, they'd conveniently forget the fact that you were a Nazi.

sho_hn 4y ago

To be fair, Von Braun and parts of his team had a huge amount of experience from many years of testing experimental smaller rockets at Peenemünde (the museum is great) and other places. You can find footage of V-2 test launches where the entire test article comes falling/crashing down into the countryside. I would also assume that approvals for risky launches or going hard on gear was a bit easier to get during a war time weapons research operation, so they presumably had their cowboy years.

krisoft 4y ago
> You can find footage of V-2 test launches where the entire test article comes falling/crashing down into the countryside. Absolutely. Here are some of the test footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YFU4KaJSSc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YFU4KaJSSc (not really fancying the music, but couldn't find one without.)

s1artibartfast 4y ago

The concrete launchpad that SpaceX built has already withstood forces greater than any rocket in Von Brauns lifetime and every other rocket that has ever flown. The successful half-thrust Starship test applied more force than the Saturn V or SLS in development do at full thrust. People quick to criticize the spaceX pad conveniently ignore this fact, as well as the fact that SpaceX knew it was not reusable and was already planning to upgrade it. If Von Braun actually thought what you claim, he has already been proven wrong.

Tommstein 4y ago
> The concrete launchpad that SpaceX built has already withstood forces greater than any rocket in Von Brauns lifetime and every other rocket that has ever flown. "withstood"
- s1artibartfast 4y ago
  I'm not sure what you are getting at. The half-thrust test had very little damage and was more force than every other rocket on the planet.

blach 4y ago

Von Braun knew that if you didn't ask questions, your government might just give you Jewish forced labor for your rocket plant, which you'd gladly accept. Von Braun also knew that if you built missiles for the power-hungry US military, they'd conveniently forget the fact that you were a Nazi.