Build Your Own Saturn V

Illbay writes "Space.com has a great story about a company in Colorado that has introduced an incredibly detailed scale model of the Saturn V rocket booster that flies a lot like the real thing! Apogee Components has "taken the time to research the actual vehicles and then used that information correctly in creating the kits," with a scientist from the team that designed the Delta 2 rocket on staff. I remember the old Estes model rocket version of the Saturn V back in the 60s, but they were not very detailed and very difficult to get to fly properly. Looks like Apogee might have a winner."

Comments

good ol' dangerous days

[eamonman]

I wish things were the 60's again:

1. We shot rockets to the moon (whose side effects could apparently kill you)
2. We had really powerful pesticides like DDT (although it could kil you too.)
3. We had extra heavy and powerful cars like the dart that really did intimidate (although getting into a simple crash could kill you).

Apparently everything tended to build character in those days. It's a testament I suppose to the advancements in technology that we don't 'build character' as much anymore ;)

Not really true ....

[taniwha]

first of all it's from New Zealand and secondly it's not a rocketpowered device - it's pulse jet powered (ie it's a V1 not a V2).

Modern hobby rockets (like I and many others fly) do one thing well (and not even that) - they go up. We have wonderfull guidance devices called 'fins' they make things go straight provided they are fast enough and there's still air around - even then you're at the mercy of the wind, the jet stream as you pass thru it (yes we do) etc etc.

In other words hobby rockets don't have the sort of guidance system you would use when you want to hit a target - if the Congress was actually thinking rather than just reacting "people with rockets must be dangerous and could be terrorists we must do something to show that we are doling something" and they wanted to stop actual attacks on real targets they would: shut down the public GPS, ban RC model planes (or ratehr radio gear) and would never have given those 1000s of stingers to binLaden in the first place.

Re:Reasons why I'm not impressed:

[freeze128]

One stage. The Saturn V has 3 stages. This one, and all of the injection-molded toys before it, were only 1 stage. Where's the fun in that?

Hmmm... The 3 stages of the Saturn V are disposable and have no recovery chutes. Seeing your $225 rocket return safely as a $12 command module.... Where's the fun in that?

Re:Scale

[Anonymous Coward]

What can you expect from a system that allows religious teachings (like creationism) in the school?