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

Scale

[momerath2003]

Standing more than 62 inches (1.6 meters) tall and weighing about three pounds (1.4 kilograms) at launch, the most detailed reproduction of a Saturn 5 readily available today is 1/70th the size and 1/2,166,666th the weight of the original.

"It's just a matter of scale as far as the rockets are concerned. The laws of physics don't change,"

Try telling that to a 2-atom-wide model rocket.

The laws of physics are a tad different on the quantum scale. ;-)

Re:Scale

[JabberWokky]

You could build a pretty nice planetary model with 2 atoms though. Even with only one in fact.

No, you can't. I won't Bohr you with the details of why you're wrong (or at least about 50 years out of date).

--
Evan

Very interesting

[edmz]

I'm not much of a fan of rockets nor space flying history, but this quote from the saturn 5 page got me quite interested:

The sound waves could easily pulverize a human's skeleton if he was unlucky enough to be within a mile of the launch pad. Even at further distances, the sound waves felt like someone was thumping on your chest with their fists.

Re:Very interesting

[EvanED]

Yep. As with the Shuttle launches, the noise is actually what makes the safe distance 3 miles, not anything having to do with the rocket exhaust.

Re:Very interesting

[mraymer]

In fact, according to History Channel's show Modern Marvels, the only man-made sound louder than a Saturn V at liftoff is the detonation an atomic bomb.

Re:Very interesting

[imsabbel]

200db is a energy density of about 100 MW/m^2.

This will kill you in a few milliseconds.
140db->deaf after a hour or so
160db->deaf at once
180db->danger of internal injurie, blood vessel ruptures, ect
200db-> RIP
This ofcource is only true if this noise level is reached where you are. If the 200db are 1meter below the thrusters, and you are 250m away, you may only get 150or so and still be alive and kicking.

World's first

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Standing more than 62 inches (1.6 meters) tall and weighing about three pounds (1.4 kilograms) at launch, the most detailed reproduction of a Saturn 5 readily available today is 1/70th the size and 1/2,166,666th the weight of the original.

"It's small step for man, a giant step for Mini Me" -- Dr. Evil

Not for long

[igabe]

URGENT NEWS ABOUT MODEL ROCKETRY!

The new Homeland Security Act has many provisions that threaten rocketry in the United States. Both small rockets and high power models are affected. We need your help to make rocketry legal again. Please write your State's Senator now. Click Here for more information.

If the video on that page becomes slashdotted, go here

Re:Not for long

[HillBilly]

What are you going to do with a model rocket? Shoot down a model Space Shuttle Columbia?

Oh I'm going to be modded down for this one :)

Model Rocketry Is In Trouble

[MountainLogic]

The office of home land paranoia is really doing it's best toshut down this kind of hobby. See here for more details.

Build your own Saturn V cheaper!

[tsangc]

http://shop.lego.com/product.asp?p=7468 :)

Please Help Save Model Rocketry

[physicsnerd]

For more info on what's going on and how you can help go to:

http://www.saverocketrynow.org/

booster models

[igny]

I would be interested in a working 1:60 (~1/60^3 in weight) model of the most powerful launch vehicle in the world . Imagine:

Standing ~40 inches (1.0 meters) tall and weighing about 10 kilograms (quite chubby) at launch...

If the scale doesnt matter in laws of physics one can expect a useful payload to be ~ 100t/60^3 ~ 460grams ~ 1 pound to be launched to low orbits, and about 100 grams to the geostationary orbit, and about 150 grams to be sent on the lunar mission trajectory.

Re:I NEED one of these

[l810c]

I remember this one well, even though it's been 30 years. I actually finished it. It took me a couple of weeks.

We brought it down to the field at the end of the street. When it launched, it quickly shot up to about twelve(yes 12) feet and begun spinning in circles wildly in place at first then right towards us. Just missed my brother as he dove behind the dirt mound that it slammed into and shattered all my hard work.

Probably my poor construction that caused the misfire. And what a range of emotions in those few quick moments:

Surprise -> Scared Shitless -> Elation -> Sadness

Speaking of the Sadness after the crash, I just thought I'd mention this as I just remembered and it made me laugh again. A few years later my brother got into model airplane building. These things were a Ton of work. He brought his plane down to the elementary school as they had a nice wide open space. About 15 seconds into flight it banks left and smashes into a tree completely wasting it. He builds a second plane, back to school, 15 seconds, smashes into side of school.

Re:blueprints are not lost

[adeyadey]

To quote that article..

In years past, rumors have abounded that in the 1970s the White House or Congress had the Saturn 5 plans destroyed "to prevent the technology from falling into the wrong hands".

That seems doubtful -- it would be a formidable terrorist group that decided to build a Saturn 5 to wreak havoc on the world, or build a lunar base..

There is only one such group. Picture Blofelt sitting in a chair stroking a cat. "Ah, Mr Bond, we've been expecting you.."