Yup, that was a humdinger! And while I had no part in that engine or any
of the Saturn Program, I did go to the Canoga Park or was it Santa
Susana test area once. I watched the propellant turbine make a test run.
It only produced as I recall abotu 50,000 lb thrust as exhaust, lol...
Quite Spectacular! And I stood and watched as an upper stage engine was
run...with me looking straight into teh flame bucket.. and fairly close
to it as well. Yikes! Shake your insides loose!
So, thank you for those efforts, Steve! Oh, were you around when teh
free air hydrogen exposion happened at the test facility? As I
undrstand it, they were going to run the hydrogen stage set of motors
with the real tankage and some farkle cause an abort. The detanked teh
hydrogen out into the air, but it was so clod that teh gaseous H2 hung
like fog on teh ground and then ...KABOOM... some blown in ear drums,
virtually all the support traileres had crush damage and most all
windows were blown in. Nobody seriously hurt though.... remember that?
I just heard about it later...so I may have it completely wrong...
So, thanks again, Steve!
mayf
Steve Laifman wrote:
> Friends,
>
> The Daily News has just published an article about the Rocketdyne F-1
> rocket motor on display at their former headquarters in Canoga Park.
> It is now occupied by Pratt & Whitney. This giant rocket was used in
> the Saturn launch Lunar Landing in 1969, in a group of 5 on the first
> stage. It was tested as early as 1957.
>
> I am a bit proud of that achievement, and played an significant role
> in the design and development of the rocket engine.
>
> Well, when you get older, your earlier memories become more dear.
> Now, if only I could figure out how to get THAT engine in my Tiger (
> and someone who would drive it! What's Dr. Mayf up to? He will drive
> ANYTHING that is fast.)
>
> Many have seen the Salt Lake rocket sled tests at Salt Lake, near the
> "flats". That was just a small rocket that bent the doctor's face
> around his skull. Can you IMAGINE 1,500.000 lbf thrust??
>
>
>http://www.dailynews.com/search/ci_14146137?IADID=Search-www.dailynews.com-www.dailynews.com
>
>
>
> and a Wikipedia article (with lots of pics):
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-1_(rocket_engine)
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-1_%28rocket_engine%29>
>
>
> Keep 'em Flying!
>
> Steve
>
> --
>
> ___
> Steve Laifman
> Editor - TigersUnited.com
> <http://www.TigersUnited.com>
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