Re: SPACE: Loss of the Saturn V

From: Robert J. Bradbury (bradbury@aeiveos.com)
Date: Fri Sep 05 2003 - 21:19:10 MDT

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    On Fri, 5 Sep 2003, Kevin Freels wrote:

    > > I have heard that the Saturn 5 blueprints were destroyed -- does anyone
    > > know if this claim is valid or an urban legend?
    > >
    >
    > Urban legend., sort of. The actual blueprints were destroyed....after they
    > were placed on microfilm in Hunstville, AL.

    So, are the films stored at NASA or some other facility?

    Anyone know the # of and costs for the Saturn V's that were manufactured
    and what they might cost in today's dollars? (I suppose there would be
    a significant startup cost converting the microfilm into CAD data --
    but once done I would expect milling of parts would be considerably
    cheaper today.) [I'm looking for what fraction of the GDP producing
    Saturn V's would cost today?]

    I'm just blown away that the U.S. let one of its most phenomenal
    technological achivements slip from its grasp. The younger folks
    on the list will not get this -- but those of us in our 40's watched
    those launches and watched the Apollo lunar landings on TV too.

    Mark the 16 of July 2009 as a day to go cry in your beer. We may
    end up being lucky if we don't see the Chinese landing on the moon
    by then. (Not that I have anything against the Chinese -- but I'd
    be frustrated if they have a technological capability that we no
    longer have -- it would not paint a pretty picture for democracy v.
    communism).

    Robert



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