The tragic Apollo 1 fire was 55 years ago today

[2005jettatdi]

Apollo. I was 12 at the time. It’s one of those life events you’ll never forget. I remember all of society and world being stunned by the horror of it.

Scott

I was 13. It is burned into my memory (maybe bad wording) as much as when I first heard President Kennedy was dead.

I also remember the launch of the first Saturn missile. I was in 3rd grade at St Mary Catholic school in Rockledge, FL. They marched us outside to watch it. I did not really understand what the big deal was, we saw lots of missile launches.

 

[PimTac]

I had to search for a decent video. You can scroll ahead to the actual launch if desired.

All of us young skulls of mush were impressed that all that stuff worked like it was supposed to. All the connections coming off at the right second, all the gantry supports breaking away and the sheer power of the thing.

 

[slo town]

I had to search for a decent video. You can scroll ahead to the actual launch if desired.

All of us young skulls of mush were impressed that all that stuff worked like it was supposed to. All the connections coming off at the right second, all the gantry supports breaking away and the sheer power of the thing.

Fantastic find, PimTac! I so remember this. The entire planet was absolutely mesmerized by the fact they were going to the MOON! If we could send astronauts to Mars and back just as quickly as Apollo 11 went to the moon, I don't think today's world would even care. Sad.

Scott

 

[billt460]

Best Saturn V launch video EVER !

 

[PimTac]

Here is a video of the Apollo 17 launch. This was the last Saturn V launch and it was at night to boot.

 

[billt460]

The most amazing thing I found about the Saturn V, was the fact the 5, first stage F-1 engines consumed between 15 and 20 TONS of fuel for every SECOND they ran. The entire launch vehicle consumed over 135 TONS of fuel before the hold downs were released, and it left the pad.

 

[Number_35]

Per the 'net, the fully loaded and fuelled Saturn V weighed 6.1M lbs before launch. The five F1 engines generated 7.5M lbs of thrust.

135 tons = 270K lbs = 0.27M lbs.

So, the power-to-weight ratio improved from 7.5:6.1 to 7.5:5.83 just in that short time between ignition and release. It makes sense that the velocity increased very quickly as the fuel is burned off.

 

[billt460]

I remember back in June of 1982 I went to the Cape to watch the launch of STS-4, (Columbia). I stayed at a nearby Howard Johnson's, and the waitress in the restaurant who I talked to, was a native who lived in Cocoa Beach all her life. She had seen every manned launch going all the way back to Alan Shepard's Redstone.

I asked her how it was, and what to expect, (The Shuttle). She said when you watch it live you get a much better sense of how fast it accelerates. TV takes away from that. She was right. I also asked her how it compared to a Saturn V. She said, "There is nothing on this planet that compares to a Saturn V!"

She told me her sister lived in Orlando, and once it left the pad and started climbing, they could hear it. Orlando is over 60 miles away.

 

[2005jettatdi]

I remember back in June of 1982 I went to the Cape to watch the launch of STS-4, (Columbia). I stayed at a nearby Howard Johnson's, and the waitress in the restaurant who I talked to, was a native who lived in Cocoa Beach all her life. She had seen every manned launch going all the way back to Alan Shepard's Redstone.

I asked her how it was, and what to expect, (The Shuttle). She said when you watch it live you get a much better sense of how fast it accelerates. TV takes away from that. She was right. I also asked her how it compared to a Saturn V. She said, "There is nothing on this planet that compares to a Saturn V!"

She told me her sister lived in Orlando, and once it left the pad and started climbing, they could hear it. Orlando is over 60 miles away.

There is no way you can explain to someone who has not been there what a missile launch is like. We lived in Cocoa Beach from September 1960 to March 1962. My aunt, who lived with us, worked as a waitress at the Holiday Inn.

 

[fonecord2]

What does everyone make of this? There’s some serious holes in the known truth. Interesting not sure what to believe.

 

[spasm3]

What does everyone make of this? There’s some serious holes in the known truth. Interesting not sure what to believe.

Right up there with flat earthers.

 

[2005jettatdi]

I would like so see one of them say the landings were fake to the faces of any of the men who went there.

The government tells a lot of lies, such as the Warren Commission report, but the moon landings happened.

 

[PimTac]

What does everyone make of this? There’s some serious holes in the known truth. Interesting not sure what to believe.

I saw that movie too.

 

[fonecord2]

I would like so see one of them say the landings were fake to the faces of any of the men who went there.

The government tells a lot of lies, such as the Warren Commission report, but the moon landings happened

Did you watch the video? Why did they destroy the evidence?

I’m not saying I believe his theory, just seems odd. Did we really have the technology back then.

 

[Astro14]

Did you watch the video? Why did they destroy the evidence?

I’m not saying I believe his theory, just seems odd. Did we really have the technology back then.

Yes. We did have the technology. We went to the moon.

The Russians were our arch-rivals, they wanted to be first, and they would’ve been happy to expose any failure on our part.

Only a fool would believe this guy. Flat Earthers make equally specious arguments. He brings his own “facts” distorts the truth and only the ignorant accept his garbage.

There are no “holes”, only ignorance, and manufactured explanation.

For example: No evidence was “destroyed”. NASA funding was slashed by 90%. As a result, They lost records. Recorded over tapes, solely because because most of the staff was let go.

To this day, astronomers can bounce a laser off the reflector that Apollo 11 left on the moon.

Why doesn’t this guy explain how it got there?

Because he can‘t.

He ignores the facts that don’t fit his preconceptions.

 

[billt460]

Astronaut Charlie Duke said it the best:

"We went to the Moon 9 times. Why would we fake it 9 times?..... If we faked it?

 

[billt460]

I would like so see one of them say the landings were fake to the faces of any of the men who went there.

One did to Buzz Aldrin some years back.... It didn't end well, Aldrin clocked him right in the chops. Chalk up a good one for Buzz.

 

[Astro14]

One did to Buzz Aldrin some years back.... It didn't end well, Aldrin clocked him right in the chops. Chalk up a good one for Buzz.

Same guy. Court ruled that he had antagonized Buzz. No charges were filed against Buzz.

“We know technology only goes forwards, so there’s no way 50 year old technology could have gotten us there”.

Such garbage.

We don’t have the ability, with current technology, to pour the steel armor for a Missouri class battleship.

So, clearly, there‘s no way that eighty year old technology could have achieved that.

And every battleship sitting on display is a big giant fake, because technology only goes forwards…right?

 

[billt460]

I was a senior in high school when Apollo 11 landed. Back then no one questioned the authenticity of the accomplishment. It seems to me all of this idiotic "hoax" B.S. all got started with the generations born after it took place.

Most of them were not around when it did. They didn't experience the way it captivated and captured the entire world at that time. It would have been impossible to fake.

Just think about it. We couldn't keep Iran Contra a secret to people inside Washington. Or the My Lai Massacre from escaping Vietnam. Or the Abu Ghraib photos. All were leaked with great embarrassment to our government. From people within our government.

But yet we could be keep a fake Moon landing secret, with the entire world? Along with the thousands of people who worked for hundreds of contractors, without anyone, "spilling the beans". It's totally ridiculous to even entertain the thought.

What scares me is the fact these adult people today are stupid enough to believe this nonsense. I can't help wonder what other silly nonsense they entertain and believe in? Most all of these people are legal adults. But they're thinking and analyzing like adolescents.

It reminds me of the three kids in the movie, "Stand By Me"...... "Goofy is a cartoon.... But Superman is a real guy!"

 

[billt460]

And then there are the high resolution images from the LRO. (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter).... I guess these are all faked.... As well as that entire mission........ Which were all accomplished with today's technology.