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Milestone Test Firing of NASA’s SLS Monster Rocket Engine Advances Human Path to Deep Space
Universe Today ^ | Ken Kremer

Posted on 08/14/2015 6:36:46 AM PDT by BenLurkin

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1 posted on 08/14/2015 6:36:47 AM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden officially unveils world’s largest welder [?] to start construction of core stage of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket at NASA Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans, on Sept. 12, 2014. SLS will be the world’s most powerful rocket ever built.
Credit: Ken Kremer – kenkremer.com

2 posted on 08/14/2015 6:39:51 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: BenLurkin

“... SLS will be the world’s most powerful rocket ever built ‘by muslim rocket engineers’.” Charlie musta forgot to add that part.

I worked at Michoud on the Space Shuttle External Tank from ‘75-’87 before transferring to KSC to work on launches. When I first hired on we didn’t even have any tooling to build the tanks so we had to build it all. Looks like they used some of the tech we developed to build this super welder. Will the U.S. really ever get back to human space flight?


3 posted on 08/14/2015 6:48:42 AM PDT by rktman (Served in the Navy to protect the rights of those that want to deprive me of mine. Kinda weird.)
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To: BenLurkin

The SLS’s RS-25 rocket engine only has one third the thrust of the Saturn V’s old F-1.


4 posted on 08/14/2015 6:50:40 AM PDT by Corey Ohlis (Visualize Swirled Peas)
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To: BenLurkin

Not very eventful but it does work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEhHRXDFkeU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08Gv7qDxgUE


5 posted on 08/14/2015 6:56:08 AM PDT by Slambat
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To: BenLurkin

Pffft! Compared to the Saturn V, this thing is a bottle rocket.

Why are they even building this? Gonna launch Muslims into space?


6 posted on 08/14/2015 7:00:14 AM PDT by WKUHilltopper (And yet...we continue to tolerate this crap...)
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To: BenLurkin

How many RS-25 engines are there remaining from the Shuttle for use on the SLS?

How far along is the RS-25E replacement?


7 posted on 08/14/2015 7:08:47 AM PDT by Elderberry
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To: WKUHilltopper

Never happen - 5 prayers per day times 15 orbits = getting no work done whatsoever.


8 posted on 08/14/2015 7:08:51 AM PDT by telstar12.5 (...always bring gunships to a gun fight...)
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To: BenLurkin
SLS will be the world’s most powerful rocket ever built.

I once heard someone say an Apollo launch was way more impressive than a shuttle or satellite launch.

9 posted on 08/14/2015 7:21:47 AM PDT by fso301
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To: fso301
I once heard someone say an Apollo launch was way more impressive than a shuttle or satellite launch.

As a kid I lived in Cocoa Beach, FL for a year and saw Apollo 12 and 13. Classes were briefly suspended so we all could go outside to watch the liftoffs. From miles away you still felt the thunder of the first stage F-1 engines in your chest.

Sorry to say I've never seen a Shuttle launch to compare.

10 posted on 08/14/2015 7:36:17 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: Slambat
...but it does work...

Wow! That seems to be a remarkably good engine. Notice that the expansion nozzle does not get particularly hot and the upper plumbing continues to be cold. The cooling system and the insulation properties of this engine are impressive. The F-1 got so hot that you almost felt that you could see through the bell.

The hot gas exiting the nozzle is transparent. That means they managed to eek most of the energy from the propellant before it exited and that the combustion was fairly complete. Being really hot, it does emit light after it exits the nozzle.

This must be a hydrogen/oxygen engine since the exhaust seems to be water vapor.

The duration of this test is down right freaky. The Saturn could burn for 90 seconds before it was toast.

The people watching were a lot closer to the test stand than could be safe for watching an F-1 engine. The observers in the block house were one mile away from the test stand when the F-1 engines were tested. Sound from those babies was lethal.

Gee, and I thought there was nobody around to design engines in the US. Well, there certainly are rocket engine designers on somebody's payroll!

11 posted on 08/14/2015 7:38:12 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: WKUHilltopper
Compared to the Saturn V, this thing is a bottle rocket.

Yep, an F-1 engine produced more than three times the thrust as does this one. Still, this one looks to be more efficient, and certainly clean burning.

12 posted on 08/14/2015 7:42:48 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: fso301
I once heard someone say an Apollo launch was way more impressive than a shuttle or satellite launch.

The Saturn launch was an earthquake in the air! It was very impressive in every way. The sound from it could kill people from about one mile. Each F-1 engine produced more that three times the thrust as the RS-25. With five of them, it raised quite a ruckus.

The F-1 burned kerosine and liquid oxygen and produced a lot of smoke. Just after ignition and just before burn out that smoke was black soot. Ah, how I loved the Saturn V and Apollo.

For a burn rate, consider that each engine consumed the equivalent of an Olympic swimming pool full of fuel in 90 seconds.

13 posted on 08/14/2015 7:48:59 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: Corey Ohlis

Why does the article claim most powerful rocket engine ever?

14 posted on 08/14/2015 7:51:57 AM PDT by jpsb (Believe nothing until it has been officially denied)
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To: Yo-Yo
Sorry to say I've never seen a Shuttle launch to compare.

The shuttle wasn't nearly impressive. It did, on the other hand, leave the scene in a hurry. After waiting for well over four hours to see the launch, it was completely out of sight in about forty seconds. One could observe the growing trail for a while longer.

15 posted on 08/14/2015 7:52:17 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: WKUHilltopper

Might be worth it if they launched ALL of them... :)


16 posted on 08/14/2015 7:53:58 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: jpsb
Why does the article claim most powerful rocket engine ever?

They didn't claim that. The rocket will be the most powerful, with eight of those newer engines. That will provide over 8,000,000 pounds of thrust.

I'm with you. The F-1 is still the champion of champions.

17 posted on 08/14/2015 7:56:02 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: GingisK
The Saturn launch was an earthquake in the air! It was very impressive in every way.

That is what I have been told. I'm too young for Apollo and never saw a shuttle launch but did get to see a satellite launch. We were on vacation and stopped by the water a few miles from the launch site. We thought it was impressive. We were also told that we were lucky to be able to see a launch on our first try. Apparently delays for one reason or the other are pretty common.

18 posted on 08/14/2015 7:57:04 AM PDT by fso301
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To: GingisK

OK, they didn’t, my bad, thx for the correction.


19 posted on 08/14/2015 7:59:14 AM PDT by jpsb (Believe nothing until it has been officially denied)
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To: BenLurkin

So they`re throwing away reusable liquid fuel engines?


20 posted on 08/14/2015 7:59:40 AM PDT by nomad
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