Ride on the booster

[mrloudly]

What an amazing video!!

Really puts into perspective just how violent a shuttle launch was! Enjoy


http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?feature=player_...

[Eric Mc]

I've seen these images quite a few times now.

It's a real pity they didn't have that standard of video technology for the Saturn V launches. The Shuttle was relatively smooth compared to the shaking that the first stage of the Saturn V generated. Once the first stage was dropped, the second and third stages (which were cryogenic) provided a fairly smooth ride.

One of the Apollo 8 astronauts described the initial phase of a Saturn V launch as like being "a rat being shaken in the jaws of a terrier".

[mrloudly]

There's some good videos linked through to at the end. The booster recovery, something you didn't normally see, is interesting.

I guess you'd say the shuttle had one hell of a "mid range" punch looking at the launch. As it gets through the sound barrier the acceleration is
impressive to say the least....

[Eric Mc]

As did the Saturn V. That is the type of acceleration you need for big heavy lifters. It's a bit like having the gear box and engine of a truck for the first part of the lift off and then switching to a Formula 1 car engine and gearbox for the rest of the ascent until Main Engine Cut Off (MECO).

[r1flyguy1]

Awesome, cheers for the post

[Eric Mc]

I like some of the footage that comes from unmanned rockets. The Grail launch a few months ago showed how quickly the earth recedes once you fire the motors to head for the moon.



http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index....