Apollo 11 Engines found and partially recovered  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: seth13699
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2013, 11:18:46 pm
content: Jeff Bezos (owner of Amazon.com) funded an expedition to find and recover the Apollo 11 F-1 engines from the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. And he pulled it off...http://www.bezosexpeditions.com/updates.htmlAmazing !!!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2013, 05:17:19 am
content: Very nice. So well made that even after decades in the sea they are still largely intact, just mostly impact damage.

author: Hypernova
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 21, 2013, 08:25:07 am
content: No where near as corroded as the Titanic was, I guess it's the alloy?

author: seth13699
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2013, 08:46:57 am
content: Quote from: Hypernova on March 21, 2013, 08:25:07 amPossibly. Another factor that contributed to the low level of corrosion is that the engines were burried in silt in the ocean floor. That "insulated" them in a way from the salty environment.

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2013, 09:01:29 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on March 21, 2013, 05:17:19 amI miss the days where you got in trouble for doing poor quality work, now it's all about how much it cost

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2013, 09:28:28 am
content: They haven't really corroded because they were designed to be used in a much more extreme environment than sitting underwater. The combustion exhaust is corrosive and at high temperature.

author: seth13699
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2013, 11:08:32 am
content: On a side note, NASA is revisiting the F-1 engine in search of inspiration for the SLS heavy lifter propulsion element.They restored the gas generator of a stored F-1 and went ahead to hot-fire tests:http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/f1_sls.htmlHow cool is that...the beast still works!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2013, 01:07:05 pm
content: They were designed to last then. Biggest problem is the methods of assembly used, you can copy the parts but the knowledge of how to assemble and manufacture them is as important as well.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 06:07:41 am
content: Are those F-1s now Bezos's (& his team) property, or have to be returned to US govt. hands?

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 06:29:07 am
content: Quote from: bitwelder on March 22, 2013, 06:07:41 amBezos writes they are still NASA property. I was a bit surprised about this. If I throw some stuff into the ocean with the clear intention to abandon it I can't have a reasonable expectation of retaining ownership. But well, maybe they have some special laws in place for this case. Or maybe Bezos just isn't in the mood to fight about this.He also writes the first F1 will go back to NASA, and in case they manage to get a second one they want politely suggest to NASA to lend it to a particular museum.

author: seth13699
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 05:09:47 pm
content: There seem to be some contradicting information whether these are the Apollo 11 engines or from another mission.So maybe the topic title is a tad misleading.Anyway if any serial number plate survived the ordeal, we'll soon find out.

author: ve7xen
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 06:05:45 pm
content: Quote from: Bored@Work on March 22, 2013, 06:29:07 amI really have no idea on the specifics of the salvage law, but I get the feeling that he just wanted to pull this stuff out so that people can see it and to preserve the history of the Apollo project. If that was his goal I think giving them back to NASA is probably better than anything else he could have done with it; they have connections, they have knowledge about the engines to restore/present them appropriately etc.I can see them wanting to 'gently persuade' or perhaps fund NASA exhibiting them to the public, but I don't see any reason for them to actually want to own the pieces, other than Bezos' own selfishness (and he doesn't seem to be at all selfish in these pursuits).Awesome project and hoping this discovery and exhibition of the engines stimulates renewed interest in the space program.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2013, 06:34:47 pm
content: Funny thing about Space law is that you own the stuff forever, and are responsible for any damage it causes either on reentry or if it does the improbable and hits something else that belongs to somebody else. Thus Iridium Consortium is asking for money from the Russian Federation after they broke a satellite of theirs, and they will likely get it. There is a collection of US slightly used hardware that landed on SA soil a few years ago, in storage in a warehouse, awaiting the payment of damages, or the release to a local museum. Same in South America for a Hydrazine tank that landed there a while ago, still had gas in it and caused a few injuries. There is a Russian Lunar lander that was bought by a millionaire a while ago, he is just waiting to go and collect it on the moon, as soon as he can get a way up there cheap enough.