Saturn V... in Lego...

-VB- said:
After building and installing the majority of the exterior panels, we encountered our first complication. The only hiccup in the build, really, which ain't bad. In this case, the panel I am holding in the picture needs to engage the clip inside the fuselage, but the clip was installed 90 degrees off yesterday. No go....

Saturn%20V%2023.jpeg

"Houston, we have a problem!"

:icon_jokercolor:
 
Logrinn said:
-VB- said:
After building and installing the majority of the exterior panels, we encountered our first complication. The only hiccup in the build, really, which ain't bad. In this case, the panel I am holding in the picture needs to engage the clip inside the fuselage, but the clip was installed 90 degrees off yesterday. No go....

Saturn%20V%2023.jpeg

"Houston, we have a problem!"

:icon_jokercolor:

Ha! Well played!
 
Rgand said:
Well done! Looks great.

Thank you! It was a blast. Really stirred up the space program feels too, the boy and I spent the rest of the afternoon watching launch footage and such  :icon_smile:

I have one more batch of pictures to post, getting them all sized and whatnot now...
 
With the work done, we set about having some fun with this thing!

The designers very thoughtfully included the makings for a support gantry allowing the completed rocket to be placed on its side.

Saturn%20V%2041.jpeg


T-Minus 5..... 4..... 3..... 2..... 1..... Lift-off!

Saturn%20V%2042.jpeg


Different sources provide different specific numbers, but the First Stage burns for about 2.5 minutes, carrying the craft to an altitude of about 40 miles. At this point, the First Stage and Launch Escape System are jettisoned and the Second Stage begins its roughly 6 minute burn to carry the craft to an altitude of about 109 miles. These guys are going FAST....

Saturn%20V%2043.jpeg


The Second Stage is jettisoned and the Third Stage burns for about 2 minutes, carrying the craft to a low orbit at around 118 miles altitude.

Saturn%20V%2044.jpeg


After a couple of orbital passes, the Third Stage is burned again for about 6 minutes, taking the craft out of Earth orbit and on its way to the moon. When this burn is complete, the Service and Control Modules separate from the Third Stage and the panels enclosing the Lunar Excursion Module are jettisoned.

Saturn%20V%2045.jpeg


Now the pilot must perform the Transposition, Docking and Extraction maneuver. The Service and Control Modules reverse direction.

Saturn%20V%2046.jpeg


The Control Module docks with the LEM, and pulls it free of the Third Stage...

Saturn%20V%2047.jpeg


And they begin the roughly 3 day journey to the moon.

Saturn%20V%2048.jpeg


My pictures here have a technical error: the Service and Command Module engine should remain facing the direction of travel; after extracting the LEM it does not turn around again. The reason for this becomes clear as we approach lunar orbit: the engine must be fired to slow down! Orientation aside, when lunar orbit has been achieved and the time comes, two of our astronauts climb from the Command Module into the LEM and separate for landing. The third astronaut stays in the Command Module.

Saturn%20V%2049.jpeg


The LEM descends and lands in an acceptable location. Science and exploration are conducted.

Saturn%20V%2050.jpeg


Timing is critical for departure, as the Ascent Vehicle must rendezvous with the Command Module. The descent module and the flag stay behind, the astronauts depart in the Ascent Vehicle.

Saturn%20V%2051.jpeg


The Ascent Vehicle rendezvouses with the Command Module, astronauts and science things are transferred.

Saturn%20V%2052.jpeg


The Ascent Vehicle is then jettisoned. The Service and Command Module engine is burned for about 2.5 minutes to begin the 3 day journey home.

Saturn%20V%2053.jpeg


Once back in Earth orbit, the Service Module is jettisoned and we are down to the last surviving component of our behemoth: The Command Module is the only piece to come home.

Saturn%20V%2054.jpeg


The Command Module is equipped with heat shields on the bottom to dissipate the heat of atmospheric re-entry. The Service Module has done an excellent job of protecting the bottom of the Command Module for the entirety of the mission, ensuring that the heat shields are in perfect condition for re-entry. Atmospheric resistance slows the Command Module down a good deal, and parachutes are deployed to slow it to survivable speeds. The Command Module splashes down, the astronauts are met by a waiting ship, and I'd imagine they didn't have to buy their own drinks for a long while.

Saturn%20V%2055.jpeg


:eek:ccasion14:
 
Nicely done!

I remember poring over that mission sequence like I was studying for the bar exam back when it was happening (I was 10 at the time, too).

I also wondered for years whether they were deliberately degrading the picture/video quality they were making available for public consumption to keep too much detail from getting in those pesky commie's hands, or if the cameras really were that crummy. Since all that would have been declassified by now, I'm guessing they, too, wished they had better cameras.
 
Good job, I also remember watching those moon landings. I was about 8 or 9 at the time. Fascinating...

 
Cool explanation of what is what. Many thanks for the great photos, too. Nicely done.
 
Thanks for the compliments, we had a ball with it! I was vacillating on whether or not to make the post as I was unsure if it would be of interest, very glad that it was. It was a surprisingly evocative project, building the rocket and re-visiting the missions and the obstacles and the achievements with my son. I'm in awe all over again.
 
Glad you did post it.

A lot of us grew up with the space age...and who has never played with Lego?
 
-VB- said:
I'm in awe all over again.

No doubt. Those guys had to have brassiest of brass balls, and not just the astronauts. Everyone involved was breaking such new ground and so much of it there should be another term for it. "Heroes" doesn't seem to cover it.
 
Awesome write-up.  I'd think everyone who's as technically interested in guitars as to make/assemble them on their own has at least a passing appreciation for Lego.  Takes me back to Christmas morning, spending hours hunched over a pile of new pieces and an instruction booklet...

I think the step beyond "hero" might be "legend"?  And those folks certainly were and are legends, even in their own time.
 
Speaking of 'hero' and 'legend'.  Landing footprints on the moon is nothing compared to landing a punch on the jaw of an obnoxious wannabe reporter / moon landing conspiracy nut.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OROlF8zB9z0&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]
 
I generally believe that silencing your critics through the use of physical force is deplorable.  Buzz gets a rare exception to this rule.  Dude SOOOO had it coming.
 
Great project, and great pix! I especially liked the one with the "Proud 10 year old". Farther and son time is always time well spent.

:yourock:
 
swarfrat said:
Speaking of 'hero' and 'legend'.  Landing footprints on the moon is nothing compared to landing a punch on the jaw of an obnoxious wannabe reporter / moon landing conspiracy nut.

Man, I don't care who you are or what you believe, if you treat someone like that I think you deserve what you get and probably more besides. That guy was way, way out of line. Probably sued for emotional distress and psychological trauma. "hell is other people" - Jean-Paul Sartre
 
BigSteve22 said:
Great project, and great pix! I especially liked the one with the "Proud 10 year old". Farther and son time is always time well spent.

:yourock:

Thanks! Yeah, I liked that one too  :icon_biggrin:
 
Cool kit!! And thanks for posting! Looks like you guys had a lot of fun building it, and the finished product is really neat  :hello2:

I can also second what everybody is saying about visiting KSC, my wife and I visited last spring when we were in Florida and it was really really cool, easily the best part of our trip! I'd recommend the super bus tour that you have to reserve in advance. If you're there, you might as well see everything! There was going to be a launch while we were at Cocoa Beach the next day, but it got scrubbed to after we had to go home. Oh well...

For all of you space program lovers (myself included), check out this flickr page when you get some time. It's literally every frame from every roll of film they shot on each Apollo mission. Some pretty cool stuff in there! Plus it's interesting to see the context behind some of the more famous photos (like what they shot immediately before and after).
https://www.flickr.com/photos/projectapolloarchive/albums

This website has the same photos in a less-modern format but with more informational captions, plus some Gemini and Mercury photos too:
http://www.apolloarchive.com/apollo_gallery.html

AS11-38-5719 by Project Apollo Archive, on Flickr
AS11-40-5875 by Project Apollo Archive, on Flickr
 
Wow, amazing archives! I'll be spending time in there, thanks for posting the links!

Not sure when we'll be in Florida again, but I am looking at putting together a trip to Houston to visit Johnson Space Center.
 
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