Thread: Delta II
View Single Post
  #9  
Old 09-26-2018, 03:27 PM
Shreadvector's Avatar
Shreadvector Shreadvector is offline
Launching since 1970.
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Southern California
Posts: 2,188
Default

I'll be driving near the old Rocketdyne plant next Tuesday since I need to visit a supplier for work. I have not been near there in a year or two, but there were a lot of weeds growing in the parking lot when I last saw it. Had nice tour with AIAA in the early 1980's which include a trip to Santa Susana.

Just checked google maps with satellite view and the site is mostly dirt, so it is being cleared. Aerojet Rocketdyne moved whatever was left several miles away.


Oooo, the 3-D dragging feature allows you to see through the holes in the roof of the few structures still remaining....


Quote:
Originally Posted by tbzep
True. However, we spent all our time playing with ultra expensive high efficiency hydrogen fueled engines and abandoned our kerosene (1st stage) engines. The Russians kept working hard on them knowing dense kerosene fuel engines are really important for 1st stage use. Their metallurgy and technology for this type jumped way ahead while we sat on our laurels, bragging about our RS-25 SSME and how our awesome F-1 was so yesterday, though we couldn't replicate its performance without a decade of development. And to think it was done in just a few years with a slide rule and a regular pencil...not even a mechanical one.
__________________
-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 (L2)
Southern California Rocket Association, NAR Section 430
Reply With Quote