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Author Topic: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed  (Read 23869 times)

Ric Gillespie

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #15 on: March 22, 2013, 09:19:17 AM »

Again I agree with Ric.  Restoring them is a waste of time.  Leave them just as they are.  That's how they were meant to be.  However, I am still intrigued by the fact that they found them and how........
"the Bezos team used sonar to spot the sunken engines resting nearly 3 miles deep....."
There may be some useful technology for Tighar's deep search.

It's not, pardon the expression, rocket science.  Because the initial launch profiles of Apollo missions were pretty much the same, the separated stages fell back to earth and landed in roughly the same part of the ocean.  The area is an underwater junkyard.  Finding junk in a junkyard is no great feat.  The effectiveness of side-scan sonar is largely dependent upon the underwater topography over which it is deployed.  The steep, unstable reef slope at Nikumaroro is a worst-case scenario for side-scan.
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #16 on: March 22, 2013, 09:30:53 AM »

From TIGHAR's Mission Statement...
The foundation devotes its resources to the saving of endangered historic aircraft wherever they may be found, and to the education of the international public in the need to preserve the relics of the history of flight. (italics mine)

Ric, As such, would it be out of line for you to reach out to Mr. Bezos in an effort to keep him from doing a dumb thing?

We learned a long time ago that the most effective way to "educate the international public in the need to preserve the relics of the history of flight" is by example, not by wagging (or flipping) our finger.
I wonder, however, whether NASM has signed off on accessioning the the salvaged engine parts.  Formally accepting objects into the collection carries with it a long-term commitment to curation and conservation plus, in most cases, exhibition and interpretation.  NASM turns down lots of offered items.
 
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John A Fisher

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #17 on: March 24, 2013, 12:26:02 AM »

There are only so many taxpayers available, and so many tax-funded projects already that are unconstitutional.  I personally love TIGHAR's and Cussler's work, as well as good painting - but I am mad as Hades that my tax money goes to "art" which offends me or that I cannot afford to go see in the first place...........  Why should anyone have to pay for museums to house what they don't like?
Again, I like TIGHAR's work, and will send more money as soon as I'm able (after tax day!).  Whatever someone wants to do/buy, if they want to pay for it themselves, go for it!  Just don't grab my tax money down the road to help out somehow, as usually happens...... :-*

I am afraid I find that to be a rather astonishing and short sighted attitude - why shouldn't we the citizens have part of our taxes used to preserve the cultural and historic objects of our shared history, far better that than funding another war. Why should the preservation of these things be left entirely to the whim of private owners, our shared culture is the sum of all of us. As for the recovery of the Saturn 5 engines - they were a part of one of the great achievements of the 20th century, which I think will be remembered long after Earhart has slipped into our social amnesia.
« Last Edit: March 24, 2013, 01:41:55 AM by John A Fisher »
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #18 on: March 24, 2013, 08:57:27 AM »

These philosophical questions always pervade discussions of historic preservation.  Individuals are free to indulge their own interests at their own expense as long as they respect and obey relevant laws and regulations. Some keep their collections to themselves, others run privately owned museums that are open to the public.  To what degree do governments have a responsibility to preserve the relics of the culture they govern?  Which relics are worthy of preservation at tax-payer expense?  Who decides?

Personally, I find the preservation/conservation and exhibition of the Apollo 11 command capsule worthy and appropriate for inclusion in the Smithsonian NASM collection which is maintained mostly at tax-payer expense.  I don't feel that way about the recently recovered engine parts.  Historic preservation resources are always limited.  We can't save everything.  Every piece of technology associated with the Apollo program does not need to be saved and enshrined.  The same is true of every WWII airplane wreck.  If we try to save everything it degrades our ability to save the few relics that should be saved.  But again - who decides?

I think there is such a thing as public consensus.  I think public consensus is expressed through public discourse (such as this forum), museum attendance, and voluntary financial and participatory support  of historical projects.   The Earhart Project is an expression of a clear public consensus that Earhart's fate should be discovered. 

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Lauren Palmer

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2013, 01:17:33 PM »

Well said, Ric!
As for someone else's comment about my "short-sighted" attitude, I only have so much money to spend. I wouldn't have a dime left for food if every government "wish-list" item were funded/passed (think Bridges to Nowhere !) ...  :-*
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #20 on: March 25, 2013, 01:50:39 PM »

No political commentary please.
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Al Leonard

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #21 on: March 25, 2013, 03:26:20 PM »

Here, here, Ric. Here, here...
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John A Fisher

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #22 on: March 25, 2013, 05:34:02 PM »

My reading of the article says to me that they are going preserve the engines against any corrosion and at private expense. On the broader scale a government in a democratic society represents the sum total of all the citizens and their culture so for a government to protect and preserve those things which display the great diversity of our collective positive aspirations is to me a good thing. Would TIGHAR accept a government research grant - I suspect it would and if such a thing was to occur who of us would object.   
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #23 on: March 25, 2013, 06:12:55 PM »

Would TIGHAR accept a government research grant -

Mmmmm....that would depend on what strings were attached.  We would not relinquish control of the project.  Personally, I think this sort of thing should be done with voluntary contributions from the interested public.  That's how the U.S. tax-exempt nonprofit system is designed to work.  The government recognizes the merit of voluntary donations to approved nonprofit organizations (like TIGHAR) and rewards taxpayers with deductions from the amount of tax they pay. 
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John A Fisher

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Re: Saturn V rocket engines recovered from seabed
« Reply #24 on: March 26, 2013, 12:47:54 AM »

That's how the U.S. tax-exempt nonprofit system is designed to work.  The government recognizes the merit of voluntary donations to approved nonprofit organizations (like TIGHAR) and rewards taxpayers with deductions from the amount of tax they pay.

So I guess in a way they are helping fund it by forgoing the extra tax revenue they are writing off as an allowed deduction. Simple constructive help for organizations like TIGHAR.
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