re: #43 sizzzzlerz

NASA’s launch pads were built with diversion channels to direct the flow of the hot gasses out and away from the rocket. In addition, the pad was flooded with water to keep things cool (relatively speaking). I read somewhere that, in addition to the gasses, the noise produced by those massive Saturn-5 engines could tear the rocket apart if not mitigated. They took care of that by creating baffles which helped to trap the noise.

I’m curious abot the SpaceX engine. Taken as a whole, how did it compare to the Saturn-5? I have to think the 5 was more powerful given it needed to push a heavier load to the moon but by how much?

And NASA did all that calculation with slide rules.