The Saturn V's Direction Problem

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Have you ever wondered about the guidance systems onboard rockets like the Saturn V that took the Apollo 11 astronauts to the moon? How about how these guidance systems influence their trajectory? In this video about the incredible alignment of the Saturn V, I’m going to take a deeper look at the Saturn 5’s guidance system, and show you how a hidden bunker below the launch pad helped to keep it pointing in the right direction.
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Short on time? Feel free to skip ahead in this video using the chapter links below.
00:00 Saturn V Guidance Problem
00:54 How Did Saturn V Navigate?
02:32 How a Gyroscope Guides a Rocket
04:11 Resetting the Saturn V Gyroscopes
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Written and edited by Ewan Cunningham ( / ewan_cee )
Narrated by: Beau Stucki (www.beaustucki.com/)
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Pond Life - Jamie West-Oram
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#Nasa #SaturnV #Apollo11

[@primalspace]

Did you guys know about the bunker below the pad? - shoutout to World of Tanks for making this video possible! Check it out here: tanks.ly/3Dfl3Id and use code TANKMANIA to get for free: 7 Days Premium Account, 250k credits, Premium Tank Excelsior (Tier 5), 3 rental tanks for 10 battles each: Tiger 131 (Tier 6), Cromwell B (Tier 6), and T34-85M (Tier 6)

[@antondavydov8139]

What is the reason the Starship doesn't have a launch escape system?

[@10thmountainsoldier90]

Love your videos and your narration voice!

[@Roofluffer]

im sorry what... another ad? in the comments... wow really pushing a game ill never play thanks to the incessant ads

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

Is just mecanical computers

[@dougsmyth8582]

I'm curious now if modern day GPS does away with all of this for current rockets, or are gyros still required for the launch phase. I have a feeling gyro's are still required in space to keep tabs of orientation.

[@KriegZombie]

I was told that the missile always knows where it is because it knows where it isn't.

[@The-Real-Laepi]

By subtracting where it is from where it isn’t or where it isn’t from where it is, whichever is greater, the guidance computer acquires a difference or deviation.

[@Xavier1...]

I came here just to comment on this. I guess i was beaten to it

[@HarshitSingh-mm4ks]

​@@Xavier1... r/beatmetoit

[@degenetron7590]

Saturn v is a glorified missile

[@yos3234]

Fr

[@timbotron4000]

It's absolutely incredible that the Saturn V went from paper design to flight in just six years. Such small but crucial details like this are mind-blowing

[@Nghilifa]

And to add to that, they launched 5 of them within the span of a year from Dec 1968 to Nov 1969 (Apollo 8,9,10,11,12). Just imagine the VAB with 3 Saturn V's stacked at the same time (It could hold 3 at any given time, so Apollo 8,9 & 10 must have been stacked to various degrees of completion at the same time)! We're not going to see that kind of operational tempo again in our lifetimes.

[@tvre0]

I think the VAB can and could hold four. It’s just that we never needed that launch cadence. Fun fact: if we did, they could have expanded the building since it was built to be expanded. That’s why the crawlerways loop so far around the building

[@primalspace]

Agreed. It really is incredible to think about.

[@goldenfloof5469]

@@Nghilifa Well starship is almost 4 years into its development and actually has a realistic chance of launching for the first time next month. And if they manage to get it to a turn around time even remotely comparable to falcon 9, then it's gonna blow the Saturn V out of the water in terms of launches per year. Heck, they're working an a large number of them at the same time, like 5 or 6, and they can produce them so fast that they've scrapped like 5 orbit capable rockets. Just because, for a time, they were advancing the design so fast that they were becoming outdated so early on in the building and testing cycle that it wasn't worth putting more effort into them.

[@nirbhayatiwari5425]

@@goldenfloof5469 Correct brother ... Also by utilizing just ~50% capacity of B7 33 Raptors they produced more thrust (7.9 million pounds) than the full thrust produced by Saturn V on liftoff (7.8 million pounds only oncefor Skylab and 7.5 million pounds of thrust for Apollo Missions ) .... But Yes we all know that Starship will surely be a better rocket than Saturn V but considering the condition and technologies of 60's I believe for 100% that Saturn V was and will be a masterpiece machinery ever built by humans ....

[@devindykstra]

The 3d animation in this one is absolutely on point! Great job!

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much! Really glad that you enjoyed it!

[@tvre0]

@@primalspace Can you do more on Saturn v guidance?

[@jonslg240]

When your rocket is on the earth and pointing straight up, that doesn't change as the earth rotates.. It's still straight up vs the earths center of mass.. *So this guy is kinda selling us a "bill of goods" when he says "as the earth rotates the rocket is no longer pointing straight up.* It might not be pointing at your target anymore, but if it's pointing straight up vs the field of gravity, then it's always pointing straight up and earths rotation does not change that.

[@jonslg240]

The further I watch this video the more I realise this channel must be a "space for dummies" channel.. ..a channel for people who've never watched the more advanced channels. Nothing wrong with that, just don't oversell it

[@devindykstra]

@@jonslg240 what's so bad with that? If he's able to simplify these really advanced topics into a simple video for "dummies" isn't that a good thing? Also a rocket's reference frame does change as the earth rotates, and that obviously needs to be corrected for. To my knowledge everything in the video is accurate.

[@paulhsv1121]

My Dad was part of the team that designed that gyro. He also had a patent to the gyro mounted on the lunar rover. I bragged to my sons one time that I had my fingerprints in space. I work in aerospace industry. He immediately replied, “I have my fingerprints on the moon.” Check mate. 😂

[@primalspace]

That's amazing! Now I want to read about the Lunar rover's gyro. Is your Dad still with us? He must have been very proud of what he did for the Apollo program.

[@paulhsv1121]

@@primalspace unfortunately he passed recently.

[@primalspace]

Sorry to hear that.

[@bobdrummond6540]

Small world... my dad was the lead engineer of that team.

[@BabbyCat3008]

My dad was the assistant programmer on the team.

[@Nova-pr5cw]

Crazy I can think of millions of things which can go wrong in such a delicate system, this stuff worked is a miracle on its own kudos to engineers and everyone who were involved in building this

[@primalspace]

Agreed. It's pretty mind blowing to think about just how precise they needed to be. It was a lot of fun to learn about for me as well.

[@AFuller2020]

When you have good engineering and process, it all works… now compare that to SpacSex.

[@subjekt5577]

Yup. Largest successful rocket ever, that absurd amount of shaking and vibration, enough decibels to suffocate you from the impact force, and this little fucking gyro stays stable enough through all that while remaining precise

[@lajoswinkler]

On the contrary, it wasn't delicate. It was robust. It needed to be robust.

[@robrussell5329]

You can think of millions of things that can go wrong??? You must be a pretty awesome engineer!!

[@ob0273]

I am speechless. The Saturn V was so incredible piece of engineering. Imagine having this gyro mechanism on a rocket today - that's absolutely unthinkable 🤯

[@primalspace]

Agreed. I still marvel at how these kinds of problems are even identified ... let alone solved. Pretty incredible.

[@noop9k]

Today you can just use GPS while on earth and have some cameras to detect sun and stars.

[@goldenfloof5469]

@@noop9k You could just use GPS for the entire flight.

[@sheeplord4976]

Almost every jet on earth has a modern version if this system, but they use lasers instead of gyros now.

[@HailAnts]

@@goldenfloof5469 - You couldn't use GPS for a trip to the Moon. After TLI the ship would eventually exceed the limits of the range of GPS transmitters on the satellites orbiting the Earth.

[@VintageAviation737]

in my opinion I think that the Saturn V / CSM/ LM were the best vehicles ever designed. All of their issues were solved so cleverly using 60s era technology. Really goes to show what a special team NASA had during the Apollo era.

[@dannypipewrench533]

I agree completely. The Saturn V may be surpassed in capability (not yet but soon), but nothing will ever beat in the fact that it worked so well despite having been developed with such earlier methods. Yeah, we can use all sorts of great computer simulations now to almost guarantee the thing will work before it ever flies, but the Saturn V worked without such advantages.

[@iPodGuyDK]

@@dannypipewrench533 Honestly, the Saturn V was so ahead of its time.

[@dannypipewrench533]

@@iPodGuyDK Indeed it was.

[@josephkanowitz6875]

ב''ה, דייו האמת, may He comfort the survivors - except for that problem with the first revision of the manned portion.

[@Bertinator-nm9ld]

The Apollo team also had LOTS of money to work with. That's something critical that NASA doesn't have now.

[@anirprasadd]

Most people don't realize that the Saturn V was the epitome of human engineering at the time. The sheer number of innovations and breakthroughs, along with solving the engineering challenges involved makes it mind-boggling.

[@evanfinch4987]

"most people dont realize" yeah ok

[@anirprasadd]

​@@evanfinch4987Yes, actually. A lot of them don't.

[@robinwilliamsdouble5009]

American Ingenuity my friend, American ingenuity ! !

[@lewismassie]

There was a soviet launch that was aborted before liftoff. About 30 minutes later the launch escape system activated itself and launched the capsule away from the rocket. It was later found that the internal gyros had read the rotation of the earth as the rocket flying off course and activated the LES

[@quantumblur_3145]

let this be a lesson in turning off the lights

[@fridaycaliforniaa236]

This is why « guidance is internal » only comes at the last moment. Also, you often had more accurate sensor data when getting them from the ground, in particular if we talk about navigation. If I remember right what I've seen in some articles about the Apollo Guidance Computer and the systems related to it, its function was mostly to serve as a confirmation of what the tracking stations on Earth provided as data for navigation of the CSM module (because the onboard systems had less computing power and were less accurate).

[@TFB-chris]

Awesome video. Never heard about that before. I cannot imagine how much engineering, thought and work went into the Apollo program. Stunning

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much! So glad that you enjoyed the video and were able to discover something new today!

[@diverman1023]

Even the computers we use now to comment on this video have to give a lot of credit to the cutting edge compact and yet modular design of the Saturn V's onboard computer. When heavily funded back then, there was absolutely nothing that was out of reach for NASA and the numerous university departments that designed these systems from scratch

[@SayAhh]

No need for engineering; it relies on prayer alone. /s

[@TexasEngineer]

I worked on the Pershing Missile guidance in the Army. The guidance system was very similar except with accelerometers included and they all had air bearing. In the missle school they taught us how the German V2 rocket worked only and it used vacuume tubes instead on transistors. Von Braun was the genius behind the technology.

[@hydroxine2709]

It always amazes me how many of these kind of "quirks" engineers had to come up with to put boots on the moon for the first time.

[@primalspace]

Same! So many seemingly small things that can make such a huge difference.

[@AttilaAsztalos]

And as a cautionary tale of what happens when obscure details like these are not considered carefully enough, we need look no farther than Soyuz 7K-OK-No.1, which thought it was flying off course and triggered its escape launcher while sitting on the pad after an aborted launch, merely due to Earth having rotated under it a few degrees...

[@christopherbassit2757]

There is no moon you sheep. It’s all a big projection. How? It doesn’t rotate.

[@quantumblur_3145]

The combination of sophistication and jerry-rigged nonsense is so delightfully human

[@evanfinch4987]

just solving problems bruh

[@mikefochtman7164]

I worked with navigational gyrocompasses for the Navy at one point. They used a similar 'followup' system to sense the minute changes in gyro torques and amplify them for the actual platform positioning. And during startup, used a simple 'ball level erector' system that relied on simply steel balls in a shallow bowl-like compartment to 'detect down' when first starting up.

[@thekidwhodraws]

That’s how crayfish detect down! They have small rocks in their ear canal with very sensitive fibers surrounding the chamber that holds the small rock, so whatever side is receiving pressure from the rock, that way is down. Engineering following nature

[@aaron8862006]

@@thekidwhodrawsGenuinely fascinating. 2 excellent replies.

[@st0pdr0pandtr0ll]

As an engineering student myself, the visuals in this video are so helpful in conveying how the system works versus how it is described. Thank you so much for the amazing content!

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much. That's great to hear and I'm really glad you enjoyed the video!

[@rigel3294]

This was the most sophisticated explanation ever given by you in this channel. I was so blown away that I grabbed my chair initially and prepared myself to boost my testosterone level at it's peak to make myself understand the complex engineering problems that needed to be solved in order to get a footprint on the moon. A BIG owe to you for making this video so easy to understand and fun to watch.

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much for this comment. It really means a lot that you not only enjoyed the video, but learned something new about something we're all so passionate about here. Cheers!

[@quantumblur_3145]

What on EARTH is this

[@Pax.YouTube]

On moon ​@@quantumblur_3145

[@TeslaMaxwell]

Love the animation and level of art in this video. Also that was the smoothest Segway to a sponsor spot. I almost believed they used a tank.

[@primalspace]

Thanks so much! So glad that you enjoyed the video and got a kick out the sponsor haha. I try to keep things light around here haha

[@genralty]

"the tank is then used to completely tear down the saturn v, since theres nothing to reset the gyros other than to rebuild it"

[@thatAlex1337]

Wow, the Saturn V's gyroscope was truly a marvel of engineering! It's amazing how such a small device could help stabilize a rocket that was over 300 feet tall and weighing over 6 million pounds. It just goes to show the incredible attention to detail and precision that went into every aspect of the Apollo missions. Hats off to the brilliant minds behind the Saturn V's gyroscope!

[@evanfinch4987]

yeah and a few years later all that rube goldbergery was replaced with laser rings

[@PStanley]

this isn’t my opinion but my uncle always believed the moon landings were fake. Listening to him talk about “how they faked it” was super fascinating but I also felt a little bad for him.

[@ceejay960]

The ingenuity of mankind never ceases to amaze me. Imagine how much thinking outside the box was required to build the Saturn V rocket!

[@primalspace]

Right? Pretty mind blowing when you think about it!

[@robinwilliamsdouble5009]

American ingenuity

[@onalennasehume4586]

That tank insert was pretty funny

[@primalspace]

Haha thanks! Glad you enjoyed that one!

[@ack_]

The level of accuracy required to make this kind of system, with such tiny elements, work, is astonishing. Thinking that a problem so complex was solved using 3 prisms and light is unreal.

[@adamhughes4442]

Makes you proud to be human!

[@davidben-avram8298]

It's amazing to think about how complex the Saturn V gyro alignment was. This system enabled the rocket to accurately point in the right direction, despite the immense power and force of the launch. In order to understand how this system works, engineers had to understand complex concepts like the precession of gyroscopes, and the integration of multiple gyroscopes to provide an accurate orientation of the rocket - something that was an incredible feat of engineering in the 1960s. It's truly remarkable to think how much technology has advanced since then, and how much more complex our rockets have become

[@BiggestNoodle]

Its just, amazing This type of tech is literally one of a kind, and that thing was made to PUT HUMANS ON THE MOON! i simply have no words, i am full of amazement.

[@primalspace]

Agreed. Pretty mind blowing when you really sit back and think about it.

[@frayedsanity]

That was really cool. I did read about the infa red laser thing a while ago, but learning exactly how it works is incredible. I've been learning so much about apollo and saturn lately. Great videos.

[@-Daan-]

Really fun and details video. There where so many complex parts on the Saturn V, really impressive that they made this more than 50 years ago.

[@primalspace]

Agreed. Incredibly impressive and inspiring to think about. So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@dannypipewrench533]

3:13 The Apollo Program was so complex that I actually did not question the tank one bit. If I am not mistaken, there was an armored vehicle (troop transport, maybe?) a mile or so up the crawler way filled with firefighters.

[@danielbewell6201]

Amazing to see how many small yet important systems went into the design

[@primalspace]

Absolutely! So many seemingly small things that can make such a huge difference in the outcome.

[@pfranken]

50 years plus and still discovering new things about this marvel. Wow. ❤

[@primalspace]

So glad you were able to learn something new in this one! Cheers!

[@mrfrankiej932]

This rocket has been retired for about 50 years now, and I'm still learning new things about it. What an astounding accomplishment and machine. Historians in 500 years will look at the first Moon landings and think damn, why did they stop? Why is there century wide gaps between the next flights.

[@RowanFilms]

Saturn v is just breathtaking I always find out more about it and it never fails to amaze me

[@primalspace]

Same!

[@Spartan2035]

Every time I see a video about the Saturn V, I learn something new. But this infra red light calibration method is just mind blowingly awesome. Thank you for making this!

[@primalspace]

So glad you enjoyed the video and that you were able to learn a little something new! Cheers!

[@OhMySack]

It was an abso-friggin-lutely awesome time to be alive to see this tech. I was fortunate to be a kid whose Dad worked as a Mech Engineer for North American Rockwell in Downey, CA where the Apollo Command Module was designed and built. Nearly all the families in my neighborhood had Dads that worked for Rockwell in some significant capacity for Apollo so we were immersed in it. Epic times!

[@tullyfisher]

Another awesome video! It's one thing to actually build those amazing devices but it's another thing to really (fore)see the need for these and to think about a process so well and so deep that that you don't "forget" to include it. This is also what fascinates me about (space)exploration.

[@becurious24x7]

I used to think about how simple it was and how much better a rocket with the same goal could be today... but this really changed that. The complexity of this system is absolutely mind-blowing, and is something that I feel like would be easier back when Apollo was flying versus trying the same thing today

[@theredsanic2570]

This absolutely changed my mind on the Saturn V -- I used to think about how simple it was and how much better a rocket with the same goal could be today... but this really changed that. The complexity of this system is absolutely mind-blowing, and is something that I feel like would be easier back when Apollo was flying versus trying the same thing today. I doubt anyone would have thought of it!

[@SeanBZA]

Yes, but remember them it was absolutely cutting edge, totally new, and something that had never been done before. After Saturn that technology went on to be used in so many things that you find all over, even if you do not see them at all, but those spin offs still are having a profound change in the modern world. The servo system there used to track the drift of the IMU with wind eventually landed up being used to correct the laser beam used to read your modern CD. DVD and BD player and recorder, similar problem resolved with the application of that design idea.

[@markl2322]

I sometimes think that modern technology, and modern engineers tend to over complicate their solutions. Some of the things that the Apollo program developed were the result of the simplest solutions.

[@AMD_1111]

It's absolutely incredible that the Saturn V went from paper design to flight in just six years. Such small but crucial details like this are mind-blowing This was the most sophisticated explanation ever given by you in this channel. I was so blown away that I grabbed my chair initially and prepared myself to boost my testosterone level at it's peak to make myself understand the complex engineering problems that needed to be solved in order to get a footprint on the moon.

[@sparrowthenerd]

That's super cool, I had never thought about the fact that the IMU would get skewed by the earth's rotation during its time on the pad!

[@primalspace]

Honestly, I hadn't thought too much about it either until I started learning about the system for this video. Every small detail really does matter.

[@sparrowthenerd]

@@primalspace the amount of time cumulatively spent on the Apollo program to iron out details like this really is incredible

[@joevignolor4u949]

If the rocket sat on the launce pad for 12 hours the gyro platform would be completely upside down.

[@PeterHamiltonz]

Absolutely amazing, I had no idea, and I say this as someone who has watched and read endlessly about Apollo. Love the level of detail in the video as well.

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you were able to learn something new today and that you enjoyed the video. Means a lot!

[@stevens-universe]

How did the Saturn V's guidance system compare to the guidance systems used in rockets today?

[@SeanBZA]

Still is the ancestor of them, though the Saturn guidance system was developed in parallel with the missile guidance systems, as both were under development by the same companies, at the same time. Thus a lot of the problems share common solutions, though the modern ones have moved mostly away from mechanical gyro platforms, and instead use solid state gyro units, and rely on computers to correct them for drift, as that can easily be characterised during assembly and test, as you can use a reference platform to allow one axis at a time to be decoupled from rotation and get the inherent drift. They also use accelarometers, and computer based integration, to get velocity, and again to get distance, and then can use the ring gyro units to calculate a position, based off of initial conditions. Then you use things like GPS, or star trackers, to obtain the error you have, and use that as part of the drift correction applied. But the modern reference platforms are now so accurate that you have correction both for rotation of the earth, and also for rotation around the sun, and have to apply as well correction for the motion of the solar system around the galaxy core as well, simply because this does otherwise show up as a long term error. In the 1970's Boeing had inertial reference platforms that were stable enough that you could fly an autopilot based flight without any external correction, and have a single flight from London to Sydney do that flight, and at landing it would be within 100 feet of the true position. 3 separate gyro units in each inertial reference unit, and the logic would fault any single one that disagreed more than the specified amount, and still give a valid reference off the other 2, just with a caution that maintenance was required. 2 inertial units, just in case one failed, and as backup you also had the old standby magnetic compass, and the Decca beacon receiver to allow you to plot location, provided you did not use the wrong lane. Later on GPS with the Decca, until the Decca was finally phased out. But even in the 1990's Decca was still in use a lot, simply because the cost of retrofitting a lot of aircraft was expensive, so it was in use till almost every aircraft had been updated to both, before it eventually was slowly switched off world wide, though there are still a few stations running for some countries.

[@Offline_Matrix]

These videos are so good !, The editing The clear and factual footage And the simple way at which you explain things ! :)

[@ohioexpax1592]

I can't say I understand any of that, LOL, but it amazes me that there are people who do understand it, and were intelligent enough to solve the problem. And note: just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean it's "fake news", or that isn't legitimate.

[@n8dawg640]

How on earth do people think of this stuff, that system is wild

[@primalspace]

Agreed!

[@tinetannies4637]

I'm blown away by the creativity and ingenuity of those behind this incredible accomplishment

[@primalspace]

Me too. So many seemingly small things that could make such a huge difference in its success.

[@adamhughes4442]

Makes you proud to be human!

[@tinetannies4637]

@@adamhughes4442 Amazing that in just 66 years humanity went from the Wright Brothers' first flight to landing on the moon. Just 66 years!

[@dotancohen]

It took me over a minute and a half to realize that this was a computerized voice. Great work with the voice model!

[@liquidpatriot4480]

Excellent video! I'm reminded of a Soyuz capsule that ejected off its rocket due to a guidance error tricking the computer into thinking it was dangerously off axis. Due to Earth's rotation the gyros went off alignment but not compensated for causing the rocket to think it was falling over and ignited the emergency escape rockets for the Soyuz.

[@primalspace]

Yes! It's pretty mind blowing to think about just how many seemingly small things need to go right in order to keep a mission on track. These "small" things make such a huge difference. Thank you for sharing and so glad you enjoyed this one!

[@srivathsananand9884]

How the hell do humans come up with this stuff? 🤯🤯🤯

[@Bruhnerd69]

smairt

[@philipkudrna5643]

Very interesting video - something I have actually not seen featured so far. Thank you, well done!

[@primalspace]

Thanks so much. So glad that you enjoyed it!

[@YeTenuousUmbrae]

I used to work as a surveyor and i love all these technical explanations. I'm impressed they could do this in the 60s

[@davee1471]

Woow Learning new things everyday. Thats cool

[@primalspace]

So glad you enjoyed this one! I had a great time putting it together!

[@GladiatorSlows]

Wow, I can't wait for Starship and Superheavy's orbital launch. The Saturn V really puts into perspective the class of rocket we can expect to see. Could be sometime next month!

[@dannypipewrench533]

Yeah, about that...

[@charliehanner]

It's amazing how some of the basics we learn in Physics ends up being such a reliable system for rocket guidance... incredible - and just think of the evolution to solid state we are at today! Only ~60 years between the two

[@basketballxhq3438]

Its cool that a system in a hidden bunker helped it

[@chickynuggych]

I love your videos just so much. I lately became interested in space and this was really an other video to help me to know that I love spaceflight

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the channel and my content! There's SO much to learn! Enjoy! :)

[@sabarib3492]

Bro awesome video , I ❤️ ur dedication and hard work, good luck , I love science very much and I like how u r explaining everything details about space science.

[@primalspace]

Thanks so much! Really means a lot that you're enjoying the content!

[@PaulinaStopa]

Interesting to see how advanced the Saturn V's guidance system was, especially when compared to other systems of the era. For instance, during the space race, there was a notable incident where a Russian rocket self-destructed on the launch pad. The rocket had switched to its onboard guidance system, but a hold was put on the launch. The safety protocols, mistakenly identifying that the rocket was not oriented correctly, triggered an explosion for 'safety' reasons. It's fascinating to see how each country tackled the monumental challenges of space navigation and the critical role that guidance systems played in these endeavors.

[@tedz2usa]

Incredibly beautiful exposition and illustration of this critical component of the Saturn V navigation and guidance system!

[@sclyser]

Your editing and explanations are amazing, also uploading once a month is worth the wait becuse your videos are 🔥

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad that you enjoy the content and consider it worth the wait! Means a lot!

[@sclyser]

hey consider making a discord?

[@JesseTheRef]

We should have continued using the Saturn V. It was the best heavy lifter and had an almost perfect track record. Same for the Saturn I-B, that was a really workhorse booster that should have been used more.

[@primalspace]

💯💯💯

[@dannypipewrench533]

ABSOLUTELY! The Saturn V should have been allowed to evolve. Imagine all sorts of lengthening, new or additional stages and engines, and new spacecraft. Not to mention it remains surprisingly cost effective. Sure, SpaceX has it beat, but SpaceX has everyone beat in terms of price.

[@mumblbeebee6546]

Snappy chuck of information with clear animations, I am impressed. I am just as impressed with the generated narration though - I would be interested to find out more about that system!

[@RudisBua]

the only bad thing about this channel is that there is only one video per month :/ otherwise - great and interesting as always!

[@primalspace]

So glad that you enjoyed the video and have been enjoying my content! I would love to be able to produce more videos for you guys each month. Still working on how to make that happen haha. Really appreciate the kind words and support!

[@Lauti-cw2zs]

@@primalspace better to improve quality over quantity you know. Keep it up you are doing great!

[@the.starman]

Don't worry, I've got you: The rocket knows where it is at all times. It knows this because it knows where it isn't. By subtracting where it is from where it isn't, or where it isn't from where it is (whichever is greater), it obtains a difference, or deviation. The guidance subsystem uses deviations to generate corrective commands to drive the rocket from a position where it is to a position where it isn't, and arriving at a position where it wasn't, it now is. Consequently, the position where it is, is now the position that it wasn't, and it follows that the position that it was, is now the position that it isn't. In the event that the position that it is in is not the position that it wasn't, the system has acquired a variation, the variation being the difference between where the rocket is, and where it wasn't. If variation is considered to be a significant factor, it too may be corrected by the GEA. However, the rocket must also know where it was. The rocket guidance computer scenario works as follows. Because a variation has modified some of the information the rocket has obtained, it is not sure just where it is. However, it is sure where it isn't, within reason, and it knows where it was. It now subtracts where it should be from where it wasn't, or vice-versa, and by differentiating this from the algebraic sum of where it shouldn't be, and where it was, it is able to obtain the deviation and its variation, which is called error.

[@dr4d1s]

Great explanation! I would have stopped at the rocket knows where it is because it knows where it isn't and left it at that. But you went the extra mile! I am sure it will help people better understand how guidance systems work. The correct answer is always in the comments. Thank you!

[@rodrigolefever2426]

​@@dr4d1s its just a copy paste

[@fridaycaliforniaa236]

It never ceases to amaze me that there's always new things we never talked about in the Apollo program. This seems like a never ending source of amazing engineering marvels discoveries.

[@sambear6593]

Wow, this effort to keep alignment was pure genius! Thanks for the video.

[@planetsec9]

And here I thought rope core memory was the most obscure and convoluted component of the Saturn V that I learned about, wow

[@obbie1osias467]

These are the important details that no Moon Landing Deniers and Flatearthers will never comprehend because it's much easier for them to believe in magic🤣🤣🤣

[@igxniisan6996]

"And that's why a tank came in" lmfaooo I fell off my bed laughing 🤣🤣🤣

[@primalspace]

LOL glad you were able to get a laugh out of that one too!

[@rogue6]

I absolutely LOVE videos about clever engineering solutions like these. Please make more!

[@primalspace]

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed this!

[@andycapp9063]

The ingenuity of engineers 60 years ago is something to be proud of. Have we lost this ability to think through a problem.

[@ludovicokilowatt3952]

It's mind-blowing how every single component is this colossal machine was a triumph of engineering, down to the smallest screw.

[@zacharygeorge4807]

Seeing videos of Saturn V launch always gives me chills!

[@SapkotaFamily]

Primal Space really make sponsors part like a joke.

[@RyanSmith-nb1dm]

Bro the tank ad got me 😂

[@primalspace]

haha glad you both enjoyed that one. I do what I can.

[@TheTOMEK2905]

Most controversial space opinion? I think death of some people is unaviodable when conquering space and i think that people stand at the forefront of that endavour know that

[@almafuertegmailcom]

That's not truly controversial, nor specific to space. A lot of things happen as we do our whole "being humans" thing, and one of them is death. We do our best to avoid it, but sometimes it's just not possible. We accept a number of deaths as an acceptable tradeoff. Some people die while driving, some die while flying, some die buying food, building things, etc. What we truly owe them is due diligence. Have you done everything within reason to avoid unnecessary deaths? Good, then let's go ahead. Sometimes that's enough, and sometimes it isn't and something happens. It's the toll we pay for progress. The unacceptable deaths are those that were predictable and preventable, like those on Challenger and Columbia, and yet we allowed them to happen for stupid political reasons. That, is not ok.

[@TheCousinEddie]

Every time I learn something new about the engineering of the Saturn V, I am so very impressed. I had no idea this system existed prior to watching the video.

[@MrGruffteddybear]

That is fascinating. Never knew the gyroscope would go off kilter due to the earth’s rotation. Ingenious solutions to fix the problems.

[@marcelosantos8484]

3:10 - I really loved the way you guys ad in this video. Really! It was so nice.

[@nonstopdude1211]

XD that tank you placed there.. i didnt watch the part of your sponsor and i foolishly started looking up "tank 1969 apollo 11". that there was the best way to sponsor something. love your videos and keep up the great work :D

[@tntdoctor]

The more you look into the Saturn V the more ingenious solutions you discover to problems that you never even knew existed and that's pretty cool

[@primalspace]

💯💯💯

[@samyoder9741]

This is actually one of the coolest facts I have learned about the Saturn V. No one ever things about all of the incredible technology outside of the rocket that still helped it successful get to the moon!

[@primalspace]

Agreed. I really enjoyed putting this one together. Pretty wild to think that there are so many seemingly small things that can make such a huge difference.

[@matteoandreuzza]

I have loved space exploration since I was a child and when the teachers at school told me about the Apollo missions I was always amazed by how such an advanced system as the Saturn V rocket was able to transport men to the moon and above all as in so little time from a project became reality. I love space

[@wbarnesmerseymail]

Thanks, That is so cool to now know what the commentator meant when he said "guidance is in internal". I do love the Apollo missions and the Saturn V rocket.

[@adamcurtis83]

This was unbelievably informative and appreciated. Great job!

[@primalspace]

Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed this one!

[@tr5848]

The alignment method was ingenious, especially in that era. Thanks!

[@parktheforg]

Every single time I go onto KZbin and see a new video from y’all I get so freaking happy. Keep up the good work.

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much! So glad that you enjoy the content. Means a lot!

[@ronalzepeda]

The level of technology for those times is incredible.

[@primalspace]

Agreed!

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

The accuracy to 0.001 degree is 3.6 arcseconds. At lunar distance, this works out to maximum ~3.5 km drift from desired trajectory.

[@phoenixshade3]

OK, the segue into the sponsorship was one of the funnier ones I've seen on KZbin. Well done. They should give you a bonus.

[@primalspace]

haha glad you enjoyed that one!

[@user-zy4tg9tz3l]

Thank you! Someone finally explains the ground theodolite and instrument unit marriage

[@monberg2000]

Holy moly... The enginuity of the S5 keeps surprising me. Thx for a great vid!

[@primalspace]

And thank you for watching. Really glad you enjoyed this one!

[@therealcaldini]

Hats off to the engineers who came up with this.

[@primalspace]

Agreed!

[@mpdunner3698]

Great video! I watch the moon landing when I was a kid and everything Apollo topic since but didn't know they had to take the rotation of the earth into account. Very cool solution.

[@primalspace]

Very cool. So glad you enjoyed the video and were able to learn a little something new today!

[@sandeepps6013]

The quality of animation is amazing ! Great video as always...!

[@primalspace]

🙏🙏🙏

[@wbajohn3177]

I love these videos glad to see you uploading again 💚

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much. So glad that you're enjoying the content. Means a lot!

[@andycampbell91]

Thank you...I've wanted to understand this for so long!

[@polnud0678]

I love learning about these small Intriquite details that without soloitions to would have probably made the hole kissing a failure. Thanks for sharing

[@primalspace]

Thank you for watching. So glad that you enjoyed the content. It really is pretty amazing when you think about! Really enjoyed putting this video together.

[@user-qc3mg3pp2s]

Incredibly informative. Outstanding presentation!!!!

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@JoshLoweSpace]

I know a lot about the Saturn V, but this was completely new to me! Didn't think i would be learning anything new but i was wrong. Great video!!

[@primalspace]

Thanks so much! So glad that you enjoyed this one and that you were able to learn something new about a topic you already know so much about!

[@timr1422]

Wow, I am blown away. Incredible engineering. Thank you for this video!

[@primalspace]

It really is! Thanks so much for watching and so glad you found it as fascinating as I do!

[@peterells1720]

Wonderful graphics - the video highlighted details about the Saturn V guidance system that I was completely unaware of. (All I knew was the vague fact that these systems were all contained in a ring near the top of the rocket.)

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much. So glad you enjoyed the video!

[@nielslevert8185]

The level of engineering complexity required at the time is simply insane and really beautiful in its own way

[@primalspace]

Absolutely agreed!

[@omercetin1683]

Primal Space channelAllways has good informations and expertlike knowledge... Good integrity with tons of visual support. Thank you for everthing.

[@primalspace]

Thank you so much for watching and for your kind comments! Means a lot that you're enjoying the channel! 🙏