Rocket Engine Pulled From the Ocean Definitely Belonged to Apollo 11

The serial number identifying the engines as coming from Apollo 11. Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center

 
On the eve of the 44th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the moon, a piece of their historic legacy has been ID’ed here on Earth. Billionaire Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos has confirmed that the rocket engines he picked up from the ocean floor five months ago belonged to Apollo 11.

More than a year ago, Bezos announced a mission to try and recover the mighty F-1 engines, which each delivered 1.5 million pounds of thrust to the Saturn V rocket that carried men to the lunar surface. After delivering the Apollo astronauts to space, the engines crashed back to Earth and lay dormant on the ocean floor for more than 40 years, reaching a serious state of decay. After trawling the Atlantic, Bezos’ team announced that they had recovered the artifacts and returned them to land for preservation and eventual display at a museum.

But with the engines warped and covered in rust, it was impossible to say precisely which of the Apollo missions they had come from. Bezos had always been aiming to find relics from Apollo 11 because he said the mission had inspired his passion in science and engineering as a child.

During the painstaking cleaning process, a conservator at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center using black light and a special lens filter to examine the relic pieces noticed a tiny number — 2044. That figure is a Rocketdyne serial number that correlates to NASA number 6044, the serial number for F-1 Engine #5 from Apollo 11.

Bezos is thrilled with the news. On his blog, he wrote that “44 years ago tomorrow Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, and now we have recovered a critical technological marvel that made it all possible.”
Now that they have identified the important mission these engines came from, workers can continue their conservation efforts. In addition to getting them cleaned and ready for display, the Cosmosphere is scanning all components to build a 3-D CAD model. Once that is finished, the artifacts will be shown at museums around the U.S., though exactly which ones is yet to be determined.

The all-important 2044 serial number, which shows that this engine came from Apollo 11. Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center

Miami Beach Should Definitely Have a Huge Fake Sun Looming Over It

Architecture firm VisionDivision brings Florida's passion for themed structures to Miami Beach. Image: VisionDivision

 

The designers thought of their structure more like a cruise ship than a traditional building. Visitors can only reach it by water taxi, or for the more daring, swimming. Image: VisionDivision

 

High powered lights embedded in the building's skin would create a dramatic sunset on command. Image: VisionDivision

 

The proposal is novel and futuristic, but also shares the curves and bright colors found in Miami's famed Art Deco buildings. Image: VisionDivision

 

An observation deck would provide unique vantage point for real sunrises and sunsets. Image: VisionDivision

 

Solar panels built into the structure of the building would make The Miami Sun energy independent. Image: VisionDivision

 

The network of small islands surrounding the building would be used as places to serve refreshments and host recreational events. Image: VisionDivision

 

With creative concepts like The Miami Sun to its credit, VisionDivision has a bright future. Image: VisionDivision

 

Standing atop the Eiffel Tower is sure to spark feelings of romance. Memorials in Washington, D.C. create an environment for somber reflection. When Anders Berensson and Ulf Mejergren, principles of Stockholm-based architecture firm VisionDivision, were challenged to create an iconic landmark for Miami Beach, they asked, “What kind of monument would be nice to have a colorful cocktail next to?” and “What kind of monument would be nice to do push-ups next to?”

 

Their proposal is called The Miami Sun, a hotel/casino that takes the form of a giant half circle emerging from the water, amidst an archipelago of palm tree-dotted islands. The surface of the structure is covered with reflective panels that mirror the sky and would be laced with high-power lights that can create the illusion of a shining sun just a few hundred feet from shore.

“What kind of monument would be nice to do push-ups next to?”

“Miami is a tropical metropolis, a major tourist destination, and it has an air of flamboyant decadence that is very intriguing,” says Mejergren. “We wanted to create something positive and glamorous that would capture the soul of Miami and at the same time be unique and truly epic.” The proposal is a spectacle worthy of the city and achieves the rare feat of making Zaha Hadid’s nearby project seem conservative by comparison.

Lights embedded in the skin of the structure would glow red/orange during the day, but produce a soft white glow at night — a moon in the heart of Miami. Image: VisionDivision

 

 

The daring design flirts with kitsch. Their thin dome echos another Floridian architectural landmark — the geodesic sphere at Disney’s Epcot Center. “To compete with the sun and the moon is a tough task, no doubt, but it is do-able in some aspects,” says Berrensson. “The feeling of seeing the building blazing in the dusk from the Bayfront Park is probably more spectacular than any sunset, because it is arranged, enhanced and developed for a unique site and viewing point. It is a sunset on steroids.” The VisionDivision team also proudly claims that their version of the sun makes for a more reliable photo-op.

 

Hubris aside, the designers seriously considered how to produce something ambitious that wouldn’t feel like a tacky eyesore a few years after construction. They achieved this by stripping away detail and letting the simple form and play of light provide the visual appeal. Site placement was another important design consideration — there is no physical connection to dry land in the proposal. Instead, visitors arrive by water taxi or swimming, the lack of traditional roads and parking is intended to make the project seem exclusive. “Since the sun is standing in the water that also helps creating a certain distance so you’re never too close to the exterior,” says Berensson. “Thus keeping up appearance of being almost immaterial as a mirage.”

“To compete with the sun and the moon is a tough task, no doubt.”

The concept reflects Miami’s glitz literally and figuratively, but the proposed design would earn a grudging nod from members of the Green Party. The entire exterior surface of the building would be clad in translucent solar panels allowing natural light to stream through the facade, reducing energy use during the day, while harvesting solar power that would completely meet the building’s energy needs by night. Sadly, the chances of visiting The Miami Sun are dim. The design is merely one of many proposals in a competition, neighbors in multi-million-dollar waterfront condos would likely oppose any project that blocked their views, and the building’s scope and technical complexity would make it prohibitively expensive. However, Berensson and Mejergren were undaunted by these challenges. “Sometimes the creative urges are too strong, and if you get an idea that you want to try, it is hard to have the patience to wait for a paying client to pay to investigate the thoughts further.”