NASA Giving Away Apollo-Era Saturn Rocket to Anyone who can Carry it
Out
Aug 14, 2019 Ian Harvey
Apollo rocket capsule panorama Cape Canaveral Florida USA
Ever wanted your own Saturn 1 rocket? For anyone with the means to
transport it, it can be yours. Live or work in one place for a long
stuff. That's true for the average person's home, but it's equally
true for organizations, even NASA. According to news site cnet.com,
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Alabama has 'excessed' a
Saturn 1 Block 1 Booster, which is part of the Saturn rocket, and the
space organization is looking to find it a good home.
The booster itself is the bottom-most stage of the Saturn 1 rockets.
It's a beefy apparatus designed to power out of the Earth's
atmosphere, and a precursor to the Saturn V that was used for
Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins' historic trip to the moon. The MSFC
was a major player in the development of the Saturn rockets in the
1960s.
The Saturn 1 rocket they're "giving away". Photo credit: NASA
If you find yourself in the market for a rocket, there are two things
you should know about this one. The first is that it's in mint
condition and has never been used. If it had, it would be at the
bottom of the ocean somewhere, and not available for interested
parties.
The second thing you should be aware of is that even though NASA will
're-home' it for free, there is one catch. Whomever takes the rocket
has to pay the whopping $250,000 cost to have it shipped. The cost
for transporting the behemoth certainly puts most individuals out of
the running for getting it, but shouldn't be a problem for many
museums or educational institutions.
Saturn 1B rocket on display at the rocket garden of the Visitor's
Center at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: Dan
Broadbent. His article and science blog can be found here.
NASA does pre-screening for applicants who might be interested in
obtaining this piece of our nation's space history. If you either
have the cash to burn, or are part of an institution that would be
interested in having the rocket, you can start the prescreening
process here.
The agency is still in possession of a lot of equipment from both the
Apollo era and the shuttle program. Some of it can be found in the
rocket garden at the Kennedy Space center, but much of it is still in
various NASA facilities, taking up - pardon the pun - space.
Apollo 11 Launched via Saturn V Rocket.
They have other bits of equipment available for those that are
interested in obtaining items which have a significantly lower cost to
ship, ranging from dehydrated food packets to bits and pieces from the
shuttle program ranging from thermal blankets to strike test plates
and shuttle tiles.
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Currently, they're even offering a turbine blade. You can see photos
of the various items currently available and the cost of having them
shipped if you follow the link for pre-screening. Unlike the hefty
tag for shipping the Saturn 1, any of the smaller items can be shipped
for less than $40, making them much more easily accessible to smaller
schools and libraries.
The main reason for having all of that outdated equipment cluttering
up the corners is a pretty straightforward one: moving it is an
expensive nuisance. If it's in a place where it's not taking up space
needed for something more current, or it hasn't been purchased, it's
simpler, cheaper, and more convenient to just let it stay where it is.
When that becomes a problem, NASA often offers items, such as this
rocket booster, to cultural and educational institutions, which is a
win-win for both of the groups involved.
Related Article: Historian Finds Never Before Seen Footage of Apollo
11 Moon Landing
It's refreshing to find out that even NASA isn't immune to the
tendency to keep holding on to its old stuff, and exciting to know
that when they finally need to clean out the corners in their
facilities, they do it in a way that makes it possible for average
people to touch the mysteries of space.
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