On the 50th Anniversary of the safe return of the Apollo 11 Astronauts, General Stress Optics (GSO), recalls is foundational role in that mission and solves the mystery of atomic bonds promises super materials.
July 24th,2019 Chicago IL, General Stress Optics (GSO), GSO celebrates its role in conducting foundational studies for the Saturn V liquid oxygen tanks that carried the Apollo astronauts to the moon and back. Cesar Sciammarella performed the key structural analysis of the 3rd stage oxygen fuel tanks for the Saturn V rocket. This analysis was used as the template for all three of the tanks.
Cesar Sciammarella worked on both the theoretical and experimental analysis for all failure modes and resultant forces that the oxygen tanks would experience for each stage of the mission. Understanding of how the tank’s geometry and material properties would interact with the unique conditions of the moon was key in guaranteeing nothing would fail. Eliminating all probability of failure is the mission of the engineer.
Participating as one engineer on this important project for mankind was a dream come true for the young immigrant engineer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Dr. Sciammarella recalls, “Applying the limits of our understanding to the vision Kennedy had set forth required an incredible amount of no-nonsense organization and cooperation between a multitude of teams.” This anniversary is a scion to jolt us to the reality of what we are all capable of when we harness our collective efforts.
In the years after the moon mission Dr. Sciammarella continues to push boundaries scientifically and experimentally. GSO again worked on the US space program performing high-frequency dynamic studies on ceramic turbine blades for the Space Shuttle. Today GSO continues to make pioneering advances in optical metrology.
Dr. Sciammarella says, “In many ways the work I am doing today is the same as for the Apollo 11 project. At that time I was looking at large scale geometries, today I am able to see at an atom by atom scale.”
GSO is investigating the principal nature of why nature breaks and how the geometry of atoms interact with that breaking process. From a theoretical aspect we have a roadmap for making materials that will not fail for all the known environments at the limits of speed and force. So we can make materials and geometries for space and earth that travel at high speeds withstanding extremes of temperature and pressure and will not fail. As prepared as the engineer can be, and as
advanced as the spaceship becomes we will still need those brave human astronauts to steer us safely to tranquility base.
For photos and more information on these foundational space studies performed by GSO please goto www.stressoptics.com/apollo
