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Designs of the Past, the Needs of Today
Today’s lunchtime collection of news chum brings together three stories about product designs from the past:
- The Saturn V. Sometimes old designs are better, but we lose the ability to make them. Such is the case with the Saturn V, one of the most powerful launch systems made by man. Amy Teitel has a really neat article on the lost art of the Saturn V. The article explores how the rocket was designed, and why decisions made during that process led to our inability to reconstruct it today.
- Voyager. Sometimes old designs just keep plugging away, doing the job they were designed to do like an Energizer bunny. Such is the case with Voyager, which is still doing its space mission with incredibly archaic technology, including 8-track tapes. 1970s computer technology… doing the job today.
- Roller Coaster Seats. Lastly, sometimes old designs don’t keep up with the time. Such is the case with roller coasters, where the problem is the seats. They were designed for smaller visitors and able-bodied visitors. They have become out of date – and dangerous – when faced with our larger (read “obese”) population, and increasing numbers with missing limbs. Theme parks are still trying to figure out how to address this issue.
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