[crubier]

The delta-v from Earth Surface to Low Earth Orbit (beginning of space exploration) is 9km/s.

The delta-v from Earth Surface to Moon is 15km/s.

So basically once you learned to go to space, going to the Moon is "only" 60% harder, even thought the moon is 1000x further away.

[ustolemyname]

I'm going to nit this for several reasons:

1. Walking on the moon implied a return trip which requires an extra ~3km/s.

2. Under the rocket equation the fuel requirements for more delta v grows superlinearly, which then awkwardly makes your rocket bigger, which requires more fuel...

3. 22 years prior a metal can went to space. The scale of a manned moon mission in comparison is absolutely nuts, even basic things like having rocket motors that can be relit is a large technical challenge.

[mhh__]

Addendum to point 3. It's not just a metal can, it's a metal can with some people in it. You have to keep them alive and useful for roughly a week, not just fling them at the moon.

[simonh]

A full up Saturn V with LEM and the works looks a lot more complex and capable than a 60% improvement on a V2.

[HelloNurse]

But the additional complexity is mostly designing a suite of vehicles, not general rocketry advances.

[geocrasher]

Incorrect. Orbital mechanics were not a part of the V2 era programs because they were sub-orbital with relatively simple parabolic trajectories. Getting a capsule back from LEO was not something that had been worked out mathematically until later.

[hoseja]

V2 does NOT go into orbit.

[simonh]

Yet another reason why the comment I'm replying to was incorrect, thanks.

[crubier]

No, it’s actually the opposite. Re read. If you compare an actually LEO capable vehicle and a moon lander of the same payload, you’ll see that the difference is not that big.

Saturn had a massive payload, hence the gap in difficulty.

But my point anyway was that Saturn V is not 1000x larger than a soyouz, despite the moon being 1000x further away. Distance is not what counts in space.

[dmd]

The delta-v from Earth Surface to the bottom of the ocean is 0, so by your logic, going there is trivial.

[OJFord]

Well when did you ever hear of a space agency bothering?

Jokes aside, I hadn't heard the term before and from what I could guess/infer didn't see how it could be a measure between two places: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta-v

[crubier]

It’s a measure of the energy needed to move from one orbit to another.