21 Jun 07 17:31, Ward Dossche wrote to DAVID WILLIAMS:

 WD> David,

 DW>> I still think the effect of pressure, making a very thin-walled can
 DW>> effectively rigid, must enter into the economic calculations. It
 DW>> reminds me of some early space rockets, which would virtually
 DW>> collapse under their own weight, except for the pressure of the fuel
 DW>> in them keeping the metal stretched tight.

 WD> The chief-engineer of the Atlas-project back in the 50-ies, Charlie
 WD> Bossaerts (hey, a Belgian), had the rocket built in such a way it was
 WD> pressurized. Not just the fuel, but the whole construction consisted
 WD> of pressurized cells virtually piled on top of eachother.

 WD> Now an Atlas-rocket is not a small thing ...

What kept it from collapsing, once the fuel was spent? Air? I doubt that
it was built that way on your proposed principle.


                R\%/itt


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