Confirmed: Apollo 11 Engine Found by Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos (PHOTO, VIDEO)
It has been confirmed that the Apollo 11 engines have been found. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recovered unidentified space engines from the bottom of the ocean earlier this year, and it has now been officially confirmed that they belonged to Apollo 11.
When the engines were found back in March, Bezos was confident that he had found the engines from Apollo 11, however, he had to have the thrust chambers, gas generators, injectors, turbines, and heat exchangers thoroughly examined to get official confirmation.
It has been reported that the number 2044 was found on the engine part – that turned out to be one of the major clues in determining where the engines had come from.
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Bezos has reported on his website: "We brought back thrust chambers, gas generators, injectors, heat exchangers, turbines, fuel manifolds and dozens of other artifacts – all simply gorgeous and a striking testament to the Apollo program. There was one secret that the ocean didn't give up easily: mission identification.
"The components' fiery end and heavy corrosion from 43 years underwater removed or covered up most of the original serial numbers… Today, I'm thrilled to share some exciting news.
"One of the conservators who was scanning the objects with a black light and a special lens filter has made a breakthrough discovery – "2044″ – stenciled in black paint on the side of one of the massive thrust chambers."
044 is the serial number identified with the F-1 Engine #5 from Apollo 11.
Other serial numbers found on the discovery have also backed up the assertion that the engines belonged to Apollo 11.
Bezos has written: "44 years ago tomorrow Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon, and now we have recovered a critical technological marvel that made it all possible."
