It's not Rocket Science

[Kilroywashere]

I get really, really annoyed by this phrase.
Rocket science is the most simple thing, probably simpler than 99% of the things people compare to it.
Take a rocket, push something out the back, the rocket moves forward. That's all there is to it. It was formally described by Isaac Newton in 1687, so it's not exactly cutting edge...

This was the first thing that came to my mind, too - hilarious! 🤣

I've found a handy guide to rockets The Beginner's Guide to Rockets will introduce you to the basics behind rocket science.

www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/guide-to-rockets/

I think NASA are probably qualified to decide what constitutes 'rocket science'...

Maybe the op would like to take a look at that - remembering it's only a beginner's guide to the basics - and reassess her claim that it's 'simpler than 99% of the things people compare to it. '.

Perhaps, if we can't agree the split/overlap between science and engineering, we could come up with an alternative that covers both.

Rocket craft?

Do you know what the scientific method is? It generally involves rigorous experimentation under highly controlled conditions, using multiple replicates to test hypotheses.
Your husband wasn't doing anything approaching rocket science or engineering with a bottle of petrol on a bonfire, any more than a person who steps on a slug and sees some squishy stuff comes out is doing biology.
Why do you care anyway? Do feel devalued by the fact that some people are scientists and study rockets and are probably pretty clever?

@LadyMonicaBaddingham

Great minds eh ? It makes me laugh every time. 💐

Why do you care anyway? Do feel devalued by the fact that some people are scientists and study rockets and are probably pretty clever?

As a scientist with an engineer offspring, I actually do think it's a bit of a shame 'engineer' isn't properly recognised and valued in the U.K. - it can mean anything from a mechanic through technicians to - well - 'rocket scientists'.

@ErrolTheDragon My DH started university doing pure maths - he thought he was pretty good at maths but all of a sudden maths could run faster than he could . So he switched to Maths and computer science - no idea if that it a step back - I am sure we need computer scientists * I am very sure we need engineers . My sone did history at university - he was very good and went on to convert to law ( as do so many ) But he always says thank goodness we have good engineers - no-one would want to travel over a bridge or under a tunnel I had built ( BTW he was simplifying there he knew he was - but more to say - I am quite in awe of engineers.

But nothing about the phrase 'it's not rocket science' devalues engineers does it?🤔I genuinely don't understand the problem. Has anyone ever said to your offspring that what they do isn't important because 'It's not rocket science'? (If they have then they're being as obtuse as this OP)

Also, all the engineers I know make more than the scientists I know (those in academic research anyway). So I don't think that society doesn't value them!

Also, all the engineers I know make more than the scientists I know (those in academic research anyway). So I don't think that society doesn't value them!

Oh, we undervalue scientists too. We undervalue engineers in particular relative to other countries.

But nothing about the phrase 'it's not rocket science' devalues engineers does it?

No, it merely ignores their existence.

@RedHelenB I once went to the NASA control room where they sent men to the moon ans also (one of my favourite films Apollo 13 ) got them back - I do believe those chaps were very good scientists / mathematicians - they were using slide rules FFs but I did like the bit in the film if anyone has seen it where they had to create an oxygen pipe from a square hole to roud one with only what they had on board. I think I am right in saying that NASA control room had less computing power than a modern day mobile phone.

Well I would say those those chaps were rocket scientists . 😂

LOL @NeedSomeComfy I care because everyone these days seems to conflate rockets and aerospace engineering.
The Oxford English dictionary defines a rocket as
"A cylindrical projectile that can be propelled to a considerable height or distance by the combustion of its contents and the backward ejection of waste gases."
which seems pretty simple to me.

Do feel devalued by the fact that some people are scientists and study rockets and are probably pretty clever?
Nope. I studied Space Physics at Leicester University (though it was a long time ago)

I think, looking at the latest Musk rocket landing, there might have been some calculations involved.

You studied space physics and think rocket science means understanding what a rocket is?

When Rocket Scientists are describing something simple, I wonder what they say? 'It's not exactly Information Technology?' or 'It's not exactly Automobile Mechanics?' Or 'It's not exactly Orthodontistry?'

What?

Wasn't it something like 'find the instructions for a manual for procedure B...ok, now rip off the front cover' ?

Smartphones are many orders of magnitude more capable than the Apollo era computers in both memory and cpu speed. It's a lot harder to do programming with the constraints of a slow machine with small memory and in their case pretty basic OS, of course.

No, they'd need something more difficult than 'rocket science' (with its accepted meaning by everyone except the op). Aerospace geopolitics maybe.

@ErrolTheDragon - ye yes that is exactly it an I think they also needed a sock or something - whether rocket science or not I just loved that bit - because a well as being able to do all the maths / sciency bits they could gather round a table and just solve a problem - any problem & They delivered the procedure in exactly same calm manner as the more technical things - I must watch that film again over Christmas

Also re "No, they'd need something more difficult than 'rocket science' (with its accepted meaning by everyone except the op). Aerospace geopolitics maybe. "
I say this tongue in cheek but as an Eng Lit graduate I would say - "It's not exactly like interpreting a crux in Hamlet is it ? " 😂 Ah - engineering , computer science , pure maths , anything aerospace - too hard for me

Thanks for note re NASA control room. When I looked at it , it just looked like something off a Thunderbirds set. I am astonished at what they did with the technology available to them .

@BasiliskStare

You might find this interesting:

https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/conserving-creativity-saved-apollo-13-astronauts

..” because a well as being able to do all the maths / sciency bits they could gather round a table and just solve a problem - any problem & They delivered the procedure in exactly same calm manner as the more technical things “

As I think the Apollo 13 film hints at having worked out a procedure the “how” to do it then had to be radio’d up to the crew, using a poor quality voice only link, with no ability to send useful images/diagrams…

So a whole basket of skills needed by all those involved, not just creativity and an understanding the science and engineering.

@notimagain Thank you . I did find that interesting . Much appreciated
B x

😆 Of course! Silly me!

As you say, the rocket is a simple principle but I imagine a Saturn V has a lot of complexity when you start to breakdown all the bits that go into making it. Also I think people may be referring to the maths behind the rocket trajectory and telemetry planning. The fact that a rocket doesn't have in-exhaustible fuel supply, it has to take off and land on where the moon will be at the time it gets there. Some Nasa missions have used gravitational orbit to slingshot the mission module back to Earth on in the case of Voyager II onto its next destination. All the while, the fuel payload is diminishing and the behaviour of the mission module is dynamically changing the underlying maths of the trajectory planning.

For me, "rocket science" is the wonder that as a child I saw Neil Armstrong walking on the moon only 66 years after the Wright Brothers gathered on a beach near Kitty Hawk.

It also ignores the existence of brain surgeons, but I wouldn’t let a rocket scientist operate on my head.

You're very quick.

Read this to my friend. Very short pause then eruption of loud laughter. Thought you'd appreciate that!