Nova NASA 4 Solids Credit - © Mark Wade

NASA Nova design using a cluster of 4 x 240 inch solid motors used as first stage; upper stages as Nova 7S and 8L.

Manufacturer: NASA. LEO Payload: 197,300 kg (434,900 lb). to: 160 km Orbit. Payload: 75,300 kg (166,000 lb). to a: translunar trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 88,531.600 kN (19,902,695 lbf). Total Mass: 7,675,760 kg (16,922,150 lb). Core Diameter: 11.60 m (38.00 ft). Total Length: 120.00 m (390.00 ft).

• Stage Number: 1. 4 x Stage: 240 inch solid. Gross Mass: 1,633,000 kg (3,600,000 lb). Empty Mass: 163,000 kg (359,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 24,457.000 kN (5,498,152 lbf). Isp: 263 sec. Burn time: 150 sec. Isp(sl): 238 sec. Diameter: 6.10 m (20.00 ft). Span: 6.10 m (20.00 ft). Length: 34.10 m (111.80 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Status: Study 1960. Notional 240 inch solid motor considered in cluster of 4 as alternative to Nova 8 F-1 stage. Led to 260 inch motor tested in late 1960's.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Nova 60-8-2. Gross Mass: 680,000 kg (1,490,000 lb). Empty Mass: 54,000 kg (119,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 10,669.000 kN (2,398,486 lbf). Isp: 428 sec. Burn time: 242 sec. Isp(sl): 310 sec. Diameter: 11.60 m (38.00 ft). Span: 11.60 m (38.00 ft). Length: 35.10 m (115.10 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 2. Engine: M-1. Status: Study 1960. Mass estimated based on total LV weight. J-2-powered version of this stage also proposed.

• Stage Number: 3. 1 x Stage: Nova 60-8-3. Gross Mass: 227,000 kg (500,000 lb). Empty Mass: 23,000 kg (50,000 lb). Thrust (vac): 892.000 kN (200,529 lbf). Isp: 425 sec. Burn time: 941 sec. Isp(sl): 306 sec. Diameter: 6.70 m (21.90 ft). Span: 6.70 m (21.90 ft). Length: 30.50 m (100.00 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 1. Engine: J-2. Status: Study 1960. Mass estimated based on total LV weight.

1961 May 2 - Launch Vehicle: Saturn C-2, Nova 4S, Nova 8L, Saturn I RIFT.

• Ad Hoc Task Group for a Manned Lunar Landing Study Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. NASA Associate Administrator Robert C. Seamans, Jr., established the Ad Hoc Task Group for a Manned Lunar Landing Study, to be chaired by William A. Fleming of NASA Headquarters. The study was expected to produce the following information:
  • All tasks associated with the mission.
  • Interdependent time-phasing of the tasks.
  • Areas requiring considerable technological advancements from the current state of the art.
  • Tasks for which multiple approach solutions were advisable.
  • Important action and decision points in the mission plan.
  • A refined estimate by task and by fiscal year of the dollar resources required for the mission.
  • Refined estimates of in-house manpower requirements, by task and by fiscal year
  • Tentative in-house and contractor task assignments accompanying the dollar and manpower resource requirements.
  The study began on May 8 and the final report was submitted on June 16. Guidelines served as a starting point for the study:
  • The manned lunar landing target date was 1967.
  • Intermediate missions of multiman orbital satellites and manned circumlunar missions were desirable at the earliest possible time.
  • Man's mission on the moon as it affected the study was to be determined by the Ad Hoc Task Group - i.e., the time to be spent on the lunar surface and the tasks to be performed while there.
  • In establishing the mission plan, the use of the Saturn C-2 launch vehicle was to be evaluated as compared with an alternative launch vehicle having a higher thrust first stage and C-2 upper-stage components.
  • The mission plan was to include parallel development of liquid and solid propulsion leading to a Nova vehicle 400,000 pounds in earth orbit and should indicate when the decision should be made on the final Nova configuration.
  • Nuclear-powered launch vehicles should not be considered for use in the first manned lunar landing mission.
  • The flight test program should be laid out with enough launchings to meet the needs of the program considering the reliability requirements.
  • Alternative approaches should be provided in critical areas - e.g., upper stages and mission modes.

  The engineering sketch drawn by John D. Bird of Langley Research Center on May 3, 1961, indicated the thinking of that period: By launching two Saturn C-2's, the lunar landing mission could be accomplished by using both earth rendezvous and lunar rendezvous at various stages of the mission.References: 16.

• Kennedy Proclaims Moon Landing Objective Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo Lunar Landing. Following Gagarin's flight and Bay of Pigs failure, Kennedy announces the objective of landing an American on the moon by end of the decade. In his second State of the Union Message President Kennedy said: "With the advice of the Vice President, who is Chairman of the National Space Council, we have examined where we (United States) are strong and where we are not, where we may succeed and where we may not. . . . Now is the time to take longer strides-time for a great new American enterprise-time for this Nation to take a clearly leading role in space achievement which in many ways may hold the key to our future on Earth." President Kennedy set forth an accelerated space program based upon the long-range national goals of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth; early development of the Rover nuclear rocket; speed up the use of Earth satellites for worldwide communications; and provide "at the earliest possible time a satellite system for worldwide weather observation." An additional $549 million was requested for NASA over the new administration March budget requests; $62 million was requested for DOD for starting development of a solid-propellant booster of the Nova class.References: 18.

• First decision on Apollo launch vehicles Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Class: Manned. Spacecraft: Apollo Lunar Landing. Meeting with Webb/Dryden, work on Saturn C-2 stopped; preliminary design of C-3 and continuing studies of larger vehicles for landing missions requested. STG push for 4 x 6.6 m diameter solid cluster first stage rejected for safety and ground handling reasons.References: 26, 27.

• Scala, Keith J, and Swanson, Glen E, Quest, "They Might Be Giants Part 1", Fall, 1992. Unique account of the Nova study contracts of the 1960's.