 | Saturn 2SL Minuteman
Credit - © Mark Wade
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Orbital launch vehicle. Year: 1966. Family: Saturn II. Country: USA. Status: Study 1966. North American study, 1966. Saturn variant with 4 to 12 Minuteman motors as boosters, Saturn II stage as core, and Saturn IVB upper stage. Saturn II stage would be fitted with lower expansion ratio engines and would ignite at sea level. Various combinations of numbers of strap-ons, propellant loading of the two core stages were studied.
| Liftoff Mass - kg | MM Motors at
Liftoff | MM Motors 2nd Round | MM
Motors 3rd Round | S-II Propellant - kg | S-IVB Propellant - kg | Payload -
kg |
| 328,300 | - | - | - | 188,200 | 77,100 | 5,500 |
| 463,500 | 2 | 2 | - | 217,700 | 80,300 | 13,200 |
| 579,600 | 4 | 2 | - | 277,600 | 76,600 | 20,100 |
| 579,600 | 4 | 4 | - | 236,700 | 73,000 | 18,100 |
| 722,900 | 6 | 2 | - | 367,800 | 76,600 | 27,200 |
| 722,900 | 6 | 4 | - | 318,400 | 78,000 | 26,800 |
| 734,200 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 294,800 | 81,200 | 23,100 |
| 722,900 | 6 | 6 | - | 273,900 | 78,900 | 25,400 |
| 866,700 | 8 | 4 | - | 410,900 | 80,700 | 28,800 |
| 866,700 | 8 | 4 | - | 410,900 | 75,700 | 33,700 |
| 866,700 | 8 | 4 | - | 410,900 | 75,200 | 34,200 |
Manufacturer: Von Braun. LEO Payload: 34,320 kg (75,660 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 9,061.410 kN (2,037,086 lbf). Total Mass: 770,000 kg (1,690,000 lb). Core Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Total Length: 51.00 m (167.00 ft).
Stage Data - Saturn INT-19 - Stage Number: 0. 12 x Stage: Minuteman-1. Gross Mass: 23,077 kg (50,876 lb). Empty Mass: 2,292 kg (5,052 lb). Thrust (vac): 791.300 kN (177,891 lbf). Isp: 262 sec. Burn time: 60 sec. Isp(sl): 237 sec. Diameter: 1.67 m (5.47 ft). Span: 1.67 m (5.47 ft). Length: 7.49 m (24.57 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: M55/TX-55/Tu-122. Status: In production. First stage of Minuteman I. Proposed as zero stage for various Saturn variants in 1960's. Surplus motors used in ABM SDI tests in 1980's and 1990's.
- Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Saturn II-SL. Gross Mass: 490,952 kg (1,082,363 lb). Empty Mass: 44,240 kg (97,530 lb). Thrust (vac): 5,500.765 kN (1,236,621 lbf). Isp: 390 sec. Burn time: 310 sec. Isp(sl): 275 sec. Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Span: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Length: 24.84 m (81.49 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 5. Engine: J-2-SL. Status: Study 1966. Saturn II modifed with reduced expansion ratio J-2 engines for use a first stage (sea level launch). Requires solid rocket motor augmentation to get off the ground.
- Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Saturn IVB (S-IB). Gross Mass: 118,800 kg (261,900 lb). Empty Mass: 12,900 kg (28,400 lb). Thrust (vac): 1,031.600 kN (231,913 lbf). Isp: 421 sec. Burn time: 475 sec. Isp(sl): 200 sec. Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Span: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Length: 17.80 m (58.30 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 1. Engine: J-2. Saturn IB version of S-IVB stage. Due to lower payload payload, 300 kg saving in structure compared to Saturn V version. Due to deletion of restart requirement, 700 kg saving in propulsion system (primarily reduction in helium for restart).
Bibliography and Further Reading - Lowther, Scott, Saturn: Development, Details, Derivatives and Descendants, Work in progress. Availabe chapters may be ordered directly from Scott Lowther at web site indicated. Accessed at: http://www.webcreations.com/ptm.
- Alexander, George, Aviation Week and Space Technology, "Manned Flight Planning Gap Delays Saturn Development", 1966-08-08, page 60.
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