Saturn C-5 3 Stage Credit - © Mark Wade Media Gallery

Final configuration of Saturn C-5 at the time of selection of this configuration for the Apollo program in December 1961. The actual Saturn V would be derived from this, but with an increased-diameter third stage (6.61 m vs 5.59 m in C-5) and increased propellant load in S-II second stage.

Manufacturer: Von Braun. LEO Payload: 120,000 kg (260,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Payload: 41,000 kg (90,000 lb). to a: Translunar trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 33,350.000 kN (7,497,370 lbf). Total Mass: 2,847,590 kg (6,277,860 lb). Core Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Total Length: 100.00 m (320.00 ft).

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Saturn IC C-5A. Gross Mass: 2,217,285 kg (4,888,276 lb). Empty Mass: 131,495 kg (289,896 lb). Thrust (vac): 38,257.990 kN (8,600,738 lbf). Isp: 304 sec. Burn time: 160 sec. Isp(sl): 265 sec. Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Span: 19.00 m (62.00 ft). Length: 42.87 m (140.64 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 5. Engine: F-1. Status: Study 1961. Final first stage design of Saturn C-5 (November 1961) before selection as Apollo launch vehicle and development in Saturn V.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Saturn II C-5A. Gross Mass: 384,057 kg (846,700 lb). Empty Mass: 31,740 kg (69,970 lb). Thrust (vac): 4,446.648 kN (999,646 lbf). Isp: 420 sec. Burn time: 320 sec. Isp(sl): 200 sec. Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Span: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Length: 21.39 m (70.17 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 5. Engine: J-2. Status: Study 1961. Final common second stage design for Saturn C-3, C-4 and C-5 (November 1961). Developed into Saturn V second stage.

• Stage Number: 3. 1 x Stage: Saturn IVB C-5A. Gross Mass: 102,249 kg (225,420 lb). Empty Mass: 11,563 kg (25,492 lb). Thrust (vac): 889.325 kN (199,928 lbf). Isp: 420 sec. Burn time: 415 sec. Isp(sl): 200 sec. Diameter: 5.59 m (18.33 ft). Span: 5.59 m (18.33 ft). Length: 19.00 m (62.00 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 1. Engine: J-2. Status: Study 1961. Final common third stage design for Saturn C-4 and C-5 (November 1961). Developed into Saturn V second stage. After development started, decision taken to boost performance by increasing diameter to 6.61 m and increasing propellant load.

1960 May 31 - Launch Vehicle: Saturn IB, Saturn C-5, Saturn V.

• Selection of Rocketdyne for the J-2 rocket engine Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. NASA selected Rocketdyne Division of NAA to develop the J-2, a 200,000-pound-thrust rocket engine, burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. (A decision was later made to use the J-2 in the upper stages of the Saturn C-5.) References: 16.

• Working group on large launch vehicles Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. In a memorandum to D. Brainerd Holmes, Director, Office of Manned Space Flight (OMSF), Milton W. Rosen, Director of Launch Vehicles and Propulsion, OMSF, described the organization of a working group to recommend to the Director a large launch vehicle program which would meet the requirements of manned space flight and which would have broad and continuing national utility for other NASA and DOD programs. The group would include members from the NASA Office of Launch Vehicles and Propulsion (Rosen, Chairman, Richard B. Canright, Eldon W. Hall, Elliott Mitchell, Norman Rafel, Melvyn Savage, and Adelbert O. Tischler); from the Marshall Space Flight Center (William A. Mrazek, Hans H. Maus, and James B. Bramlet); and from the NASA Office of Spacecraft and Flight Missions (John H. Disher). (David M. Hammock of MSC was later added to the group.) The principal background material to be used by the group would consist of reports of the Large Launch Vehicle Planning Group (Golovin Committee), the Fleming Committee, the Lundin Committee, the Heaton Committee, and the Debus-Davis Committee. Some of the subjects the group would be considering were:
  1. an assessment of the problems involved in orbital rendezvous,
  2. an evaluation of intermediate vehicles (Saturn C-3, C-4, and C-5),
  3. an evaluation of Nova-class vehicles,
  4. an assessment of the future course of large solid-fuel rocket motor development,
  5. an evaluation of the utility of the Titan III for NASA missions, and
  6. an evaluation of the realism of the spacecraft development program (schedules, weights, performances).
  Rosen set November 20 as a target date for a recommended program.References: 16.

• Second decision on launch vehicles Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Class: Manned. Golovin Committe studies launch vehicles through summer, but found the issue to be completely entertwined with mode (earth-orbit, lunar-orbit, lunar-surface rendezvous or direct flight. Two factions: large solids for direct flight; all-chemical with 4 or 5 F-1's in first stage for rendezvous options. In the end Webb and McNamara ordered development of C-4 and as a backup, in case of failure of F-1 in development, build of 6.1 m+ solid rocket motors by USAF.References: 26, 27.

• Rosen Group recommends direct ascent for the lunar landing mission mode Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Milton W. Rosen, Director of Launch Vehicles and Propulsion, NASA Office of Manned Space Flight (OMSF), submitted to D. Brainerd Holmes, Director, OMSF, the report of the working group which had been set up on November 6. Additional Details: Rosen Group recommends direct ascent for the lunar landing mission mode(15898). References: 16.

• Saturn C-5 launch vehicle configuration selected Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo Lunar Landing. Rosen Committee studies in November and December indicated that the most flexible choice for Apollo was the Saturn C-4, with two required for the earth orbit rendezvous approach or one for the lunar orbit rendezvous mission, with a smaller landed payload. The panel rejected solid motors again, but Rosen himself still pushed for Nova. An extra F-1 engine was 'slid in' for insurance, resulting in the Saturn C-5 configuration. The Manned Space Flight Management Council decided at its first meeting that the Saturn C-5 launch vehicle would have a first stage configuration of five F-1 engines and a second stage configuration of five J-2 engines. The third stage would be the S-IVB with one J-2 engine. It recommended that the contractor for stage integration of the Saturn C-1 be Chrysler Corporation and that the contractor for stage integration of the Saturn C-5 be The Boeing Company. Contractor work on the Saturn C-5 should proceed immediately to provide a complete design study and a detailed development plan before letting final contracts and assigning large numbers of contractor personnel to Marshall Space Flight Center or Michoud.References: 16.

• Three-man Apollo spacecraft, Saturn C-5 launch vehicle announced Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo Lunar Landing. NASA made public the drawings of the three-man Apollo spacecraft to be used in the lunar landing development program, On January 9, NASA announced its decision that the Saturn C-5 would be the lunar launch vehicle. References: 16.

• Simplified terminology for the Saturn booster series Nation: USA. Program: Apollo. NASA announced a simplified terminology for the Saturn booster series: Saturn C-1 became "Saturn I," Saturn C-1B became "Saturn IB," and Saturn C-5 became "Saturn V." References: 16.

• Bilstein, Roger E, Stages to Saturn, US Government Printing Office, 1980. ISBN: 0160489091. Excellent account of the evolution, design, and development of the Saturn launch vehicles. More at amazon.com...

• 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.

• Hostetter, Dave, "Personal communication", Drawings of final Saturn configuration from archives, Alabama Space and Rocket Center..

• Stuhlinger, Ernst, et. al., Astronautical Engineering and Science: From Peenemuende to Planetary Space, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1964.