| Saturn I |
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Von Braun launch vehicle known as 'Cluster's Last Stand' - 8 Redstone tanks around a Jupiter tank core,powered by eight Jupiter engines. Originally intended as the launch vehicle for Apollo manned circumlunar flights. However it was developed so early, no payloads were available for it. The Saturn launch vehicle was the penultimate expression of the Peenemuende Rocket Team's designs for manned exploration of the moon and Mars. The designs were continuously developed and improved, starting from the World War II A11 and A12 satellite and manned shuttle launcher, through the designs made public in the Collier's Magazine series of the early 1950's, until the shock of the first Sputnik launch brought sudden real interest from the U.S. government. On December 30 1957 Von Braun produced a 'Proposal for a National Integrated Missile and Space Vehicle Development Plan'. This had the first mention of a 1,500,000 lbf booster (Juno V, later Saturn I). By July of the following year Huntsville had in hand the contract from ARPA to proceed with design of the Juno V.  Following transfer of the Peenemuende Rocket Team from the US Army to NASA, a year after the first plan was mooted, Von Braun briefed NASA on plans for booster development at Huntsville with objective of manned lunar landing. It was initally proposed that 15 Juno V (Saturn I) boosters assemble a 200,000 kg payload in earth orbit for direct landing on moon. NASA produced two months later, on February 15, 1959, its plan for development in the next decade of Vega (later cancelled after NASA discovered the USAF was secretly developing the similar Hustler (Agena) upper stage), Centaur, Saturn, and Nova launch vehicles (Juno V renamed Saturn I at this point). Throughout the initial planning, Presidential decision, and landing mode debate for the Apollo lunar landing goal, a variety of Saturn and Nova configurations were considered. Of these, only the C-1 and C-5 were taken through to further development. The political maneuvering that resulted in the Saturn I configuration is described by ABMA commander Medaris in his autobiography: We had gone through the whole process of selecting upper stages and had made our recommendations to ARPA. We had indicated very clearly that we were willing to accept either the Atlas or Titan as the basis for building the second stage. The real difference was that in one case we would be using the Atlas engines and associated equipment, built by North American, while in the other case, we would be using the Titan power plant built by Aerojet. Largely because of the multitude of different projects that had been saddled on the Atlas, we favor the Titan. Convair builds the Atlas, and we had great confidence in Convair's engineering, but this was over shadowed in our mind by the practical difficulties of getting enough Atlas hardware. However, we assured ARPA that we would take either one.In the event, neither the Saturn A-1 or the Titan C went ahead. After several twists and turns, the Saturn I with the 160-inch upper stage was developed, the second production lot even being configured for Dynasoar. However Dynasoar was finally slated to fly on the Titan 3C, a third alternative in the USAF SLV-4 competition of 1961. Dynasoar in turn was cancelled, and the Saturn I was superseded by the Saturn IB for manned earth-orbit Apollo flights. Only the Titan 3C and its descendents would soldier on into the 21st Century, as the heavy-lift mainstay of American expendable boosters. Developments of the Saturn IB launch vehicle were detailed in some depth in the late 1960's. There was a large payload gap between the Saturn IB's 19,000 kg low-earth orbit capacity and the two-stage Saturn V 100,000 kg capability. How to fill it was the result of an exhaustive series of Marshall and contractor trade studies. The configurations shown were the most promising. The best solution was to add two or four UA1205 five segment solid rocket motors already developed for the Titan launch vehicle. This would boost payload to 40,000 kg. Use of seven segment motors developed for Titan 3M would bring the payload up to 48,000 kg but would require stretching the S-1B first stage by 20 feet. A more modest ten foot stretch, with Minuteman first stage motors for thrust augmentation, would bring a modest payload improvement to 23,000 kg. In the end, no further orders for Saturns were placed. Of the 12 Saturn IB's built, only nine were flown, the remaining three becoming NASA museum pieces. If Saturn production had continued, it is likely the Saturn IB would have been discontinued anyway, and Saturn II variants would have been used for any intermediate payload requirements. Manufacturer: Von Braun. Launches: 19. Success Rate: 100.00%. First Launch Date: 1961-10-27. Last Launch Date: 1975-07-15. Launch data is: complete. LEO Payload: 9,000 kg (19,800 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Payload: 2,200 kg (4,800 lb). to a: Translunar trajectory. Associated Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, Highwater, Jupiter nose cone, Pegasus, Apollo A, Horizon Station, Ideal Home Station, Horizon LERV. Liftoff Thrust: 6,690.000 kN (1,503,970 lbf). Total Mass: 509,660 kg (1,123,600 lb). Core Diameter: 6.52 m (21.39 ft). Total Length: 55.00 m (180.00 ft). Development Cost $: 838.100 million. in: 1963 average dollars. Launch Price $: 76.000 million. in: 1967 price dollars.
Super-Jupiter.
The very first design that would lead to Saturn. A 1.5 million pound thrust booster using four E-1 engines - initial consideration of using a single USAF F-1 engine abandoned because of development time. Existing missile tankage was clustered above the engines. The design effort began in April 1957, with variants studied with a single F-1 engine, four E-1 engines, or 8-9 H-1 engines. In at least one variant the second stage was powered by a single E-1 engine, and the third stage by an S-4, a variant of the Rocketdyne LR105. The propellant tankage seems to have consisted of a cluster of Redstone tanks, given the total diameter indicated. The empty masses of the stages seem remarkably optimistic. In the event, ARPA indicated that they did not want the two year delay waiting for E-1 development would entail, and Von Braun's team turned to a cluster of 8 H-1 engines in the first stage and two in the second. This was designated Juno-V and led to the Saturn series. Super-Jupiter withered away by September 1959. LEO Payload: 11,000 kg (24,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 6,758.500 kN (1,519,371 lbf). Total Mass: 572,840 kg (1,262,890 lb). Core Diameter: 9.15 m (30.01 ft). Total Length: 60.00 m (196.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 14.000 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Juno V-A.
By 1958 the Super-Jupiter was called Juno V and the 4 E-1 engines were abandoned in favor of clustering 8 Jupiter IRBM engines below existing Redstone/Jupiter tankage. The A version had a Titan I ICBM as the upper stages. Masses, payload estimated.
LEO Payload: 10,000 kg (22,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 6,690.000 kN (1,503,970 lbf). Total Mass: 549,820 kg (1,212,140 lb). Core Diameter: 6.52 m (21.39 ft). Total Length: 60.00 m (196.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 57.500 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Juno V-B.
A proposed version of the Juno V for lunar and planetary missions used a Titan I ICBM first stage and a Centaur high-energy third stage atop the basic Juno V cluster. Masses, payload estimated.
LEO Payload: 12,500 kg (27,500 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Payload: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb). to a: Translunar trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 6,690.000 kN (1,503,970 lbf). Total Mass: 539,480 kg (1,189,340 lb). Core Diameter: 6.52 m (21.39 ft). Total Length: 60.00 m (196.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 73.800 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn A-1.
Projected first version of Saturn I, to be used if necessary before S-IV liquid hydrogen second stage became available. Titan 1 first stage used as second stage, Centaur third stage. Masses, payload estimated. The life and death of the A-1 version, which would have provided the United States with a heavy-lift launch vehicle earlier than any other alternative, is related by Medaris, commander of the ABMA, in his autobiography: We had gone through the whole process of selecting upper stages and had made our recommendations to ARPA. We had indicated very clearly that we were willing to accept either the Atlas or Titan as the basis for building the second stage. The real difference was that in one case we would be using the Atlas engines and associated equipment, built by North American, while in the other case, we would be using the Titan power plant built by Aerojet. Largely because of the multitude of different projects that had been saddled on the Atlas, we favor the Titan. Convair builds the Atlas, and we had great confidence in Convair's engineering, but this was over shadowed in our mind by the practical difficulties of getting enough Atlas hardware. However, we assured ARPA that we would take either one.In the event, neither the Saturn A-1 or the Titan C went ahead. After several twists and turns, the Saturn I with the 160-inch upper stage was developed, the second production lot even being configured for Dynasoar. However Dynasoar was finally slated to fly on the Titan 3C, a third alternative in the USAF SLV-4 competition of 1961. Dynasoar in turn was cancelled, and the Saturn I was superseded by the Saturn IB for manned earth-orbit Apollo flights. Only the Titan 3C and its descendents would soldier on into the 21st Century, as the heavy-lift mainstay of American expendable boosters. LEO Payload: 6,500 kg (14,300 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 6,690.000 kN (1,503,970 lbf). Total Mass: 532,280 kg (1,173,470 lb). Core Diameter: 6.52 m (21.39 ft). Total Length: 60.00 m (196.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 73.800 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn A-2.
More powerful version of Saturn I with low energy second stage consisting of cluster of four IRBM motors and tankage, Centaur third stage. Masses, payload estimated.
LEO Payload: 10,000 kg (22,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 38.00 degrees. Payload: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb). to a: Translunar trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 7,295.100 kN (1,640,004 lbf). Total Mass: 702,960 kg (1,549,760 lb). Core Diameter: 6.52 m (21.39 ft). Total Length: 62.00 m (203.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 63.800 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn B-1.
Most powerful version of Saturn I considered. New low energy second stage with four H-1 engines, S-IV third stage, Centaur fourth stage. Masses, payload estimated.
LEO Payload: 13,000 kg (28,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Payload: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb). to a: Translunar trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 7,295.100 kN (1,640,004 lbf). Total Mass: 680,420 kg (1,500,060 lb). Core Diameter: 6.52 m (21.39 ft). Total Length: 74.00 m (242.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 107.300 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn C-1.
Original flight version with dummy upper stages, including dummy Saturn S-V/Centaur (never flown).
Launches: 3. First Launch Date: 1961-10-27. Last Launch Date: 1962-11-16. LEO Payload: 9,000 kg (19,800 lb). Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 5,768.000 kN (1,296,697 lbf). Total Mass: 420,000 kg (920,000 lb). Core Diameter: 6.60 m (21.60 ft). Total Length: 49.60 m (162.70 ft).
Saturn I Blk2.
Second Block of Saturn I, with substantially redesigned first stage and large fins to accomodate Dynasoar payload.
Apogee: 200 km (120 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 5,768.000 kN (1,296,697 lbf). Total Mass: 508,000 kg (1,119,000 lb). Core Diameter: 6.53 m (21.42 ft). Total Length: 58.00 m (190.00 ft).
Uprated Saturn I.
Initial version of Saturn IB with old-design Saturn IB first stage.
Launches: 2. First Launch Date: 1966-07-05. Last Launch Date: 1966-08-25. Apogee: 250 km (150 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 7,290.000 kN (1,638,850 lbf). Total Mass: 587,300 kg (1,294,700 lb). Core Diameter: 6.53 m (21.42 ft). Total Length: 68.10 m (223.40 ft).
Saturn IB.
Improved Saturn I, with uprated first stage and Saturn IVB second stage (common with Saturn V) replacing Saturn IV. Used for earth orbit flight tests of Apollo CSM and LM. From Stages to Saturn: In July 1962, when NASA announced its intention to use the lunar orbit rendezvous, the space agency also released details on the two other Saturn vehicles. The three-stage Saturn V was planned for the lunar mission. A corollary decision called for development of an interim vehicle, the Saturn IB, to permit early testing of Apollo-Saturn hardware, such as the manned command and service modules, and the manned lunar excursion module in Earth orbit, as well as the S-IVB stage of the Saturn V. This decision permitted such flight testing a year before the Saturn V would be available. Chrysler's initial contract, completed late in 1962, called for 13 first-stage Saturn IB boosters and 8 Saturn I first-stage boosters. Launches: 7. First Launch Date: 1966-02-26. Last Launch Date: 1975-07-15. LEO Payload: 18,600 kg (41,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Associated Spacecraft: Apollo ASTP Docking Module, Apollo CSM, Apollo LM, Gemini Observatory, Apollo X, Orbital Workshop, Apollo LM Lab, Apollo Rescue CSM, Apollo RM, Apollo Experiments Pallet, MORL. Liftoff Thrust: 7,295.100 kN (1,640,004 lbf). Total Mass: 589,770 kg (1,300,220 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 51.00 m (167.00 ft). Development Cost $: 1,002.200 million. in: 1965 average dollars. Launch Price $: 107.000 million. in: 1967 price dollars. Cost comments: J-2 engine development cost included with Saturn V.
Saturn I RIFT.
In the first half of the 1960's it was planned to make suborbital tests of nuclear propulsion for upper stages using a Saturn IB first stage to boost a Rover-reactor powered second stage on a suborbital trajectory. The second stage would impact the Atlantic Ocean down range from Cape Canaveral.
Liftoff Thrust: 6,690.000 kN (1,503,970 lbf). Total Mass: 625,000 kg (1,377,000 lb). Core Diameter: 6.52 m (21.39 ft). Total Length: 80.00 m (262.00 ft).
Version: Saturn IB-A.
Douglas Studies, 1965: S-IB with 225 k lbf H-1's; S-IVB stretched with 350,000 lbs propellants; Centaur third stage.
LEO Payload: 18,600 kg (41,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 8,006.600 kN (1,799,955 lbf). Total Mass: 605,980 kg (1,335,950 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 62.00 m (203.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 20.300 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn IB-B.
Douglas Studies, 1965: S-IB with 225 k lbf H-1's; S-IVB stretched with 350,000 lbs propellants and HG-3 high performance engine.
LEO Payload: 22,700 kg (50,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 8,006.600 kN (1,799,955 lbf). Total Mass: 652,440 kg (1,438,380 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 57.00 m (187.00 ft).
Saturn IB-C.
Douglas Studies, 1965: 4 Minuteman strap-ons; standard S-IB, S-IVB stages.
LEO Payload: 20,400 kg (44,900 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 9,886.400 kN (2,222,551 lbf). Total Mass: 689,930 kg (1,521,030 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 51.00 m (167.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 43.500 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn IB-CE.
Douglas Studies, 1965: Standard Saturn IB with Centaur upper stage.
LEO Payload: 22,000 kg (48,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Payload: 5,590 kg (12,320 lb). to a: Translunar trajectory. Liftoff Thrust: 7,295.100 kN (1,640,004 lbf). Total Mass: 610,110 kg (1,345,060 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 62.00 m (203.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 63.800 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn IB-D.
Douglas Studies, 1965: Standard Saturn IB with Titan UA1205 5-segment strap-on motors.
LEO Payload: 33,000 kg (72,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 28,468.600 kN (6,399,996 lbf). Total Mass: 1,511,980 kg (3,333,340 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 51.00 m (167.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 115.420 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn INT-05.
NASA Study, 1965: Half length 260 inch solid motor with S-IVB upper stage.
LEO Payload: 27,200 kg (59,900 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 16,013.600 kN (3,600,000 lbf). Total Mass: 982,790 kg (2,166,680 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 43.00 m (141.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 58.000 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn INT-05A.
UA Study, 1965: Full length 260 inch solid motor with S-IVB upper stage.
LEO Payload: 43,034 kg (94,873 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 32,027.100 kN (7,199,979 lbf). Total Mass: 1,818,800 kg (4,009,700 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 58.00 m (190.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 111.650 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn INT-11.
Chrysler Studies, 1966: S-IB with 4 Titan UA1205 with standard S-IB stage, S-IVB stage, or 4 Titan UA1207 strap-ons with 20-foot stretche S-IB stage, S-IVB stage. S-IB ignition at altitude.
LEO Payload: 48,000 kg (105,000 lb). to: 169 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 25,642.100 kN (5,764,573 lbf). Total Mass: 1,959,670 kg (4,320,330 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 58.00 m (190.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 97.440 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn INT-12. Status: Study 1966. Chrysler Studies, 1966: S-IB with only 4 H-1 motors, with 4 Titan UA1205 with standard length S-IB stage, S-IVB stage, or 4 Titan UA1207 strap-ons with 20-foot stretche S-IB stage, S-IVB stage. S-IB ignition at sea level at same time as strap-ons.
LEO Payload: 34,000 kg (74,000 lb). to: 169 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 24,820.900 kN (5,579,960 lbf). Total Mass: 1,509,230 kg (3,327,280 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 51.00 m (167.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 71.920 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn INT-13. Status: Study 1966. Chrysler Studies, 1966: S-IB with 2 Titan UA1205 with standard length S-IB stage, S-IVB stage, or 2 Titan UA1207 strap-ons with 20-foot stretche S-IB stage, S-IVB stage. S-IB ignition at sea level at same time as strap-ons.
LEO Payload: 36,590 kg (80,660 lb). to: 169 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 20,116.100 kN (4,522,279 lbf). Total Mass: 1,307,320 kg (2,882,140 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 58.00 m (190.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 48.720 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn INT-14.
Chrysler Studies, 1966: S-IB with 4 Minuteman motors as strap-ons, with no, 10, or 20-foot stretch S-IB stages, S-IVB stage. S-IB ignition at sea level at same time as strap-ons.
LEO Payload: 23,180 kg (51,100 lb). to: 169 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 9,886.400 kN (2,222,551 lbf). Total Mass: 750,570 kg (1,654,720 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 58.00 m (190.00 ft).
Saturn INT-15.
Chrysler Studies, 1966: S-IB with 8 Minuteman motors as strap-ons, with no, 10, or 20-foot stretch S-IB stages, S-IVB stage. S-IB ignition at sea level at same time as strap-ons.
LEO Payload: 26,000 kg (57,000 lb). to: 169 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 12,477.800 kN (2,805,121 lbf). Total Mass: 824,100 kg (1,816,800 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 54.00 m (177.00 ft).
Saturn INT-16.
UA Studies, 1966: S-IVB upper stage with from 2 to 5 Titan UA1205, 1206, or 1207 motors as first stage, clustered around from 1 to 3 of the same motors as a second stage. S-IVB upper stage.
LEO Payload: 28,000 kg (61,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 26,466.900 kN (5,949,996 lbf). Total Mass: 1,283,570 kg (2,829,780 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 52.00 m (170.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 89.900 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.
Saturn LCB-Alumizine-140. Status: Study 1967. Boeing Low-Cost Saturn Derivative Study, 1967 (trade study of 260 inch first stages for S-IVB, all delivering 86,000 lb pyld to LEO): Low Cost Booster, Single Pressure-fed N2O4/Alumizine Propellant engine, HY-140 Steel Hull.
LEO Payload: 39,000 kg (85,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 20,951.500 kN (4,710,085 lbf). Total Mass: 1,707,800 kg (3,765,000 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 65.00 m (213.00 ft).
Saturn LCB-Alumizine-250. Status: Study 1967. Boeing Low-Cost Saturn Derivative Study, 1967 (trade study of 260 inch first stages for S-IVB, all delivering 86,000 lb pyld to LEO): Low Cost Booster, Single Pressure-fed N2O4/Alumizine Propellant engine, Ni-250 Steel Hull.
LEO Payload: 39,000 kg (85,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 17,525.800 kN (3,939,957 lbf). Total Mass: 1,435,700 kg (3,165,100 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 59.00 m (193.00 ft).
Saturn LCB-Lox/RP-1. Status: Study 1967. Boeing Low-Cost Saturn Derivative Study, 1967 (trade study of 260 inch first stages for S-IVB, all delivering 86,000 lb pyld to LEO): Low Cost Booster, Single Pressure-fed Lox/RFP-1 engine.
LEO Payload: 39,000 kg (85,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 18,682.100 kN (4,199,903 lbf). Total Mass: 1,526,400 kg (3,365,100 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 80.00 m (262.00 ft).
Saturn LCB-SR. Status: Study 1967. Boeing Low-Cost Saturn Derivative Study, 1967 (trade study of 260 inch first stages for S-IVB, all delivering 86,000 lb pyld to LEO): Low Cost Booster, 260 inch solid motor, full length.
LEO Payload: 39,000 kg (85,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 24,465.100 kN (5,499,973 lbf). Total Mass: 1,843,900 kg (4,065,100 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 67.00 m (219.00 ft).
Saturn LCB-Storable-140. Status: Study 1967. Boeing Low-Cost Saturn Derivative Study, 1967 (trade study of 260 inch first stages for S-IVB, all delivering 86,000 lb pyld to LEO): Low Cost Booster, Single Pressure-fed N2O4/UDMH Propellant engine, HY-140 Steel Hull.
LEO Payload: 39,000 kg (85,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 26,200.300 kN (5,890,062 lbf). Total Mass: 2,161,400 kg (4,765,000 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 90.00 m (295.00 ft).
Saturn LCB-Storable-250. Status: Study 1967. Boeing Low-Cost Saturn Derivative Study, 1967 (trade study of 260 inch first stages for S-IVB, all delivering 86,000 lb pyld to LEO): Low Cost Booster, Single Pressure-fed N2O4/UDMH Propellant engine, Ni-250 Steel Hull.
LEO Payload: 39,000 kg (85,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 19,483.000 kN (4,379,952 lbf). Total Mass: 1,617,100 kg (3,565,000 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 70.00 m (229.00 ft).
Saturn S-IC-TLB. Status: Study 1967. Boeing Low-Cost Saturn Derivative Study, 1967 (trade study of 260 inch first stages for S-IVB, all delivering 86,000 lb pyld to LEO): S-IC Technology Liquid Booster: 260 inch liquid booster with 2 x F-1 engines, recoverable/reusable
LEO Payload: 39,000 kg (85,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 13,540.000 kN (3,043,910 lbf). Total Mass: 1,118,100 kg (2,464,900 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 65.00 m (213.00 ft).
Saturn I Chronology 1954 October 18 - Nuclear rocket engine proposed. At the suggestion of Theodore von Kármán and following a request of Gen. H. B. Thatcher, an Ad Hoc Committee of the Scientific Advisory Board met in the Pentagon to consider the application of nuclear energy to missile propulsion. In its report, the Committee "noted that there was an almost complete hiatus in the study of the nuclear rocket from 1947 following a report by North American Aviation, until a 1953 report by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Because the technical problems appear so severe, and because another 6 years of no progress in this area would seem to be unfortunate," the Committee felt that a continuing study both analytical and experimental, at a modest level of effort, should be carried on. 1955 June 1 - NERVA project begins. NACA Lewis Laboratory presented ARDC with results of air-breathing nuclear propulsion systems for manned applications, leading to AEC-AF Pluto project, and also initiated comparison of nuclear rocket with chemical systems for ICBM, a concept of use to Rover program. 1955 November 2 - NERVA go-ahead. The Atomic Energy Commission approved, on the basis of a statement of interest by the Department of Defense, the proposed plans of the Los Alamos Scientific and the Radiation Laboratories of the University of California, for the study and development of nuclear power for rocket propulsion. 1957 March 18 - NERVA research cut back. As a result of guidance from the Secretary of Defense as to desired level of effort, the Atomic Energy Commission reduced its program on nuclear rocket propulsion to a single laboratory effort, phasing out work at the University of California Radiation Laboratory and concentrating AEC development efforts at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. 1957 April - Studies of a large clustered-engine booster The U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., began studies of a large clustered-engine booster to generate 1.5 million pounds of thrust, as one of a related group of space vehicles. During 1957-1958, approximately 50,000 man-hours were expended in this effort. 1957 June 1 - NERVA advanced concepts studied. Research on tungsten nuclear rocket propulsion systems initiated by NACA Lewis Laboratory, and other feasible systems for practical nuclear rocket systems, such as 1958 concept of coaxial jet gaseous reactor, followed. 1957 December 10 - National Integrated Missile and Space Vehicle Development Program The Army Ballistic Missile Agency completed and forwarded to higher authority the first edition of A National Integrated Missile and Space Vehicle Development Program, which had been in preparation since April 1957. Included was a "short-cut development program" for large payload capabilities, covering the clustered-engine booster of 1.5 million pounds of thrust to be operational in 1963. The total development cost of $850 million during the years 1958-1963 covered 30 research and development flights, some carrying manned and unmanned space payloads. One of six conclusions given in the document was that "Development of the large (1520 K-pounds thrust) booster is considered the key to space exploration and warfare." Later vehicles with greater thrust were also described. 1957 December 30 - Saturn I first proposed. Von Braun produces 'Proposal for a National Integrated Missile and Space Vehicle Development Plan'. First mention of 1,500,000 lbf booster (Saturn I) 1958 - Juno V heavy space launch design The Von Braun team's Super-Jupiter evolved into the Juno V. The 4 E-1 engines were abandoned in favor of clustering 8 Jupiter IRBM engines below existing Redstone/Jupiter tankage. 1958 July 29 - Saturn I initial contract. ARPA gives Von Braun team contract to develop Saturn I (called 'cluster's last stand' due to design concept). 1958 August 15 - Saturn I project initiated by ARPA. The Advanced Research Projects Agency ARPA provided the Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) with authority and initial funding to develop the Juno V (later named Saturn launch vehicle. ARPA Order 14 described the project: "Initiate a development program to provide a large space vehicle booster of approximately 1.5 million pounds of thrust based on a cluster of available rocket engines. The immediate goal of this program is to demonstrate a full-scale captive dynamic firing by the end of calendar year 1959." Within AOMC, the Juno V project was assigned to the Army Ballistic Missile Agency at Redstone Arsenal Huntsville, Ala. 1958 September 1 - Redstone Arsenal begins Saturn I design studies. Saturn design studies authorized to proceed at Redstone Arsenal for development of 1.5-million-pound-thrust cluster first stage. 1958 September 11 - Letter contract for the development of the Saturn H-1 rocket engine A letter contract was signed by NASA with NAA's Rocketdyne Division for the development of the H-1 rocket engine, designed for use in a clustered-engine booster. 1958 September 23 - Juno V project objective changed to multistage carrier vehicle Following a Memorandum of Agreement between Maj. Gen. John B. Medaris of Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) and Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) Director Roy W. Johnson on this date and a meeting on November 4, ARPA and AOMC representatives agreed to extend the Juno V project. The objective of ARPA Order 14 was changed from booster feasibility demonstration to "the development of a reliable high performance booster to serve as the first stage of a multistage carrier vehicle capable of performing advanced missions." 1958 October 11 - Contract for development of the H-1 engine Pioneer I, intended as a lunar probe, was launched by a Thor-Able rocket from the Atlantic Missile Range, with the Air Force acting as executive agent to NASA. The 39-pound instrumented payload did not reach escape velocity. 1958 December 15 - ABMA Briefing to NASA Von Braun briefs NASA on plans for booster development at Huntsville with objective of manned lunar landing. Initally proposed using 15 Juno V (Saturn I) boosters to assemble 200,000 kg payload in earth orbit for direct landing on moon. 1958 December 17 - Military and NASA consider future launch vehicles Representatives of Advanced Research Projects Agency, the military services, and NASA met to consider the development of future launch vehicle systems. Agreement was reached on the principle of developing a small number of versatile launch vehicle systems of different thrust capabilities, the reliability of which could be expected to be improved through use by both the military services and NASA. 1958 December 17 - Saturn H-1 engine first full-power firing The H-1 engine successfully completed its first full-power firing at NAA's Rocketdyne facility in Canoga Park, Calif. 1959 January 6 - NASA Large Booster Review Committee The Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC), the Air Force, and missile contractors presented to the ARPA-NASA Large Booster Review Committee their views on the quickest and surest way for the United States to attain large booster capability. The Committee decided that the Juno V approach advocated by AOMC was best and NASA started plans to utilize the Juno V booster. 1959 January 27 - NASA National Space Vehicle Program After consultation and discussion with DOD, NASA formulated a national space vehicle program. The central idea of the program was that a single launch vehicle should be developed for use in each series of future space missions. The launch vehicle would thus achieve a high degree of reliability, while the guidance and payload could be varied according to purpose of the mission. Four general-purpose launch vehicles were described: Vega, Centaur, Saturn, and Nova. The Nova booster stage would be powered by a cluster of four F-1 engines, the second stage by a single F-1, and the third stage would be the size of an intercontinental ballistic missile but would use liquid hydrogen as a fuel. This launch vehicle would be the first in a series that could transport a man to the lunar surface and return him safely to earth in a direct ascent mission. Four additional stages would be required in such a mission. 1959 February 2 - Booster name changed from Juno V to Saturn The Army proposed that the name of the large clustered-engine booster be changed from Juno V to Saturn, since Saturn was the next planet after Jupiter. Roy W. Johnson, Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency, approved the name on February 3. 1959 February 4 - Early agreement required on Saturn upper stages Maj. Gen. John B. Medaris of the Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) and Roy W. Johnson of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) discussed the urgency of early agreement between ARPA and NASA on the configuration of the Saturn upper stages. Several discussions between ARPA and NASA had been held on this subject. Johnson expected to reach agreement with NASA the following week. He agreed that AOMC would participate in the overall upper stage planning to ensure compatibility of the booster and upper stages. 1959 February 15 - NASA Booster Development Plan for 60's NASA issues plan for development in next decade of Vega (later cancelled as too similar to Agena), Centaur, Saturn, and Nova launch vehicles. Juno V renamed Saturn I. 1959 April 15 - Use of Titan for Saturn upper stages In response to a request by the DOD-NASA) Saturn Ad Hoc Committee, the Army Ordnance Missile Command (AOMC) sent a supplement to the "Saturn System Study" to the Advanced Research Projects Agency ARPA describing the use of Titan for Saturn upper stages. Additional Details: Use of Titan for Saturn upper stages. 1959 May 1 - Unmanned Lunar Soft Landing Vehicle Spacecraft: Surveyor. The Army Ordnance Missile Command submitted to NASA a report entitled "Preliminary Study of an Unmanned Lunar Soft Landing Vehicle," recommending the use of the Saturn booster. 1959 May 3 - First H-1 engine for the Saturn delivered The first Rocketdyne H-1 engine for the Saturn arrived at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA ). The H-1 engine was installed in the ABMA test stand on May 7, first test-fired on May 21, and fired for 80 seconds on May 29. The first long-duration firing - 151.03 seconds - was on June 2. 1959 May 26 - First H-1 engine for Saturn I fired. ABMA static fired a single H-1 Saturn engine at Redstone Arsenal, Ala. 1959 June 3 - Construction begins of the first Saturn launch complex Construction of the first Saturn launch area, Complex 34, began at Cape Canaveral, FIa. 1959 June 5 - Cape Canaveral -. Saturn I launch complex construction starts. 1959 June 18 - NASA funded study of a lunar exploration program based on Saturn NASA authorized $150,000 for Army Ordnance Missile Command studies of a lunar exploration program based on Saturn-boosted systems. To be included were circumlunar vehicles, unmanned and manned; close lunar orbiters; hard lunar impacts; and soft lunar landings with stationary or roving payloads. 1959 July 1 - Kiwi-A first experimental nuclear rocket tested. The first experimental reactor (Kiwi-A) in the nuclear space rocket program operated successfully at full temperature and duration at Jackass Flats, Nev. 1959 October 21 - Transfer to NASA of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency's Development Operations Division After a meeting with officials concerned with the missile and space program, President Dwight D. Eisenhower announced that he intended to transfer to NASA control the Army Ballistic Missile Agency's Development Operations Division personnel and facilities. The transfer, subject to congressional approval, would include the Saturn development program. 1959 November 2 - Transfer of Saturn I project to NASA announced. President Eisenhower announced his intention of transferring the Saturn project to NASA, which became effective on March 15, 1960. 1959 December 6 - Plan for transferring the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and Saturn to NASA The initial plan for transferring the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and Saturn to NASA was drafted. It was submitted to President Dwight D. Eisenhower on December 1 1 and was signed by Secretary of the Army Wilber M. Brucker and Secretary of the Air Force James H. Douglas on December 16 and by NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan on December 17. 1959 December 7 - Engineering and cost study for a new Saturn configuration The Advanced Research Projects Agency ARPA and NASA requested the Army Ordnance Missile Command AOMC to prepare an engineering and cost study for a new Saturn configuration with a second stage of four 20,000-pound-thrust liquid-hydrogen and liquid-oxygen engines (later called the S-IV stage) and a modified Centaur third stage using two of these engines later designated the S-V stage). Additional Details: Engineering and cost study for a new Saturn configuration. 1959 December 15 - Saturn upper stage study. NASA team completed study design of upper stages of Saturn launch vehicle. 1959 December 19 - NERVA development roles AEC/NASA. The Chairman, AEC, in a letter to the Administrator of NASA, proposed a flight test objective be established for the nuclear rocket program and proposed a technical program and division of agency responsibilities to achieve those objectives. 1960 February 29 - Eleven companies submitted contract proposals for the Saturn second stage Eleven companies submitted contract proposals for the Saturn second stage (S-IV): Bell Aircraft Corporation; The Boeing Airplane Company; Chrysler Corporation; General Dynamics Corporation, Convair Astronautics Division; Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc.; Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation; Lockheed Aircraft Corporation; The Martin Company; McDonnell Aircraft Corporation; North American Aviation, Inc.; and United Aircraft Corporation. 1960 March 15 - Saturn I transferred to NASA. The Army Ballistic Missile Agency's Development Operations Division and the Saturn program were transferred to NASA after the expiration of the 60-day limit for congressional action on the President's proposal of January 14. (The President's decision had been made on October 21, 1959.) By Executive Order, the President named the facilities the "George C. Marshall Space Flight Center." Formal transfer took place on July 1. 1960 March 28 - Two H-1's fired together. Two of Saturn's first-stage engines passed initial static firing test of 7.83 seconds duration at Huntsville, Ala. 1960 April 1-May 3 - Guidelines for an advanced manned spacecraft program presented by STG Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Members of STG presented guidelines for an advanced manned spacecraft program to NASA Centers to enlist research assistance in formulating spacecraft and mission design. To open these discussions, Director Robert R. Gilruth summarized the guidelines: manned lunar reconnaissance with a lunar mission module, corollary earth orbital missions with a lunar mission module and with a space laboratory, compatibility with the Saturn C-1 or C-2 boosters (weight not to exceed 15,000 pounds for a complete lunar spacecraft and 25,000 pounds for an earth orbiting spacecraft), 14-day flight time, safe recovery from aborts, ground and water landing and avoidance of local hazards, point (ten square-mile) landing, 72-hour postlanding survival period, auxiliary propulsion for maneuvering in space, a "shirtsleeve" environment, a three-man crew, radiation protection, primary command of mission on board, and expanded communications and tracking facilities. In addition, a tentative time schedule was included, projecting multiman earth orbit qualification flights beginning near the end of the first quarter of calendar year 1966. 1960 April 1-May 3 - Guidelines for the advanced manned spacecraft program STG's Robert O. Piland, during briefings at NASA Centers, presented a detailed description of the guidelines for missions, propulsion, and flight time in the advanced manned spacecraft program:
1960 April 6 - Four H-1's fired together. Four of the eight H-1 engines of the Saturn C-1 first-stage booster were successfully static-fired at Redstone Arsenal for seven seconds. 1960 April 26 - Douglas to build the second stage (S-IV) of the Saturn C-1 NASA announced the selection of the Douglas Aircraft Company to build the second stage (S-IV) of the Saturn C-1 launch vehicle. 1960 April 29 - All eight H-1 engines of the Saturn C-1 first stage ground-tested simultaneously At Redstone Arsenal, all eight H-1 engines of the first stage of the Saturn C-1 launch vehicle were static-fired simultaneously for the first time and achieved 1.3 million pounds of thrust. 1960 May 26 - First public demonstration of the H-1 engine Eight H-1 engines of the first stage of the Saturn C-1 launch vehicle were static-fired for 35.16 seconds, producing 1.3 million pounds of thrust. This first public demonstration of the H-1 took place at Marshall Space Flight Center. 1960 May 26 - Assembly of the first Saturn flight booster began Assembly of the first Saturn flight booster, SA-1, began at Marshall Space Flight Center. 1960 May 31 - Selection of Rocketdyne for the J-2 rocket engine 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.) 1960 June 8 - Full Saturn I engine cluster full duration test. Complete eight-engine static firing of Saturn successfully conducted for 110 seconds at MSFC, the longest firing to date. 1960 June 15 - Saturn C-1 first stage completed test series The Saturn C-1 first stage successfully completed its first series of static tests at the Marshall Space Flight Center with a 122-second firing of all eight H-1 engines. 1960 July 5 - House recommends a high priority manned expedition to the moon The House Committee on Science and Astronautics declared: "A high priority program should be undertaken to place a manned expedition on the moon in this decade. A firm plan with this goal in view should be drawn up and submitted to the Congress by NASA. Such a plan, however, should be completely integrated with other goals, to minimize total costs. The modular concept deserves close study. Particular attention should be paid immediately to long lead-time phases of such a program." The Committee also recommended that development of the F-1 engine be expedited in expectation of the Nova launch vehicle, that there be more research on nuclear engines and less conventional engines before freezing the Nova concept, and that the Orion project be turned over to NASA. It was the view of the Committee that "NASA's 10-year program is a good program, as far as it goes, but it does not go far enough. Furthermore the space program is not being pushed with sufficient energy." 1960 July 8 - Kiwi-A Prime tested at full power. Second experimental reactor (Kiwi-A Prime) in the Project Rover nuclear rocket program was successfully tested at full power and duration at Jackass Flats, Nev. 1960 July 14-15 - Space Exploration Program Council The third meeting of the Space Exploration Program Council was held at NASA Headquarters. The question of a speedup of Saturn C-2 production and the possibility of using nuclear upper stages with the Saturn booster were discussed. The Office of Launch Vehicle Programs would plan a study on the merits of using nuclear propulsion for some of NASA's more sophisticated missions. If the study substantiated such a need, the amount of in-house basic research could then be determined. 1960 September 29 - RAND Corporation to evaluate nuclear propulsion missions In a memorandum to NASA Associate Administrator Robert C. Seamans, Jr., Robert L. King, Executive Secretary, described the action taken on certain items discussed at the July 14-15 meeting of the Space Exploration Program Council. Among these actions was the awarding of a contract to The RAND Corporation to evaluate missions for which nuclear propulsion would be desirable. Included in the study would be the determination of availability dates, cost of development, operational costs, the safety aspects of the missions, and an evaluation of research requirements. 1960 September 30 - Space Exploration Program Council The fourth meeting of the Space Exploration Program Council was held at NASA Headquarters. The results of a study on Saturn development and utilization was presented by the Ad Hoc Saturn Study Committee. Objectives of the study were to determine (1) if and when the Saturn C-2 launch vehicle should be developed and (2) if mission and spacecraft planning was consistent with the Saturn vehicle development schedule. No change in the NASA Fiscal Year 1962 budget was contemplated. The Committee recommended that the Saturn C-2 development should proceed on schedule (S-II stage contract in Fiscal Year 1962, first flight in 1965). The C-2 would be essential, the study reported, for Apollo manned circumlunar missions, lunar unmanned exploration, Mars and Venus orbiters and capsule landers, probes to other planets and out-of- ecliptic, and for orbital starting of nuclear upper stages. Additional Details: Space Exploration Program Council. 1960 October 7 - NERVA test facilities bidder's conference. AEC briefing held at the Nevada Test Site at Jackass Flats, Nev., for representatives of 26 companies for proposals to study the requirements for a National Nuclear Rocket Engine Development Facility. Existing test facilities are fully committed to the development of nuclear reactors. 1960 October 19 - Project Rover request for bids. Kiwi-A No. 3 static test of nuclear rocket propulsion was successfully conducted at AEC Nevada test site, resulting in NASA-AEC call for bids for industrial development phase of Project Rover on November 1, 1960. 1960 December 2 - Saturn I static firing. First of new series of static firings of Saturn considered only 50 percent successful in 2-second test at MSFC. 1960 December 13 - Cape Canaveral -. Saturn transport barge commissioned. Palaemon, a 180-foot barge built to transport the Saturn launch vehicle from MSFC to Cape Canaveral by water, was formally accepted by MSFC Director from Maj. Gen. Frank S. Besson, Chief of Army Transportation. 1961 January 26 - Saturn C-1 changed to a two-stage configuration Wernher von Braun, Director of Marshall Space Flight Center, proposed that the Saturn C-1 launch vehicle be changed from a three-stage to a two-stage configuration to meet Apollo program schedules. The planned third stage (S-V) would be dropped. 1961 January - Saturn first stage recovery system study Marshall Space Flight Center awarded contracts to NAA and Ryan Aeronautical Corporation to investigate the feasibility of recovering the first stage (S-I) of the Saturn launch vehicle by using a Rogallo wing paraglider. 1961 February 2 - NERVA Request for Proposal. NASA-AEC Space Nuclear Propulsion Office invited industry to submit proposals for participation in development of Nerva (nuclear engine for rocket vehicle application), a part of Project Rover initiated in 1955 by USAF-AEC. 1961 March 1 - Current Saturn launch vehicle configurations announced The current Saturn launch vehicle configurations were announced:
1961 March 7 - First flight Saturn I on test stand. First flight model of Saturn booster (SA-1) installed on static test stand for preflight checkout, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville. 1961 March 23 - Configuration changes for the Saturn C-1 launch vehicles Representatives of Marshall Space Flight Center recommended configuration changes for the Saturn C-1 launch vehicles to NASA Headquarters. These included:
1961 March 30 - RIFT flight briefed to contractors. Reactor-in-flight-test system (Rift) study, a part of the NASA-AEC program on nuclear rockets, was briefed by contractors at NASA headquarters. 1961 April 28 - Dynasoar launch by Saturn I studied. Spacecraft: Dynasoar. Final NASA report on the study proposed for Saturn for use as Dyna-Soar booster was presented to the Air Force. 1961 April 29 - Saturn I fight qualification. The first successful flight qualification test of the Saturn SA-1 booster took place in an eight-engine test lasting 30 seconds. 1961 April - Air transport of the Saturn C-1 second stage feasible The Douglas Aircraft Company reported that air transport of the Saturn C-1 second stage (S-IV) was feasible. 1961 May 2 - Ad Hoc Task Group for a Manned Lunar Landing Study 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:
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. 1961 May 8 - S-IV satisfactory for Apollo missions After study and discussion by STG and Marshal! Space Flight Center officials, STG concluded that the current 154-inch diameter of the second stage (S-IV) adapter for the Apollo spacecraft would be satisfactory for the Apollo missions on Saturn flights SA-7, SA-8, SA-9, and SA-10. 1961 May 25 - Kennedy Proclaims Moon Landing Objective 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. 1961 June 1 - Change in the Saturn C-1 configuration NASA announced a change in the Saturn C-1 vehicle configuration. The first ten research and development flights would have two stages, instead of three, because of the changed second stage (S-IV) and, starting with the seventh flight vehicle, increased propellant capacity in the first stage (S-1) booster. 1961 June 2 - Cape Canaveral -. Saturn I transport route interdicted. Collapse of a lock in the Wheeler Dam below Huntsville on the Tennessee River interdicted the planned water route of the first Saturn space booster from Marshall Space Flight Center to Cape Canaveral on the barge Palaemon. 1961 June 5 - Cape Canaveral LC34. Saturn I launch complex completed. Huge Saturn launch complex at Cape Canaveral dedicated in brief ceremony by NASA, construction of which was supervised by the Army Corps of Engineers. Giant gantry, weighing 2,800 tons and being 310 feet high, is largest movable land structure in North America. 1961 June 23 - NASA / DOD agree to define support requirements NASA Associate Administrator Robert C. Seamans, Jr., requested Kurt H. Debus, Director of the NASA Launch Operations Directorate, and Maj. Gen. Leighton I. Davis, Commander of the Air Force Missile Test Center, to make a joint analysis of all major factors regarding the launch requirements, methods, and procedures needed in support of an early manned lunar landing. The schedules and early requirements were to be considered in two phases:
1961 June 23 - Saturn C-1 to be operational in 1964 NASA announced that the Saturn C-1 launch vehicle, which could place ten-ton payloads in earth orbit, would be operational in 1964. 1961 June 26 - Cape Canaveral -. Saturn I barge replacement. A Navy YFNB barge was obtained by NASA to serve as a replacement for the Palaemon in transporting of the Saturn booster to Cape Canaveral. 1961 July 24 - Changes in Saturn launch vehicle configurations Changes in Saturn launch vehicle configurations were announced :
1961 July 28 - NASA invitation to bids for Apollo prime contract Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. NASA invited 12 companies to submit prime contractor proposals for the Apollo spacecraft by October 9: The Boeing Airplane Company, Chance Vought Corporation, Douglas Aircraft Company, General Dynamics/Convair, the General Electric Company, Goodyear Aircraft Corporation, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, The Martin Company, North American Aviation, Inc., and Republic Aviation Corporation. Additional Details: NASA invitation to bids for Apollo prime contract. 1961 August 5 - First Saturn I leaves factory. First Saturn (SA-1) booster began water trip to Cape Canaveral on Navy barge Compromise after overland detour around Wheeler Dam. 1961 August 14 - Cape Canaveral -. First Saturn I arrives at Cape Canaveral. Navy barge Compromise, carrying first Saturn booster, stuck in the mud in the Indian River just south of Cape Canaveral. Released several hours later, the Saturn was delayed only 24 hours in its 2,200-mile journey from Huntsville. 1961 August 28 - NERVA facilities contract. NASA selected Vitro Engineering Co. for negotiation of a design contract for an engine maintenance and disassembly building, one of the facilities to be a part of the National Nuclear Rocket Development Center. 1961 October 20 - STG discussed development of automatic checkout system for the entire NASA launch vehicle program The MSFC-STG Advanced Program Coordination Board met at STG and discussed the question of the development of an automatic checkout system which would include the entire launch vehicle program from the Saturn C-1 through the Nova. It agreed that the Apollo contractor should be instructed to make the spacecraft electrical subsystems compatible with the Saturn complex. In further discussion, Paul J. DeFries of Marshall Space Flight Center MSFC presented a list of proposed guidelines for use in studying early manned lunar landing missions:
1961 October 27 - 15:06 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC34. Saturn C-1 SA-1 Agency: NASA. Apogee: 136 km (84 mi). Largest known rocket launch to date, the Saturn I 1st stage booster, successful on first test flight from Atlantic Missile Range. With its eight clustered engines developing almost 1.3 million pounds of thrust at launch, the Saturn (SA-1) hurled waterfilled dummy upper stages to an altitude of 84.8 miles and 214.7 miles down range. In a postlaunch statement, Administrator Webb said: "The flight today was a splendid demonstration of the strength of our national space program and an important milestone in the buildup of our national capacity to launch heavy payloads necessary to carry out the program projected by President Kennedy on May 25.". 1961 November 17 - Contract issued for build of 20 Saturn I's. NASA announced that the Chrysler Corporation had been chosen to build 20 Saturn first-stage (S-1) boosters similar to the one tested successfully on October 27 . They would be constructed at the Michoud facility near New Orleans, La. The contract, worth about $200 million, would run through 1966, with delivery of the first booster scheduled for early 1964. 1961 December 7 - Kiwi B-1A tests completed. Power run completed the test series on the Kiwi B-1A reactor system being conducted at the Nevada Test Site by AEC's Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. Fourth in a series of test reactors in the joint AEC-NASA nuclear rocket propulsion program, Kiwi B-1A was disassembled for examination at the conclusion of the test runs. 1961 December 8 - Support service contractor selected for Michoud. NASA selected Mason-Rust as the contractor to provide support services at NASA's Michoud plant near New Orleans, providing housekeeping services through June 30, 1962 for the three contractors who would produce the Saturn S-I and S-IB boosters and the Rift nuclear upper-stage vehicle. 1962 February 13-15 - Technical aspects of earth orbit rendezvous meeting Spacecraft: Gemini. A meeting on the technical aspects of earth orbit rendezvous was held at NASA Headquarters. Representatives from various NASA offices attended: Arthur L. Rudolph, Paul J. DeFries, Fred L. Digesu, Ludie G. Richard, John W. Hardin, Jr., Ernst D. Geissler, and Wilson B. Schramm of Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC); James T. Rose of MSC; Friedrich O. Vonbun, Joseph W. Siry, and James J. Donegan of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC); Douglas R. Lord, James E. O'Neill, Richard J. Hayes, Warren J. North, and Daniel D. McKee of the NASA Office of Manned Space Flight (OMSF). Joseph F. Shea, Deputy Director for Systems, OMSF, who had called the meeting, defined in general terms the goal of the meeting: to achieve agreement on the approach to be used in developing the earth orbit rendezvous technique. After two days of discussions and presentations, the Group approved conclusions and recommendations:
1962 February 27 - Manned Space Flight Management Council meeting The preparation of schedules based on the NASA Fiscal Year 1962 budget (including the proposed supplemental appropriation), the Fiscal Year 1963 budget as submitted to Congress, and Fiscal Year 1964 and subsequent funding was discussed at the Manned Space Flight Management Council meeting. Program assumptions as presented by Wernher von Braun, Director, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), were approved for use in preparation of the schedules :
1962 March - Preliminary Apollo program schedules Spacecraft: Apollo LM. A small group within the MSC Apollo Spacecraft Project Office developed a preliminary program schedule for three approaches to the lunar landing mission: earth orbit rendezvous, direct ascent, and lunar orbit rendezvous. The exercise established a number of ground rules :
1962 April 25 - 14:00 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC34. Saturn C-1 SA-2 Agency: NASA. Apogee: 145 km (90 mi). Second suborbital test of Saturn I. The Saturn SA-2 first stage booster was launched successfully from Cape Canaveral. The rocket was blown up intentionally and on schedule about 2.5 minutes after liftoff at an altitude of 65 miles, dumping the water ballast from the dummy second and third stages into the upper atmosphere. The experiment, Project Highwater, produced a massive ice cloud and lightning-like effects. The eight clustered H-1 engines in the first stage produced 1.3 million pounds of thrust and the maximum speed attained by the booster was 3,750 miles per hour. Modifications to decrease the slight fuel sloshing encountered near the end of the previous flight test were successful. 1962 June 7 - von Braun recommends lunar orbit rendezvous mode for Apollo Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, Apollo Lunar Landing. Wernher von Braun, Director, Marshall Space Flight Center, recommended to the NASA Office of Manned Space Flight that the lunar orbit rendezvous mode be adopted for the lunar landing mission. He also recommended the development of an unmanned, fully automatic, one-way Saturn C-5 logistics vehicle in support of the lunar expedition; the acceleration of the Saturn C-1B program; the development of high-energy propulsion systems as a backup for the service module and possibly the lunar excursion module; and further development of the F-1 and J-2 engines to increase thrust or specific impulse. 1962 June 22 - Selection of ablative material for Apollo heatshield MSC Director Robert R. Gilruth reported to the Manned Space Flight Management Council that the selection of the ablative material for the Apollo spacecraft heatshield would be made by September 1. The leading contender for the forebody ablative material was an epoxy resin with silica fibers for improving char strength and phenolic microballoons for reducing density. In addition, Gilruth noted that a reevaluation of the Saturn C-1 and C-1B launch capabilities appeared to indicate that neither vehicle would be able to test the complete Apollo spacecraft configuration, including the lunar excursion module. Complete spacecraft qualification would require the use of the Saturn C-5. 1962 June 22 - Lunar orbit rendezvous selected as mode for the Apollo lunar landing mission After an extended discussion, the Manned Space Flight Management Council unanimously decided:
1962 July 11 - Selection of LOR as Apollo Mission Mode Spacecraft: Apollo Lunar Landing. Following a long controversy NASA selected Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR) as the fastest, cheapest, and safest mode to accomplish the Apollo mission. LOR solved the engineering problem of how to land. The EOR or Direct Landing approaches required the Apollo crew to be on their backs during the landing and having to use television or mirrors to see the lunar surface. A lunar crasher stage approach had finally emerged as lesser of evils but raised other issues. LOR allowed a purpose-built lander with a logical helicopter-like crew station layout. Studies indicated LOR would allow landing 6-8 months earlier and cost $9.2 billion vs $ 10.6 billion for EOR or direct. Direct flight by this time would not involve Nova, but a scaled-down two-man spacecraft that could be launched by the Saturn C-5. Additional Details: Selection of LOR as Apollo Mission Mode. 1962 August 2 - Apollo lunar bus Spacecraft: Lunar Bus. NASA's Office of Manned Space Flight issued Requests for Proposals for a study of the lunar "bus" and studies for payloads which could be handled by the C-1B and C-5 launch vehicles. Contract awards were expected by September 1 and completion of the studies by December 1. 1962 August 8 - Two Apollo lunar logistic studies Spacecraft: Lunar Bus. At a bidders' conference held at NASA Headquarters, proposals were requested from Centers and industry for two lunar logistic studies: a spacecraft "bus" concept that could be adapted for use first on the Saturn C-1B and later on the Saturn C-5 launch vehicles and a variety of payloads which could be soft-landed near manned Apollo missions. The latter study would determine how a crew's stay on the moon might be extended, how human capability for scientific investigation of the moon might be increased, and how man's mobility on the moon might be facilitated. 1962 August 16 - S-IV successfully static-fired for the first time The second stage (S-IV) of the Saturn C-1 launch vehicle was successfully static-fired for the first time in a ten-second test at the Sacramento, Calif., facility by the Douglas Aircraft Company. 1962 September - Tentative Apollo flight plan MSC outlined a tentative Apollo flight plan:
1962 October 26 - New numbering system for flight missions of the Apollo spacecraft Flight missions of the Apollo spacecraft were to be numerically identified in the future according to the following scheme : Pad aborts: PA-1, PA-2, etc. Missions using Little Joe II launch vehicles: A-001, A-002, etc. Missions using Saturn C-1 launch vehicles: A-101, A-102, etc. Missions using Saturn C-1B launch vehicles: A-201, A-202, etc. Missions using Saturn C-5 launch vehicles: A-501, A-502, etc. The 'A' denoted Apollo, the first digit stood for launch vehicle type or series, and the last two digits designated the order of Apollo spacecraft flights within a vehicle series. 1962 November 16 - 17:45 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC34. Saturn C-1 SA-3 Agency: NASA. Apogee: 167 km (103 mi). Third suborbital test of Saturn I. Saturn-Apollo 3 (Saturn C-1, later called Saturn I) was launched from the Atlantic Missile Range. Upper stages of the launch vehicle were filled with 23000 gallons of water to simulate the weight of live stages. At its peak altitude of 167 kilometers (104 miles), four minutes 53 seconds after launch, the rocket was detonated by explosives upon command from earth. The water was released into the ionosphere, forming a massive cloud of ice particles several miles in diameter. By this experiment, known as "Project Highwater," scientists had hoped to obtain data on atmospheric physics, but poor telemetry made the results questionable. The flight was the third straight success for the Saturn C-1 and the first with maximum fuel on board. 1963 January 10 - Unmanned Apollo spacecraft to be flown on Saturn C-1 MSC and OMSF agreed that an unmanned Apollo spacecraft must be flown on the Saturn C-1 before a manned flight. SA-10 was scheduled to be the unmanned flight and SA-111, the first manned mission. 1963 February 7 - Simplified terminology for the Saturn booster series 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." 1963 February 20 - Saturn engine-out capability investigated At a meeting of the MSC-MSFC Flight Mechanics Panel, it was agreed that Marshall would investigate "engine-out" capability (i.e., the vehicle's performance should one of its engines fail) for use in abort studies or alternative missions. Not all Saturn I, IB, and V missions included this engine-out capability. Also, the panel decided that the launch escape system would be jettisoned ten seconds after S-IV ignition on Saturn I launch vehicles. 1963 March 6 - North American completed Apollo boilerplate (BP) 9 Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. North American completed construction of Apollo boilerplate (BP) 9, consisting of launch escape tower and CSM. It was delivered to MSC on March 18, where dynamic testing on the vehicle began two days later. On April 8, BP-9 was sent to MSFC for compatibility tests with the Saturn I launch vehicle. 1963 March 13 - First long-duration static test of Saturn SA-5 first stage The first stage of the Saturn SA-5 launch vehicle was static fired at MSFC for 144.44 seconds in the first long-duration test for a Block II S-1. The cluster of eight H-1 engines produced 680 thousand kilograms (1.5 million pounds) of thrust. An analysis disclosed anomalies in the propulsion system. In a final qualification test two weeks later, when the engines were fired for 143.47 seconds, the propulsion problems had been corrected. 1963 March 28 - 20:11 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC34. Saturn I SA-4 Agency: NASA. Apogee: 129 km (80 mi). Fourth suborbital test of Saturn I. The S-I Saturn stage reached an altitude of 129 kilometers (80 statute miles) and a peak velocity of 5,906 kilometers (3,660 miles) per hour. This was the last of four successful tests for the first stage of the Saturn I vehicle. After 100 seconds of flight, No. 5 of the booster's eight engines was cut off by a preset timer. That engine's propellants were rerouted to the remaining seven, which continued to burn. This experiment confirmed the "engine-out" capability that MSFC engineers had designed into the Saturn I. 1963 August 5 - First static firing test of Saturn S-IV stage for SA-5 In what was to have been an acceptance test, the Douglas Aircraft Company static fired the first Saturn S-IV flight stage at Sacramento, Calif. An indication of fire in the engine area forced technicians to shut down the stage after little more than one minute's firing. A week later the acceptance test was repeated, this time without incident, when the vehicle was fired for over seven minutes. (The stage became part of the SA-5 launch vehicle, the first complete Saturn I to fly.) 1963 September 16 - Apollo launch escape system modified The launch escape system was modified so that, under normal flight conditions, the crew could jettison the tower. On unmanned Saturn I flights, tower jettison was initiated by a signal from the instrument unit of the S-IV (second) stage. 1963 September 26 - Apollo mission plans Spacecraft: Apollo LM. OMSF, MSC, and Bellcomm representatives, meeting in Washington, D.C., discussed Apollo mission plans: OMSF introduced a requirement that the first manned flight in the Saturn IB program include a LEM. ASPO had planned this flight as a CSM maximum duration mission only.
1963 October 30 - Manned Saturn I earth orbital flights canceled Spacecraft: Apollo Lunar Landing. NASA canceled four manned earth orbital flights with the Saturn I launch vehicle. Six of a series of 10 unmanned Saturn I development flights were still scheduled. Development of the Saturn IB for manned flight would be accelerated and "all-up" testing would be started. This action followed Bellcomm's recommendation of a number of changes in the Apollo spacecraft flight test program. The program should be transferred from Saturn I to Saturn IB launch vehicles; the Saturn I program should end with flight SA-10. All Saturn IB flights, beginning with SA-201, should carry operational spacecraft, including equipment for extensive testing of the spacecraft systems in earth orbit. Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight George E. Mueller had recommended the changeover from the Saturn I to the Saturn IB to NASA Administrator James E. Webb on October 26. Webb's concurrence came two days later. 1963 November 1 - Major reorganization of NASA Spacecraft: Apollo LM. NASA Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight George E. Mueller notified the Directors of MSC, MSFC, and LOC that he intended to plan a flight schedule which would have a good chance of being met or exceeded. To this end, he directed that "all-up" spacecraft and launch vehicle tests be started as soon as possible; all Saturn IB flights would carry CSM and CSM LEM configurations; and two successful unmanned flights would be flown before a manned mission on either the Saturn IB or Saturn V. On November 18, Mueller further defined the flight schedule planning. Early Saturn IB flights might not be able to include the LEM, but every effort must be made to phase the LEM into the picture as early as possible. Launch vehicle payload capability must be reached as quickly as practicable. Subsystems for the early flights should be the same as those intended for lunar missions. To conserve funds, the first Saturn V vehicle would be used to obtain reentry data early in the Saturn test program.
1963 November 8 - Uprated H-1 engine for the first stage of the Saturn IB MSFC directed Rocketdyne to develop an uprated H-1 engine to be used in the first stage of the Saturn IB. In August, Rocketdyne had proposed that the H-1 be uprated from 85,275 to 90,718 kilograms (188,000 to 200,000 pounds) of thrust. The uprated engine promised a 907-kilogram (2,000 pound) increase in the Saturn IB's orbital payload, yet required no major systems changes and only minor structural modifications. 1963 November 15 - An engine hard-over maximum q manual abort was impractical for the Apollo CSM on Saturn I and IB NASA and contractor studies showed that, in the event of an engine hard-over failure during maximum q, a manual abort was impractical for the Saturn I and IB, and must be carried out by automatic devices. Studies were continuing to determine whether, in a similar situation, a manual abort was possible from a Saturn V. 1963 December 11 - Douglas contracted for 10 additional Apollo S-IVB stages NASA Headquarters approved a $48,064,658 supplement to the Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., contract for 10 additional S-IVB stages, four for the Saturn IB and six for the Saturn V missions. 1964 January 29 - 16:25 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC37B. Saturn I-Blk2 SA-5 Saturn 5 Mass: 17,100 kg (37,600 lb). Spacecraft: Jupiter nose cone. Agency: NASA MSF. Perigee: 274 km (170 mi). Apogee: 740 km (450 mi). Inclination: 31.40 deg. Period: 94.80 min. First first mission of Block II Saturn with two live stages. SA-5, a vehicle development flight, was launched from Cape Kennedy Complex 37B at 11:25:01.41, e.s.t. This was the first flight of the Saturn I Block II configuration (i.e., lengthened fuel tanks in the S-1 and stabilizing tail fins), as well as the first flight of a live (powered) S-IV upper stage. The S-1, powered by eight H-1 engines, reached a full thrust of over 680,400 kilograms (1.5 million pounds) the first time in flight. The S-IV's 41,000 kilogram (90,000-pound-thrust cluster of six liquid-hydrogen RL-10 engines performed as expected. The Block II SA-5 was also the first flight test of the Saturn I guidance system. 1964 February 4 - Development flight tests for Apollo heatshield qualification MSC and MSFC officials discussed development flight tests for Apollo heatshield qualification. Engineers from the Houston group outlined desired mission profiles and the number of missions needed to qualify the component. MSFC needed this information to judge its launch vehicle development test requirements against those of MSC to qualify the heatshield. By the middle of the month, Richard D. Nelson of the Mission Planning and Analysis Division (MPAD) had summarized the profiles to be flown with the Saturn V that satisfied MSC's needs. Nelson compiled data for three trajectories that could provide reentry speeds of around 11,000 meters (36,000 feet) per second, simulating lunar return. As an example, "Trajectory 1" would use two of the booster's stages to fire into a suborbital ballistic path, and then use a third stage to accelerate to the desired reentry speed. Flight profiles for Saturn IB missions for heatshield qualification purposes proved to be a little more difficult because "nobody would or could define the requirements or constraints, or test objectives." In other words, MSFC requirements for booster development test objectives and those of MSC for the spacecraft heatshield conflicted. So compromises had to be forged. Finally Ted H. Skopinski and other members of MPAD bundled up all of ASPO's correspondence on the subject generated from the various pertinent sources: MSFC, MSC, and contractors. From this, the Skopinski group drafted "broad term test objectives and constraints" for the first two Saturn IB flights (missions 201 and 202). Generally, these were to man-rate the launch vehicle and the CSM and to "conduct entry tests at superorbital entry velocities" (8,500 to 8,800 meters per second) (28,000 to 29,000 feet per second). Skopinski also enumerated specific test objectives covering the whole spacecraft-launch vehicle development test program. These were first distributed on March 27, and adjustments were made several times later in the year. 1964 February 6 - American challenge Popovich has left on a tour of Australia, and Tereshkova is in England. The propaganda front of the Soviet space program is going well. But Kamanin is disquieted by the American testing of the Saturn I rocket. Its 17 tonne payload is more than double that of any Soviet booster. Greater efforts are needed, instead he is wasting his time editing Tereshkova's new book... 1964 March 23 - Apollo missions defined Spacecraft: Apollo LM. OMSF outlined launch vehicle development, spacecraft development, and crew performance demonstration missions, using the Saturn IB and Saturn V:
1964 April 20 - IBM to build the instrument units for the Saturn launch vehicles NASA selected IBM, Federal Systems Division, to develop and build the instrument units (IU) for the Saturn IB and Saturn V launch vehicles. (IBM had been chosen by NASA in October 1963 to design and build the IU data adapters and digital guidance computers and to integrate and check out the IUs.) Under this new contract, expected to be worth over $175 million, IBM would supply the structure and the environmental control system. NASA would furnish the telemetry system and the stabilized platform (ST-124M) of the guidance system. MSFC would manage the contract. 1964 May 28 - 17:07 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC37B. Saturn I-Blk2 SA-6 Saturn 6 Mass: 16,900 kg (37,200 lb). Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Agency: NASA MSC. Perigee: 179 km (111 mi). Apogee: 204 km (126 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 88.20 min. Apollo Saturn Mission A-101, using CM BP-13 atop SA-6 Saturn I launch vehicle, launched at Cape Kennedy, Fla., to prove spacecraft/launch vehicle compatibility. Boilerplate CSM, LM adapter, LES. LES jettison demonstrated. 1964 September 18 - 16:22 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC37B. Saturn I-Blk2 SA-7 Saturn 7 Mass: 16,700 kg (36,800 lb). Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Agency: NASA MSC. Perigee: 181 km (112 mi). Apogee: 215 km (133 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 88.50 min. Apollo systems test. Third orbital test. First closed-loop guidance test. 1964 October 28 - Apollo mission programming Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. ASPO's Operations Planning Division defined the current Apollo mission programming as envisioned by MSC. The overall Apollo flight program was described in terms of its major phases: Little Joe II flights (unmanned Little Joe II development and launch escape vehicle development); Saturn IB flights (unmanned Saturn IB and Block I CSM development, Block I CSM earth orbital operations, unmanned LEM development, and manned Block II CSM/LEM earth orbital operations); and Saturn V flights (unmanned Saturn V and Block II CSM development, manned Block II CSM/LEM earth orbital operations, and manned lunar missions). 1965 January 7 - Differences in the Apollo schedule MSC Deputy Director George M. Low issued a memorandum regarding differences in the Apollo schedule as made public in an Associated Press release with a Houston, Texas, dateline. Low cited the following statement by George E. Mueller, Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, and said it "represents our official and only position on Apollo schedules:
1965 January 21 - Requirements for Apollo spacecraft launched by Saturn IB assessed At the request of Maj. Gen. Samuel C. Phillips, Apollo Program Director, ASPO reexamined the performance requirements for spacecraft slated for launch with Saturn IBs. MSC currently assessed that the launch vehicle was able to put 16,102 kg (35,500 lbs) into a circular orbit 105 nm above the earth. Based on the spacecraft control weights, however, it appeared that the total injected weight of the modules would exceed this amount by some 395 kg (870 lbs). Additional Details: Requirements for Apollo spacecraft launched by Saturn IB assessed. 1965 January 22 - Apollo qualification test plans Apollo Program Director Samuel C. Phillips forecast "heavy ground testing" for Apollo during 1965. The coming months, he said, should see the completion of testing on the first Apollo spacecraft intended for manned space flight, as well as flight qualification of the Saturn IB and initial testing of the Saturn V launch vehicles. 1965 February 1 - Pacific Crane and Rigging contract to install ground equipment at Launch Complex 39 Pacific Crane and Rigging Company received a NASA contract, worth $8.3 million, to install ground equipment at Kennedy Space Center's Saturn V facility, Launch Complex 39. On the following day, the Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $2,179,000 contract to R. E. Carlson Corporation, St. Petersburg, Fla., to modify Launch Complex 34 to handle the Saturn IB. 1965 February 2-3 - Emergency detection system (EDS) and abort procedures for the early Apollo flights decided The Apollo-Saturn Crew Safety Panel decided on a number of emergency detection system (EDS) and abort procedures for the early Apollo flights:
1965 February 16 - 14:37 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC37B. Saturn I-Blk2 SA-9 Pegasus 1 Mass: 10,400 kg (22,900 lb). Spacecraft: Pegasus. Agency: NASA MSF. Perigee: 510 km (310 mi). Apogee: 726 km (451 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 97.00 min. A Saturn I vehicle SA-9 launched a multiple payload into a high 744 by 496 km (462 by 308 mi) earth orbit. The rocket carried a boilerplate (BP) CSM (BP-16) and, fitted inside the SM, the Pegasus I meteoroid detection satellite. This was the eighth successful Saturn flight in a row, and the first to carry an active payload. BP-16's launch escape tower was jettisoned following second-stage S-IV ignition. After attaining orbit, the spacecraft were separated from the S-IV. Thereupon the Pegasus I's panels were deployed and were ready to perform their task, i.e., registering meteoroid impact and relaying the information to the ground. 1965 February 17 - Unmanned capabilities required of Block I Apollo CSM Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. ASPO Manager Joseph F. Shea clarified the manned unmanned capabilities required of Block I CSM spacecraft to ensure that end-item specifications appropriately reflect those capabilities. Additional Details: Unmanned capabilities required of Block I Apollo CSM. 1965 February 25 - Chrysler contract for support services for the Saturn I and IB launch programs modified KSC supplemented Chrysler Corporation's contract for support services for the Saturn I and IB launch programs. Effective through June 30, 1968, the agreement would cost NASA $41 million plus an award fee. 1965 March 31 - Apollo LEMs 1, 2, and 3 to have remote command of the transponder feature Spacecraft: Apollo LM. MSC requested that Grumman incorporate in the command list for LEMs 1, 2, and 3 the capability for turning the LEM transponder off and on by real-time radio command from the Manned Space Flight Network. Necessity for capability of radio command for turning the LEM transponder on after LEM separation resulted from ASPO's decision that the LEM and Saturn instrument unit S-band transponders would use the same transmission and reception frequencies. 1965 April 1 - First stage of the Saturn IB first static firing at MSFC The first stage of the Saturn IB booster (the S-IB-1) underwent its first static firing at Huntsville, Alabama. The stage's eight uprated H-1 engines produced about 71,168-kilonewtons (1.6 million lbs) thrust. On April 23, Marshall and Rocketdyne announced that the uprated H-1 had passed qualification testing and was ready for flight. 1965 May 12 - Thrust of the H-1 engine uprated MSFC informed MSC that the thrust of the H-1 engine was being uprated to 1,000 kilonewtons (205,000 lbs), thus increasing the Saturn IB's payload capability. 1965 May 13 - Mission directive for Apollo-Saturn 201 Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Samuel C. Phillips, Apollo Program Director, issued the mission directive for Apollo-Saturn 201. The mission would flight-test the Saturn IB and the Apollo CSM. 1965 May 25 - 07:35 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC37B. Saturn I-Blk2 SA-8 Pegasus 2 Mass: 10,464 kg (23,069 lb). Spacecraft: Pegasus. Agency: NASA MSF. Perigee: 502 km (311 mi). Apogee: 740 km (450 mi). Inclination: 31.70 deg. Period: 97.00 min. Pegasus 2 was a meteoroid detection satellite. The Saturn I launch vehicle (SA-8) placed the spacecraft, protected by a boilerplate CSM (BP-26), into a 740-by-509-km (460-by-316-mi) orbit. Once in orbit, the dummy CSM was jettisoned. Pegasus 2, still attached to the second stage of the launch vehicle, then deployed its 29-m (96-ft) winglike panels. Within several hours, the device began registering meteoroid hits. 1965 June 11 - Data tape recorder probably not to be installed on Apollo LEM-1 Spacecraft: Apollo LM. The question of whether a data tape recorder would be installed on LEM-1 had been discussed at several Apollo 206 Mission Operations Plan meetings and there was a strong possibility it would not be installed. Additional Details: Data tape recorder probably not to be installed on Apollo LEM-1. 1965 June 15 - Reduced Apollo Block II service propulsion system for Saturn IB missions Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Independent studies were made at MSC and North American to determine effects and impact of off-loading certain Block II service propulsion system components for Saturn IB missions. The contractor was requested to determine the weight change involved and schedule and cost impact of removing one oxidizer tank, one fuel tank, one helium tank and all associated hardware (fuel and oxidizer transfer lines, propellant quantity sensors and certain gaging wire harnesses) from CSM 101 and CSM 103. The MSC study was oriented toward determining technical problems associated with such a change and the effects on spacecraft operational requirements. The North American study indicated that removing the equipment would save about 690 000, along with a weight reduction of approximately 454 kg (1,000 lbs). Additional Details: Reduced Apollo Block II service propulsion system for Saturn IB missions. 1965 June 17 - Planned missions for the Saturn IB Officials from Bellcomm, MSFC, and the Apollo offices in Houston and in Washington planned primary and alternate missions for the Saturn IB (applicable to SA-201 through SA-208). On July 16, the Office of Manned Space Flight specified launch vehicles (both Saturn IB and V hardware) for Apollo missions. 1965 June 25 - Col Bolender Mission Director for the first and second Apollo/Saturn IB flights NASA announced the appointment of Col. C. H. Bolender as Mission Director for the first and second Apollo/Saturn IB flights. Bolender was assigned to the Mission Operations Organization in the Office of Manned Space Flight, NASA. 1965 June 29 - No structural changes required for uprated Saturn IB's H-1 engine North American reported to MSC that no structural changes to the spacecraft would be required for uprating the thrust of the Saturn IB's H-1 engine from 90,718 to 92,986 kg (200,000 to 205,000 lbs). Effects on the performance of the launch escape vehicle would be negligible. 1965 July 30 - Performance of the Apollo launch escape vehicle evaluated During the preceding six months, officials in ASPO and the Engineering and Development Directorate evaluated the performance of the launch escape vehicle (LEV) during aborts on and near the launch pad. That performance, they had determined, was inadequate. To solve this problem, MSC ordered North American to incorporate a number of design changes in both the LEV and the spacecraft:
1965 July 30 - 13:00 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC37B. Saturn I-Blk2 SA-10 Pegasus 3 Mass: 10,500 kg (23,100 lb). Spacecraft: Pegasus. Agency: NASA MSF. Perigee: 441 km (274 mi). Apogee: 449 km (278 mi). Inclination: 28.90 deg. Period: 93.40 min. NASA launched Pegasus 3, third of the meteoroid detection satellites, as scheduled at 8:00 a.m. EST, from Cape Kennedy. As earlier, an Apollo spacecraft (boilerplate 9) served as the payload's shroud. This flight (SA-10) marked the end of the Saturn I program, which during its seven-year lifetime had achieved 10 straight successful launches and had contributed immeasurably to American rocket technology. 1965 August 9 - Saturn V stages tested Two Saturn milestones occurred on the same day. At Santa Susana, Calif., North American conducted the first full-duration captive firing of an S-II, second stage of the Saturn V. And at Sacramento, Douglas static-tested the first flight-model S-IVB, second stage for the Saturn IB. This latter marked the first time that a complete static test (encompassing vehicle checkout, loading, and firing) had been controlled entirely by computers. 1965 September 3 - Ultimate strength of Apollo spacecraft To aid in defining abort limits for the emergency detection system, MSC authorized North American to determine the ultimate strength of the spacecraft based on failure trajectories of the Saturn IB and Saturn V vehicles. 1965 October 21 - Launch schedule for Apollo-Saturn IB flights revised Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Samuel C. Phillips, Apollo Program Director, notified the Center directors and Apollo program managers in Houston, Huntsville, and Cape Kennedy that OMSF's launch schedule for Apollo-Saturn IB flights had been revised, based on delivery of CSMs 009 and 011:
1965 November 18 - Saturn IB/Centaur Office named changed to Saturn Applications. Spacecraft: Voyager 1973. John H. Disher, Saturn/Apollo Applications Deputy Director, requested the Manned Space Flight Management Operations Director to officially change the designation of the Saturn IB/Centaur Office to Saturn Applications. This change, Disher said, reflected the change in status of the office and provided for necessary management of potential Saturn Applications such as the Saturn V/Voyager by the Office of Manned Space Flight. However, on the same day, Disher ordered E. F. O'Connor at MSFC to halt all Saturn IB/Centaur efforts (except those already underway that could not be recalled) and disapproved the request for an additional $1.1 million for the program. (Any funds required for definition of a Saturn V/Voyager mission, he said, would be authorized separately.) 1966 January 13 - Land impact program for the Apollo CM Block I deleted Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. A decision made at a Program Management Review eliminated the requirement for a land impact program for the CM to support Block I flights. Post-abort CM land impact for Saturn IB launches had been eliminated from Complex 37 by changes to the sequence timers in the launch escape system abort mode. The Certification Test Specification and related Certification Test Requirements would reflect the new Block II land impact requirements. 1966 January 14 - MSFC issued requests for proposals to the aerospace industry for definition studies of integrating experiment hardware into AAP space vehicles. Spacecraft: Orbital Workshop. MSFC issued requests for proposals to the aerospace industry for definition studies of integrating experiment hardware into AAP space vehicles-i.e., payload integration in the Apollo lunar module, the Saturn instrument unit, and the S-IVB stage of the Saturn IB and Saturn V launch vehicles. Following evaluation of the proposals, MSFC would select two or more firms for negotiation of nine-month study contracts to be managed by Huntsville as the Center responsible for payload integration of this portion of AAP. (MSC was responsible for payload integration of the Apollo CSM.) 1966 February 26 - 16:12 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC34. Saturn IB SA-201 Apollo 201 (AS-201) Agency: NASA. Apogee: 488 km (303 mi). Apollo-Saturn 201 was launched from Cape Kennedy, with liftoff of an Apollo Block I spacecraft (CSM 009) on a Saturn IB launch vehicle at 11:12:01 EST. Launched from Launch Complex 34, the unmanned suborbital mission was the first flight test of the Saturn IB and an Apollo spacecraft. Total launch weight was 22,000 kilograms. Spacecraft communications blackout lasted 1 minute 22 seconds. Reentry was initiated with a space-fixed velocity of 29,000 kilometers per hour. CM structure and heatshields performed adequately. The CM was recovered by the USS Boxer from the Atlantic about 72 kilometers uprange from the planned landing point. (8.18 S x 11.15 W). 1966 May 12 - Changes in Saturn/Apollo nomenclature Spacecraft: Apollo LM. A memo to KSC, MSC, and MSFC from the NASA Office of Manned Space Flight reported that the NASA Project Designation Committee had concurred in changes in Saturn/Apollo nomenclature recommended by Robert C. Seamans, Jr., George E. Mueller, and Julian Scheer:
1966 July 5 - 14:53 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC37B. Uprated Saturn I SA-203 Apollo 203 Mass: 26,500 kg (58,400 lb). Agency: NASA MSF. Perigee: 183 km (113 mi). Apogee: 212 km (131 mi). Inclination: 31.90 deg. Period: 88.50 min. First orbital test Saturn IB; no spacecraft. AS-203 lifted off from Launch Complex 37, Eastern Test Range, at 10:53 a.m. EDT in the second of three Apollo-Saturn missions scheduled before manned flight in the Apollo program. All objectives - to acquire flight data on the S-IVB stage and instrument unit - were achieved. The uprated Saturn I - consisting of an S-IB stage, S-IVB stage, and an instrument unit - boosted an unmanned payload into an original orbit of 185 by 189 kilometers. The inboard engine cutoff of the first stage occurred after 2 minutes 18 seconds of flight and the outboard engine cutoff was 4 seconds later. The S-IVB engine burned 4 minutes 50 seconds. No recovery was planned and the payload was expected to enter the earth's atmosphere after about four days. 1966 August 1 - Chrysler uprated Saturn I first-stage production contract changed NASA signed a supplemental agreement with Chrysler Corp.'s Space Division at New Orleans, La., converting the uprated Saturn I first-stage production contract from cost-plus-fixed-fee to cost-plus-incentive-fee. Under the agreement, valued at $339 million, the amount of the contractor's fee would be based on ability to perform assigned tasks satisfactorily and meet prescribed costs and schedules. The contract called for Chrysler to manufacture, assemble and test 12 uprated Saturn I first stages and provide system engineering, integration support, ground support equipment, and launch services. 1966 August 25 - 17:15 GMT - Cape Canaveral LC34. Uprated Saturn I SA-202 Apollo 202 (AS-202) Agency: NASA. Apogee: 1,143 km (710 mi). Spacecraft 011 was essentially a Block I spacecraft with the following exceptions: couches, crew equipment, and the cabin postlanding ventilation were omitted; and three auxiliary batteries, a mission control programmer, four cameras, and flight qualification instrumentation were added. Of six primary test objectives assigned to the mission, the objectives for the environmental control, electrical power, and communications subsystems were not completely satisfied. All other spacecraft test objectives were successfully accomplished. 1966 October 19 - First Apollo manned flight announced Flight: Apollo 204. Apollo-Saturn 204 was to be the first manned Apollo mission, NASA announced through the manned space flight Centers. Additional Details: First Apollo manned flight announced. 1966 October 25 - Propellant tanks of Apollo service module 017 failed Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Propellant tanks of service module 017 failed during a pressure test at North American Aviation, Downey, Calif. Additional Details: Propellant tanks of Apollo service module 017 failed. 1966 November 16 - Revised criteria for design of a one-year Workshop in space. Spacecraft: Orbital Workshop, Skylab. Maurice J. Raffensperger, Earth Orbital Mission Studies Director in NASA Hq, spelled out revised criteria for design of a one-year Workshop in space (criteria to be incorporated by MSFC and MSC planners into their proposed configurations). Maurice J. Raffensperger, Earth Orbital Mission Studies Director in NASA Hq, spelled out revised criteria for design of a one-year Workshop in space (criteria to be incorporated by MSFC and MSC planners into their proposed configurations): This 'interim space station' should be ready for launch in January 1971. The design had to be a minimum-cost structure capable of a two-year survival in low Earth orbit. (Raffensperger speculated that a 'dry-launched' S-IVB stage could be employed without major structural changes.) Initial vehicle subsystems were to consist of flight-qualified Apollo and Manned Orbiting Laboratory hardware capable of one-year operation. Operation of the station during the second year was to be accomplished by means of a long- duration 'developmental systems' module that would be attached to the original space station structure (and would be developed separately as part of the long-duration space station program). Initial launch of the station would be with a Saturn V (and include CSM). This interim space station must be suited for operation in either zero-g or with artificial gravity (using the 'simplest, least expensive' approach). Cost of the hardware must not exceed $200 million (excluding launch vehicle and the long-duration subsystems module). Cargo resupply and crew changes were to be carried out using Apollo Applications- modified CSMs (limited to three Saturn IBs per year). 1966 December 5 - NASA Hq issued a schedule which introduced the cluster concept into the AAP design. The cluster concept consisted of a Workshop launch following a manned CSM launch. Spacecraft: Orbital Workshop, Skylab, Apollo ATM. Six months later, a LM/ATM launch would follow a second manned flight. The LM/ATM would rendezvous and dock to the cluster. The first Workshop launch was scheduled for June 1968. As opposed to the habitable OWS and cluster concept which projected a much more complex program, the S-IVB SSESM had been a comparatively simple mission requiring no rendezvous and docking and no habitation equipment. A major similarity between the old S-IVB/SSESM concept and the cluster concept was use of the S-IVB stage to put the payload into orbit before passivation and pressurization of the stage's hydrogen tanks. The new cluster concept embodied the major step of making the Saturn IVB habitable in orbit, incorporating a two-gas atmosphere (oxygen and nitrogen) and a 'shirt- sleeve' environment. The OWS would contain crew quarters in the S IVB hydrogen tank (two floors and walls installed on the ground), which would be modified by Douglas Aircraft Company under MSFC management; an airlock module (previously called the SSESM) attached to the OWS, which would be built by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation under MSC management; and a multiple docking adapter (MDA), which would contain five docking ports permitting up to five modules to be docked to the Workshop at any one time. The MDA would also house most OWS astronaut habitability equipment and many experiments. The schedule called for 22 Saturn IB and 15 Saturn V launches. Two of the Saturn IBs would be launched a day apart-one manned, the other unmanned. Flights utilizing two Saturn V Workshops and four LM ATM missions were also scheduled. 1967 January 27 - Cape Canaveral -. Apollo 204 Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, Apollo Lunar Landing. Crew: Chaffee, Grissom, White. Flight: Apollo 204. The first manned flight of the Apollo CSM, the Apollo C category mission, was planned for the last quarter of 1966. Numerous problems with the Apollo Block I spacecraft resulted in a flight delay to February 1967. The crew of Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White II, and Roger B. Chaffee, was killed in a fire while testing their capsule on the pad on 27 January 1967, still weeks away from launch. The designation AS-204 was used by NASA for the flight at the time; the designation Apollo 1 was applied retroactively at the request of Grissom's widow. 1967 January 27 - Apollo AS-204 first steps Spacecraft: Apollo CSM. Flight: Apollo 204. Fire sweeping through command module 012 atop its Saturn IB launch vehicle at Launch Complex 34, KSC, took the lives of the three-man crew scheduled for the first manned Apollo space flight. Additional Details: Apollo AS-204 first steps. 1967 February 3 - Progress of the Apollo 204 Review Board investigation reported Flight: Apollo 204. NASA Deputy Administrator Robert C. Seamans, Jr., reported to Administrator James E. Webb on progress of the Apollo 204 Review Board investigation of the January 27 spacecraft fire. Additional Details: Progress of the Apollo 204 Review Board investigation reported. 1967 February 16 - Interim nature of schedule for manned Apollo missions discussed NASA Deputy Administrator Robert C. Seamans, Jr., informed Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight George E. Mueller that, in view of the interim nature of schedule outlook for manned uprated Saturn I and Saturn V missions, he had decided to show these missions as "Under Study" in the Official NASA Flight Schedule for February 1967. As soon as firm approved dates for the missions were available the schedule would be updated. He said that all participants in the Apollo program should be advised that - except for unmanned missions 206, 501, and 502 - official agency schedule commitments had not been made and certainly could not be quoted until management assessments of the program had been completed and schedules approved by the Office of the Administrator. 1967 March 25 - April 24 - Designations for Apollo / Apollo Applications missions Flight: Apollo 204. NASA Hq. Office of Manned Space Flight informed KSC, MSFC, and MSC of approved designations for Apollo and Apollo Applications missions:
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