Saturn V/4-260
Orbital launch vehicle. Year: 1967. Family: Saturn V. Country: USA. Status: Study 1967.

Boeing study, 1967-1968. Use of full length 260 inch solid rocket boosters with stretched Saturn IC stages presented problems, since the top of the motors came about half way up the liquid oxygen tank of the stage, making transmission of loads from the motors to the core vehicle complex and adding a great deal of weight to the S-IC. Boeing's solution was to retain the standard length Saturn IC, with the 260 inch motors ending half way up the S-IC/S-II interstage, but to provide additional propellant for the S-IC by putting propellant tanks above the 260 inch boosters. These would be drained first and jettisoned with the boosters. This added to the plumbing complexity but solved the loads problem.

Manufacturer: Von Braun. LEO Payload: 362,700 kg (799,600 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 161,859.300 kN (36,387,418 lbf). Total Mass: 10,351,050 kg (22,820,150 lb). Core Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Total Length: 86.00 m (282.00 ft). Flyaway Unit Cost $: 446.600 million. in: 1985 unit dollars.


Stage Data - Saturn V/4-260
  • Stage Number: 0. 4 x Stage: 260 inch solid FL. Gross Mass: 1,648,355 kg (3,634,000 lb). Empty Mass: 156,126 kg (344,198 lb). Thrust (vac): 35,391.395 kN (7,956,302 lbf). Isp: 263 sec. Burn time: 114 sec. Isp(sl): 238 sec. Diameter: 6.60 m (21.60 ft). Span: 6.60 m (21.60 ft). Length: 30.48 m (99.99 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: AJ-260X. Status: Study 1967. 260 inch solid booster - full length. These would have been the flight configuration motors, replacing the Saturn V first stage or being used as booster motors in various Uprated Saturn and Nova configurations.
  • Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: Saturn MS-IC/260. Gross Mass: 2,721,600 kg (6,000,100 lb). Empty Mass: 181,400 kg (399,900 lb). Thrust (vac): 38,717.600 kN (8,704,063 lbf). Isp: 304 sec. Burn time: 192 sec. Isp(sl): 265 sec. Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Span: 19.00 m (62.00 ft). Length: 42.05 m (137.95 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 5. Engine: F-1. Status: Study 1967. Standard length S-IC but with feed of propellant from fuel and propellant tanks housed above strap-on solid rocket motors
  • Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: Saturn MS-II-2. Gross Mass: 600,788 kg (1,324,510 lb). Empty Mass: 59,844 kg (131,933 lb). Thrust (vac): 7,003.477 kN (1,574,444 lbf). Isp: 451 sec. Burn time: 324 sec. Isp(sl): 280 sec. Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Span: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Length: 29.59 m (97.08 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 5. Engine: HG-3. Status: Study 1967. Basic Saturn II with 187 inch stretch of propellant tanks and high chamber pressure SSME-type engines with 65% increase in thrust and 26 second improvement in specific impulse.

Bibliography and Further Reading
  • Lowther, Scott, Saturn: Development, Details, Derivatives and Descendants, Work in progress. Availabe chapters may be ordered directly from Scott Lowther at web site indicated. Accessed at: http://www.webcreations.com/ptm.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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