Model: Winged Saturn V. Winged orbital launch vehicle. Family: Saturn. Other Family: Study. Country: USA. Status: Study 1963.

In June 1962 NASA funded studies with several contractors on Operations and Logistics for Space Stations. North American's study was dated 18 March 1963. The second alternative was a two-stage reusable booster derived from the Saturn V. This would boost either an 11,400 kg cargo, or a half-disc lifting body spaceplane, which would accommodate two crew plus ten passengers and minor cargo

The next S-IC flyback booster study was made in 1963 by NASA-MSFC in collaboration with Boeing. The Boeing 922-12 had wings with span of 45 m and 930 sq m area. The wingtip fins provided a total vertical area of 85 sq m each. A manned cockpit would have been just ahead of the left wing. The underwing jet engine pods would have housed 6 x J93-F3 engines or 8 x J58's. The wings were separable and could be flown without the S-IC or used to ferry stock S-IC stages. MSFC estimated use of the wings as a flyback booster would cut the two-stage Saturn IC/Saturn II payload by 20%. Recovery of the S-II stage was also considered, but this would have reduced payload by 70%.

Similar concepts were later proposed by MSFC (1967), Convair (1967), and then for Shuttle Phase B (Grumman 1971). They continued to be dusted off occasionally right to the end of the 20th Century...

Manufacturer: Boeing. LEO Payload: 80,000 kg (176,000 lb). to: 300 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Liftoff Thrust: 33,000.000 kN (7,418,000 lbf). Total Mass: 2,720,000 kg (5,990,000 lb). Core Diameter: 10.60 m (34.70 ft). Total Length: 107.20 m (351.70 ft). Span: 45.00 m (147.00 ft).