Art and the Early Greek State

N/4

JANUARY"

I,-495

20, 1971

GEORGE C._

N

U

HZU1 o _'_

HISTORICAL MANAGEMENT

OFFICE

SERVICES

o-, I-I _D,

OFFICE z

z

U_ P'* H t_,, L.I_L.-_ _1¢_

SATURN n

d"

,,,4 H

_

U_

t"_

ILLUSTRATED CHRONOLOGY

-,J*,

by DAVID

L"

S. AKENS t_

A&TS-MS-H

SATURN'S APRIL

FIRST ELEVEN

1957 through APRIL

YEARS 1968 ,,,J J_ I ¢n J_ Un

NATIONAl-

MSFC

-

Form

774

(Rev

October

1967)

/

,

MHR-5

HISTORICAL MANAGEMENT

OFFICE

SERVICES

OFFICE

SATURN ILLUSTRATED CHRONOLOGY by DAVID

SATURN'S APRIL

S. AKENS

FIRST ELEVEN

1957 through APRIL First Edition:

1963

Second Edition: Third Edition: Fourth Edition: Fifth Edition:

1965 1967 1969 1971

YEARS 1968

TABLEOF CONTENTS Page 1957

..............................................

1

1958 ..............................................

2

1959 ..............................................

3

1960 ..............................................

8

1961 ..............................................

13

1962 ..............................................

35

1963 ..............................................

49

1964 ..............................................

72

1965 ..............................................

99

1966 ..............................................

127

1967 ...............................................

158

1968 ..............................................

203

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

227

APPENDICES GLOSSARY REFERENCES INDEX

..................................

........................................

229

.........................................

235

.......................................

245

.............................................

259

I

//

j

SATURN ILLUSTRATED CHRONOLOGY In April

1957

the

scientific

organization

directed

by Dr. Wernher von Braunbegan studies which led to Saturn, America's first rocket developed for space investigation. The team at Redstone Arsenal, that

Alabama,

could

carry

hoped 20,000-

for orbital missions payloads for escape booster In

stages

December

working (ABMA), of Defense was

aim

essential.

1957

the

with the proposed (IX)D).

an integrated

this much

program. pounds

8

7. p_

payloads

12,000-pound High-thrust

Braun

! At that time

development with 1,500,000

clustering four E-1 engines.

von

to

vehicles

group,

then

Army Ballistic Missile Agency a program to the Department

of the proposed

To secure

launch

to 40,000-pound or 6000missions.

were

considering

vehicle booster

to design

the missile

United and

~

States space

Creation of a of thrust was the

program. power

ABMA

380, 000-pound

first

considered

thrust

Rocketdyne

4

.J.

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

CHRONOLOGY

i SATURN BOOSTER

I. Proposed conliguration ol a clustered booster. This

initial

time

required

concept

type engine. to determine be used. OnAugust jects

was

to

However, if engines

15, 1958,

Agency

discarded

complete

ABMA already

the

(ARPA)

because

of the

development continued developed

Advanced

formally

of this studies could

Research initiated

Pro-

what

was

2o Thor-Jupiter engine 3, Booster tooling to become

the

Saturn

project.

The

separately organized research and arm of the Department of Defense, ABMA to conduct a research and program

at

Redstone

Arsenal

for

poundthrustvehiclebooster. able rocket engines

would

design

would be tested

by a full-scale

by the

end

agency,

a

development authorized development a 1,500,000-

A number be clustered.

of availThis

static

firing

of 1959.2

The liquid oxygen for the Redstone

(LOX) and and Jupiter

fuel tanks missiles

developed could be

AUGUSTmodified

for

use

in the

existing engine, the and Jupiter missiles, duce an increased Numerous

tools

Redstone with

and

DECEMBER

proposed

booster.

S-3D, used on both could be modified thrust of 188,000

and

fixtures

Jupiter

program

comparatively

little

of some couldbe

As

step

an

immediate

Rocketdyne on September

for

be used

In October jectives.

After the

1958

modification.

advanced vehicle ARPA

Complex

34, Cape Canaveral

booster

significantly

it

com-

shortened

was

awarded Aviation the Thor-

redesign, simplification, engine would be the H-1. expanded carrier

its

program capable

of be as

V.

study stage

a complete vehicle system so that upperselection and development could begin, and

initiated launch

a study facilities

launch

vehicle, authorized

requested

vehicle

ob-

space missions would was tentatively identified Redstone

personnel

of Atlantic Missile Range which could accommodate s

Later, the

on Army

Command (AOMC) to begin and construction of a captive

Launch

Thus

Juno

ARPA

4_ EarlyI-I,1Engine 5. Preliminaryconceptof

the

development with Time for design

a contract

ARPA

A multistage

performing built. The

also

Division of North American 11, 1958, to uprate S-3D,

Jupiter engine. and modification,

the Thor to propounds.

developed

important

ponents and tooling and cost reduced.

An

could

was possible to begin booster hardware of proven reliability. and development

1958

December Ordnance design, static

to

(AMR) the

11,

1958,

Missile

modification, test tower and

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

facilities gram.

for use in the booster development AOMC was also to determine the

requirements While

CHRONOLOGY

for

the

necessary

launch

booster-vehicle

formulated

and

facility

Concurrently studies of

with

were

a larger

January

1959,

to design, designated

large

rocket

Rocketdyne

while, visited large

site was

launch

On

10,

stand

1959.

for

Mean-

at Cape

Saturn B 7, SatUrn C

6_

Canaveral,

34). A design contract a movable structure which and service

3 an ARPA

the large representatives

National

test

the vehicle

pedestal.

February

renamed ARPA

generate 1,500,000

of the ARPA board selection of a site for

to assemble

launch

200'

On

1959, a contract had been of the blockhouse at the

(Launch Complex also awarded for

on the

DIA

by contract

would

static

facilities

By February for construction

would be used

120"

lity

engine.

agreed

January

representatives to discuss

vehicle

Florida. awarded

ABMA

began

Army AMR

engine,

feasibi

and test such an engine, This engine, burning LOX

of the

boosters

H-1

to the

and RP-1, a kerosene-type fuel, a very high thrust, approximately pounds. Construction

on

California.

of the

pertaining

develop, as the F-1.

being

work

Park,

development

single-chamber

9,

4

The first full-power in December 1958 at

in Canoga

conducted

was

development

the H-1 engine continued. H-1 engine firing occurred the Rocketdyne

facilities.

program

expanded,

prodesign

Vehicle

launch

Program

memorandum vehicle presented to the

/

officially

project Saturn. the proposed President

and

the

National Aeronautics and Space Council on March 2, 1959. Included were the proposed Saturn B and

C vehicle

On March

systems,

13 ABMA

submitted

of the Saturn System that either an Atlas the second May

ARPA

stage

to ARPA

the

results

Study. This study indicated or a Titan could be used as

of the

decided

304'

j

proposed

that

modified

vehicle. Titan

6 During hardware

2_b _

DECEMBER could

be

used

third stage vehicle. By April (H-1001)

for

could

the

second

use

28 the had been

on May 26,

began

using Titan and Atlas stages 9, Atlas Centaur vehicle (Centaur second stage) showing ao Atlas stage, b_ second stage, c_ payload. d_ electronic and guidance package, e. liquid hydrogen tank, it LOX tank, and h, RP-I tank 9

ACKAGE

.existing

to

STAGE I

HYDROGEN TANK P_AYLOAD GUIDANCE LIQUID OXYGEN TANK

ATLAS ls_

STAGE[

LOX

TANK

RP-1

TANK

[

later used success-

of the Saturn 34 began

support

Director

boosters

ARPA

then

house

and

second

the

Saturn

of Defense

blockat Cape airshops

project.

Research

and

Force and ARPA to of the Saturn second

or

development

ordered

cessation

contractor

work

stage.

An

continued

of the

exception

onthe

of the

bination authorized

was

proposed

booster

In September and the Air

AOMC

made

ARPA, toward

inTitan

of some with

stage.

Saturn-Dyna

early

ones.

to the

connected

Saturnbooster

were in progress, ABMA to proceed

Saturn

of new

relating

preliminary work not directly stage diameter. 8

the

LIQUID 2nd

Centaur

stage and the booster for the proposed Dyna Soar; requirements for these stages appeared to be similar. Untilreviewofthis, neither agency was to make a firm commitment for the redesign of

studies IC

modified

that

On July 27whenthe last Jupiter completed, Redstone Arsenal

in July the

Work LECTRON

the

and

of this engine, was performed

Engineering notified the Air consider common development

8_ Vehicles

stage

1959.7

retooling

Late

1959

first production H-1 engine delivered on schedule to ABMA.

On July 5, 1959, construction house for Launch Complex Canaveral. frame was

- SEPTEMBER

a slightly

ABMA's first firingtest inthe first test booster, fully

1958

the

While

Soar

com-

on August 1, captive firing

in 1960.

representatives Force presented

of AOMC, NASA, Saturn, Nova, and

Titan C systems to the Booster Evaluation Committee of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. On the basis of these presentations ARPA chose Saturn.

ARPA

scientists

determine

which

could

best

then carry

requested the

Saturn

that

Redstone

configurations

NASA payloads.

SATURN During vehicle and

ILLUSTRATED

CHRONOLOGY

October 1959 configurations

consideration of Saturn continued. On October 29

30 ABMA

Study to ARPA Administration stage

presented

a second

Saturn

configurations

and

which

ARPA

an engineering

System

and National Aeronautics and Space ( NASA), proposing various upperoffered

increased

load capability and growth potential. 1959, after evaluation of previous NASA

10

requested

study

pay-

In December presentations,

that

AOMC

for a three-stage

prepare

Saturn

con-

figuration. Because of its large size and weight, the Saturn booster could not be transported by air or land. Water transportation appeared most feasible, and 11

\

ARPA,

on October

23,

1959,

authorized

AOMC

to

proceed with engineering Thesewouldbe located

work for dock on the Tennessee

the southern boundary December AOMC was

of Redstone Arsenal. In further authorized to con-

structthe port

the

facilities booster

On November of the Saturn from ARPA.

and to build to Cape

a barge

to'trans

Canaveral.

18 NASA assumed

technical

project pending Administrative

its formal direction

tainedby ARPA until March fer of both administrative would become effective.

facilities. River at

direction transfer was re-

16, 1960, when transand technical direction

-

10, H-1 engine in alignment [ixture 11_ Model ot blockhouse at Launch Complex 34

OCTOBER On

December

Committee a decision This from

15 (the

the

Saturn

Vehicle

Silverstein

on Saturn

upper-stage

burning initial

a long-range vehicle with

liquid vehicle,

stepping stone building-block

hydrogen identified

reached

configurations.

of representatives and the Air Force, development upper-stage

and as

to a larger concept was

1959

Evaluation

Committee)

committee, composed NASA, ARPA, DOD,

recommended for a Saturn

- DECEMBER

liquid C-l,

vehicle, proposed

program engines

oxygen. The was to be a the C-2. A that would

yield a variety of Saturn configurations, each u sing previously proven developments as far as possible. These recommendations were accepted by the NASA

Administrator.

ten-vehicle

OnDecember

program

was

31,

established,

1959,

a

s

The C-1 vehicle configuration included the S-I, the S-IV, and the S-V stages. The S-I stage would have eight H-1 engines. Fueled by LOX/RP-1, the

12 C-1and

earlier vehicles: a_ Redstone, b° Jupiter-C, c, Mercury Redstone, d: Jupiter, e Juno 11, and L Saturn C-1 13. Proposed C-2

engines

clustered

were

expected

to produce

12

13

95'

5'

3_

_2

l_

RE

JUPITER L

JUNO

g

I

a

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

CHRONOLOGY 14

total stage

of 1,500,000 was conceived

oxygen-liquid ducing

pounds of thrust. of as a four-engine

hydrogen

a total

of

fueled

80,000

unit

capable

pounds

Saturn

project

was

1960, as aprogramofthe ( DX rating).

approved highest

To develop the second sought a contractor. this

S-IV

stage

26 and 27,

1960.

By February

submitted

contract

Redstone

Arsenal

the first

stage.

to prove

out

scientists By 1960

the

engines provide

national

January

had

The

clustered

the

as an

on January

cerning companies

of pro-

held

started formal booster

at

18,

priority

stage of Saturn C-1, Abidder's conference was

S-IV liquid

of thrust.

S-V stage would use two of the same the S-IV stage and this stage would additional 40,000 pounds of thrust. The

The

NASA con-

Huntsville, 29 twelve proposals. to work

test

on

program

concept

was

14.,

Booster

15_

Second

15

stage stage

(S-I) (S-IV)

JANUARY

16

to

and

stand

and to test servicing methods. This mockup removed from the test stand and the complete

was test

booster,

check

mating

SA-T,

February

was

Later

18+

installed

booster

in its

place

during

executive order transferring to NASA became effective.

in the monthtwo

engines

of the

I960.

During March the the Saturn program

Third stage (S-V) Saturn test boostassembly to test

1960

wellunder way. A mockup of the Saturn booster was installed in the ABMA test stand on January 4, 1960,

16, 1 7_ Moving er from

- APRIL

passed

an

of Saturn's initial

eight

static

10

first-stage

firing

test

of

I7

Booster in test stand 18

i lI

approximately was identified firing of occurred 02),

on

eight seconds' duration. as number SAT-01, the

the Saturn test booster on March 28. _l In a second April

6,

four

engines

were

This first

test live

(SA-T). It test (SATsuccessfully

static fired for seven seconds. All eight engines of the test booster were successfully fired on April 29 in an eight-second test. 12

9

SATURN On

ILLUSTRATED

May

CHRONOLOGY

17 a second eight-engine static firingof

24 seconds'

duration generated

a thrust of 1.3

million pounds. The third successful engine firing lasted 35 seconds. 13 Meanwhile, received

NASA

reviewed

in February.

the

S-IV

On April

Douglas Aircraft Company and build the second stage.

eight-

proposals

26 NASA awarded

a contract

to develop

During May been selected

NASA announced that Rocketdyne had to develop the high-thrust J-2 engine.

This engine, Committee

of the type in December

hydrogen-liquid advanced Saturn The first numbered

oxygen. vehicle.

ten from

the

prototype

On

May

by the Silverstein would burn liquid

It would

be used

in an

Saturn flight vehicles would SA-1 to SA-10. SA-10 would of the

26,

defined 1959,

1960,

for the first Huntsville.

operational

Saturn.

assembly

Saturn

be be

197 Booster static firing 20_ Model of J-2 engine

of the

flight

booster

vehicle

stage

began

19

in

if

On July 1, 1960, the Saturn program was formally transferred to the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). 14 A second series of static tests had just been successfully stage of Saturn C-1.

completed

on the

!i

first

W"

On July 26 NASA signed

a supplemental

with Douglas second stage.

Company covering would design, develop,

fabricate

the

Contracts Pratt

Aircraft Douglas four-engine

were

also

& Whitney

engines;

the

S-IV

to develop

LR-119,

anuprated

to generate

17,500

On

14,

10

August

responsible of the C-1

LR-115 pounds

1960,

10,

1960,

and produce would

engines to the contractors the S-IV and S-V stages

the and

stage.

let on August

Government

agreement

engine,

furnish

with

LR-119 these

for building vehicle. The was

expected

of thrust.

construction

began

on

the

2O

'_

•

.

MAY

- AUGUST

1960

21

_2

21. 22 23

Assembly of main LOX tank for SA-I booster Assembly Structural

of tanks on SA-1 booster fabrication of SA-I booster

23

11

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

CHRONOLOGY

24

24_ Installation o[ engines on SA-I booster 25, Initial con[iguration o[ the S-IV stage 26, Construction o[ service tower and pedestal

movable

service

at

Canaveral.

On

Cape

August

15

assistance to

Dyna

in Soar.

MS FC agreed

structure

the

Air

planning After on October

for

Force the

Launch

Complex

requested application

conferring 6 to provide

25

NASA of

with

34

Air

Saturn Force,

a preliminary

study.

26

12

27. Unveiling bust o[ General George C. Marshall 28° Dr_ yon Braun and President Eisenhower 29_ Mr_ Glennan, President E isenhower, and Dro yon Braun 30_ Proposed Saturn C-I Apollo Configuration

AUGUST 27

On September Aeronautics ville,

and

1960

- JANUARY

8 the facilities of Space Administration

Alabama,

were

dedicated

the

1961

National at Hunts-

and designated

as

the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. President Eisenhower, Mrs. George C. Marshall, NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan, and many other

national,

ticipated

state,

in the

and

local

dignitaries

par-

ceremony.

28 On October 21 NASA contract for a second October

awarded to Convair a study upper stage, the S-V. On

25 NASA selected

Convair,

General

Elec-

tric, and Martin to conduct individual feasibility studies of an advanced manned spacecraft as part of Project

Apollo.

MSFC

started

of the

test

a new booster

configuration 2, 1960. was first.

tests 20,

eight engines. booster stage was

was 1960,

the

SA-T1)

firing

tests

SA-1

flight

on December

firing.

completed

successfully

series

concluded firing

December.

on of all

of the tanks Saturn flight

during

began

Convair

The

by a 60-second

Fabrication of the second

of the booster

In January 30

to

in a six-second

December

bly

of static

An eight-engine test lastingtwo seconds The next week a test of two engines

of booster

(SA-2)

series (modified

and designated

was conducted

29

15

for the vehicle Assem-

immediately.

Astronautics

submitted

a pro-

posal foranS-Vupper stage for the Saturn vehicle; however, later in the month Dr. von Braun proposed that three-stage of the

the C-1 vehicle be changed from a to atwo-stage configuration in support

Apollo

requirements

program. for

the

NASA decided S-V

stage

on C-1

On January 16 the booster stage for vehicle was moved from assembly During Saturn

January booster

Development

the to

to delete vehicles.

SA-1 flight checkout.

also, wind tunnel testingof a model began at the Arnold Engineering Center,

Tullahoma,

tests were designed to nomena of the clustered

study stage.

Tennessee; base

heating

the phe-

13

SATURN Two

ILLUSTRATED

additional

CHRONOLOGY

studies

began

in January

1961.

NASA awarded North American and Ryan nautical Company contracts to investigate bility

of recoveringthe

S-I

booster

stage

flight contract

by using a Rogallo was awarded for

paraglider. equipment

would

be used

at MSFC

out the

to check

Aerofeasi-

after

vehicle design

3I

the A

which

S-I

stage

automatically. On January study S-II

25 stage

a meeting was held at MSFC to requirements for the Saturn C-2

vehicle.

S-II

stage

trajectory,

32

performance,

and structural analysis calculations were completed and made a part of the preliminary SaturnDyna Soar proposal. 1G During January a dummy of the S-IV stage completed at MSFC and moved to checkout. January 31 MSFC static fired all eight the SA-T1 test booster for 113 seconds, A dummy

S-V

received to the

stage,

from dummy

assembly

built

Convair S-IV

for

use

stage.

of the complete

The C-1

plished during February. static tests on February

of

was

8 and mated first

vehicle

MSFC 14.

engines 1T

on SA-1,

on February

was On

horizontal was

accom-

completed SA-T1 By February 27

Convair hadprovided MSFC with a second dummy S-V stage. 58 This stage would first be used during dynamic the

tests

dummy

Liquid

of a complete

S-V would

hydrogen

to studies

early

dummy

be used

engine

development

in March

vehicle;

on a flight

later vehicle.

problems

to determine

the

led possi-

bility of using the first-generation Centaur engine on the Saturn S-IV than second-generation Centaur LR-119.

LR-115 type stage, rather engine, the

Meanwhile, the booster was removed stand on March 2 and loaded aboard

from the test the Palaemon

for river trials. part of the booster

Also on recovery

at

to determine

Cape

reusing 14

Canaveral H-1

engines

after

March 2, 1961, as a studies, tests began

exposure

the

feasibility to salt

31_ 32, 33_ cept

water.

of

33

SA-1 Checkout Saturn booster recovery C-2 Second Stage con-

JANUARY

-

MARCH

1961

34

34. Movement of dummy S-IV stage to checkout 35, First horizontal mating of the Saturn vehicle 36, Removal o[ the booster [ron_ the static test stand

35

36

15

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

Construction

work

to progress

at Launch

satisfactorily,

ture, blockhouse, pletion. On

March

MSFC March

CHRONOLOGY

with the

and gas

7 the

Complex

SA-1

booster

was

static test stand for preflight 14 the Palaemon, carrying

the MSFC dock on its

first

training

ing its return the test booster for modification to the SA-T2 booster,

service

facilities

struc-

nearing

com-

moved

to the

checkout. the SA-T1, trip.

shops Look-

ingbeyond

the

in March personnel

of a facility to be used in familiarizing with the handling of liquid hydrogen.

MSFC presented the C-2 program

plans and

in the

S-IV

construction

38

on March 23 to accelerate recommended that a prime

contractor be selected MSFC also recommended gines

began

On left

Follow-

went to MSFC configuration.

MSFC

37

34 continued

stage

to develop the S-II stage, use of six LR-115 eninstead

of four

LR-1

19

engines. Pratt plying contractor.

& Whitney would still be the supMSFC then proposed certain

design

in the

changes

S-!

stage

including

crease in propellant capacity, the addition and increased structural support for later of the booster. On March quarters

29,

]961,

approval

for the

39

received

six-engine

NASA

Head-

configuration 40

,/

16

MSFC

an inof fins, versions

37_ Salt water test o[ H-I engine 38. Facilities construction at Launch Complex 34 39° The barge Palaemon 40° Redesigned tail of the Saturn booster

MARCH 41

of the S-IV. 19On Mar ch 31 NASA approved ation

of the

C-2

program

and

During eerning

March engines

common On

April

objective the study

by 10

both

from development an engine that the

NASA

Centaur announced

first

with

were made conMSFC decided of the LR-] could be used

and the the

of developing an orbiting of effects of radiation

weightlessness,

of the

escape mission. a two-phase pro-

further decisions for the S-IV stage.

to redirect effort to the RL10-A-1,

1961

ac c el er-

development

C-2 vehicle for a three-stage MSFC was authorized to begin curement of an S-II stage. 2o

41_ Six-engine configuration o! the S-IV stage 42. Artist's concept of Apollo capsule 43° Air transport of S-IV stage

- APRIL

animals

S-IV

Project

]9 in

stage. Apollo

laboratory for and prolonged and later

with

42

43

17

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

a three-man crew. that air transport Douglas

had

stages

During April Douglas for the S-IV stage was

been

transportation reduce the

CHRONOLOGY

authorized

in 1960 to study

for S-IV stages. time which would

were

moved

by

MSFC at Huntsville,

The use of gliders, the stages was also

On April

17 the

to

Canaveral.

ballasted S-Ibooster,

from

and thence

Florida. to carry

Cape

This would be required

water

Palaemon The

tank simulating plus adummy

air

greatly if the

California

to Cape

44

reported feasible.

to

Canaveral,

blimps, and considered.

aircraft

began

its first

trial

barge

carried

a water-

the size and weight S-V stage for the

run of the SA-1.

The barge reached Cape Canaveral on April 30. After rehearsing movement of the booster along roads at the Cape, the simulator was reloaded aboard

the

mained

at

Palaemon.

The

the

On May

Cape.

its return trip, dock May 15.21

arriving

MSFC completed tower left

dummy

at the

construction

S-V

3 the

stage

barge

Redstone

45

46

rebegan

Arsenal

of the dynamic

test

on April 17, the same day that the Palaemon for Florida. The dynamic tower permits

checkout vehicle,

of and

natural

the mechanical mating of the C-1 aids in determining the vehicle's

bending

simulated

flight

characteristics

and

the

effect

of

vibrations.

44. Booster simulator loaded aboard Palaernon 45_ the 46. to

MSFC held a Saturn S-II preproposal conference April 18; the first phase of S-II procurement was expected to begin during May. On April 21 Douglas reported stage

to MSFC

that

development

generated

during

was engine

the

major

problem

disposal

terminated

47

gas

flight was

prematurely

qualification successfully

30-second booster,

test. May 5,

because

of a "4;

problem the 18

fire

which detection

caused system.

a shutdown 22

signal

through

sim_Iator the

at

Palaemon

Canaveral

47. Installing Dynamic Test

in S-IV

of hydrogen

accomplished in an eight-engine, A second static firing of the SA-1 was

Cape

chilldown.

On April 29, 1961, the first test (SA-01) of the SA-1 booster

1961,

Unloading Cape Route of

being

dummy Tower

S-I

on

APRIL A third booster,

eight-engine performed

static May

- MAY

1961

firing test of the SA-1 11, lasted 111 seconds

and was satisfactory. Meanwhile, assembly of the SA-2 flight vehicle continued, and fabrication of the LOXand fuel tanks for the SA-3 vehicle was begun.

2s

In May 1961 NASA March 48

proposal

Headquarters

to incorporate

MSFC's

changes

into

the S-I stage of the C-1 vehicle. The changes would permit the C- 1 to be used as a two- or threestage

vehicle

quirements This change S-V stage missions. examination configuration missions.

possessing for the eliminated

with the

satisfactory

C-1

except

Alsoduring of the

safety

re-

two-stage manned mission. the immediate need for an May capabilities

for 1961

possible MSFC of the

special began

Saturn

reC-2

to support lunar circumnavigation Results of this examination indicated

that a Saturn vehicle would be desirable. 48_ Positioning [light booster in test stand 49. Con[igurations o[ Saturn [light vehicles 50, Separation o[ upper stages from booster

accepted design

of even

greater

performance

49

LENGTH

FT.

BLOCK I

165 160

BLOCK

][

...... _!.......... ?._Ig,

150 140 130 120 /

II0 tO0

s-llr

s-_ :OUMMY )

9O 80 7O 6O 50

S-I

S-I 41

4O 3O 20

i •

,

, i

0 19

J

.........

"::

":

'

I0 _mmmmpm;

5O

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

On May 18 began when capability ment

CHRONOLOGY

the first phase MSFC requested proposals

of

the

for

stage.

of S-II procurement industry to prepare

the

Also

design during

and

develop-

May

Pratt

&

Whitney shippeda mockup of the RL10-A-3 engine to Douglas and Convair for checks to assure that the engine was physically compatible S-W stage and the Centaur vehicle. activities a contract could

in May the Martin to study launch

be used

Project

in lunar

Apollo

Company was awarded vehicle systems which

exploration

flights.

with both the Among other

beyond

These

the

studies

initial

transportation systems for a lunar landing immediate return for three men, a thirty-day on the moon for three base to accommodate

MSFC

tested

flight

the

vehicle

men, and a permanent 10 to 12 men.

S-IV

May

dummy

20-25,

1961.

testing the Center began to shipment to Cape Canaveral.

During June construction test site neared completion Sacramento LOX

the site storage S-IV

Test

facilities includes tanks hardware

stage

Facility

the

from

moon

the

SA-1

successful stage

for

Utilizing

earlier

two 90,000-gallon and test stands a

and stay

of the liquid hydrogen at Douglas Aircraft's (SACTO).

existing

under

for

After

ready

51

included

variety

programs,

liquid capable of

hydrogen of testing conditions. 52

20

510 Model ol the RLIO-A-3 engine 52, Testing o[ dummy S-IV stage

MAY 53

Engine

gimbal

April and increasing

ture --4"

54

of the

in the booster. the control S-I

was modified tests were ator

performed

at

MSFC

stage

To investigate engine support

of the

and a series

dynamic

1961

during

May had indicated the advisability the stiffness of the engine control

port structure matter further,

t,

tests

- JUNE

of supthis struc-

test

vehicle

of single-engine

gimbal

begun on May 29, 1961. As test results of marginal satisfaction, a new type of actuservo valve was installed. Further test

results

were

was moved and, for dummy vehicle

satisfactory.

to the dynamic the first time,

The

dummy

test stand vertically

S-IV and S-V stages. was then readied for

booster

early in June mated with

The dynamic

assembled testing.

24

During May and June 1961 Douglas Aircraft had continued fabrication of full-scale mockups of S-IV • t .L_ _

stage

_L-_._

sections.

the mating determine 53. Sacramento test facility 54° Dummy Saturn vehicle in dynamic test stand 56,

55. Forward

Tail Area interstage

mockup mock-

up

These

of different equipment

mockups sections locations.

are

used

of the

55

to check

stage

and

to

56

11 I

/

On June 2 a lock collapsed the Tennessee River. traffic trapped

was

halted.

in the upper

port the booster dam. There barge

to continue

at the Wheeler All movement

Because river,

g

the

MSFC

Dam on of river

Palaemon

decided

in it overland to a point below the stage would be reloaded the

trip

support this plan MSFC which had been mothballed

to Cape

was

to trans-

Canaveral.

the on To

obtained a Navy barge at Pensacola, Florida.

21

,

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

Necessary

modifications

barge, renamed S-I and dummy On June Canaveral

to NASA.

ance testing booster began

unit,

accomplished

that

the

new

could carry the dummy payload.

2s In Huntsville

final

Cape and

accept-

was

the

mechanical

containing

mating

stage. Design workfor also continued at MSFC.

15, 1961, a mockup portion of the vehicle

would Saturn

so

of the S-I stage for the first flight on June 12, 1961. The first opera-

the S-IV dummy Saturn vehicles June unit

began

the Compromise, S-IV stages and

5, 1961, Launch Complex 34 at was dedicated in a brief ceremony

turnedover

tion

CHRONOLOGY

57

of the new instrument was completed; this

guidance

fly above the C-1 vehicles.

of

later On

and

upper

instrumentation,

stages

of the

last

five

58

59

57. The barge Compromise 58, Launch Complex 34 59. Launch Complex 34, blockhouse interior 60. Instrument unit mockup 6O

I

Iit.._

I

-_,

On June

21 Phase

began.

Four

Phase

II meeting

After

a meeting

directed

II procurement

companies

at MSFC held

of the

were and

in June

that the S-IV stage

invited submit

with

von Braun

announced

engineering design would be discontinued;

be redesigned

directed Nova 22

toward concepts.

on June

stage the

proposals.

Douglas,

porate chilldown venting through which ed hydrogen gas could be disposed. Dr.

S-II

to attend

MSFC to incor-

accumulat-

23 that

further

work on the C-2 configuration effort would instead be re-

clarification Capabilities

of the of the

Saturn

C-3

proposed

and C-3

JUNE

- JULY 62

6!

61. 62, 63 64°

1961

Comparison of Saturn Possible Nova Con[igurations Proposed C-3/Apollo con[iguration Installation o[ SA-:T2 on static test stand 63

configuration in supporting would be determined. On June (the

27 the first

SA-T1

of the

64

booster

SA-2

complished 30-second

static

the

test

of the

modified

booster

Apollo

SA-T2

to the

stage)

was

mission

booster

configuration

successfully

ac-

at MSFC. This was an eight-engine, test to confirm effectiveness of the new

actuator servo valve trol engine support

and the structure.

During

in June

the last week

to Chrysler

Corporation

in the same

of a facility

a contract

of the

of quali-

testing on various engine, and structural components Another contractwas

month

to static

con-

was awarded

for performance

fication and reliability hydraulic, mechanical, of the Saturn booster. awarded

stiffening 26

for

test

preliminary

the

J-2

design

engine.

"1_

To commemorate Space the

Flight

Center

the first Center,

on July

anniversary

of Marshall

open

was

an 1,

1961.

house

Attending

held

were

at

such

national figures as the NASA Administrator, James Webb; the Director of NASA Launch Vehicle Programs, ous

Major

other

A few days

General

national, later

Don Ostrander; state,

dynamic

and testing

and

local

numer-

dignitaries.

of SA-D1

began

for the purpose of investigating the bending modes of the vehicle and also to continue studies into tank resonances

initiated

by Langley

Research

Center

23

SATURN

ILLUSTRATED

during

June.

While

MSFC, Rocketdyne tests of a complete build up to 1.5 fected. Early

in July

CHRONOLOGY dynamic

in California F-1 engine.

million

pounds

MSFC awarded

polis-Honeywell

testing

for

proceeded

began static The engine of thrust

a contract

necessary

to study

vehicles

by

boosters" During second booster. reduce curtain

the

joining

with

feasibility

July MSFC successfully and third static firings 27 These tests evaluated engine structure materials, and

tion system

similar

when

vibration, checked

to that

used

per-

to Minneaand

Centaur guidAlso in July, to the Boeing

of creating

solid-propellant

liquid-propellant

65

firing would

engineering

manufacturing services to adapt the ance set to Saturn requirements. MSFC awarded a six-month contract Company

at

upper

huge

"superstages.

completed of the SA-T2 modifications evaluated out a LOX on SA-1.

the test to

66

flame depleDuring 68

67

•

24

'3.6

Rocketdyne,

a 189

88

188

First

from 189

Dougl_s Blockhouse

Saturn

SACTO during ante firing 190

190

_" hard,'are actl"