Saturn I SA-5

Saturn I SA-5

Wernher von BraunandJohn F. Kennedywith a model of the SA-5 vehicle on November 16, 1963, 2 months prior to launch
Mission type	Test flight
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	1964-005A
SATCATno.	744
Mission duration	791 days
Distance travelled	519,463,719 kilometers (280,487,969 nmi)
Orbits completed	~12,000
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Jupiternosecone and ballast
Launch mass	17,600 kilograms (38,700 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	January 29, 1964, 16:25:01(1964-01-29UTC16:25:01Z)UTC
Rocket	Saturn ISA-5
Launch site	Cape KennedyLC-37B
End of mission
Decay date	April 30, 1966(1966-05-01)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	258 kilometers (139 nmi)
Apogee altitude	741 kilometers (400 nmi)
Inclination	31.4 degrees
Period	94.61 minutes
Epoch	3 March 1964
Project Apollo Uncrewed tests

Saturn-Apollo 5(SA-5) was the first launch of the Block IISaturn Irocket and was part of theApollo program.In 1963,President Kennedyidentified this launch as the one which would place US lift capability ahead of the Soviets, after being behind for more than six years sinceSputnik.

Upgrades and objectives

The major changes that occurred on SA-5 were that for the first time the Saturn I would fly with two stages - the S-I first stage and theS-IVsecond stage. The second stage featured six engines burningliquid hydrogen.Although this engine design (RL10) was meant to be tested several years earlier in theCentaurupper stage, in the end the first Centaur was launched only two months before SA-5. This rocket stage was delivered to the Cape by a modifiedB-377aircraft, theAero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy.

Other major design change included the enlargement of the fuel tanks on the first stage. For the first time the rocket would carry its planned 750,000lb(340,000kg) of propellant and would use eight upgraded engines producing a thrust each of 188,000lbf(836kN). The first stage also featured for the first time eight fins for added stability during flight. As with the earlier flight the rocket would still carry only aJupiternosecone instead of aboilerplateApollo spacecraft.

Also the guidance and control computer on the rocket was positioned above the second stage. This was where it would be located onSaturn Vflights. The Instrument Unit controlled the ascent of the rocket through the atmosphere, automatically compensating for any winds or loss of thrust during the ascent.

For the first time in theApollo program,this flight would be an orbital mission. This was possible because of the upgraded first stage and the addition of the second stage. It would enter into anelliptical orbitand re-enter later as its orbit decayed.

President Kennedy referred specifically to this launch in a speech atBrooks AFBinSan Antonio,Texas, on November 21, 1963, the day beforehe was assassinated.He said:

And in December, while I do not regard our mastery of space as anywhere near complete, while I recognize that there are still areas where we are behind – at least in one area, the size of the booster – this year I hope the United States will be ahead.

Flight

Launch of the first Block II Saturn I (NASA)

The first scheduled launch attempt was for 27 January 1964, with all going well until 93% of theliquid oxygen(LOX) had been loaded into the first stage. At this time, the ground crews switched it from a fast fill to a replenish system. However, the LOX in the tanks began to fall, i.e., it was not being replenished. The cause was found to be a blind flange (a plate without an opening) in the line. This could not be removed easily and the launch had to be postponed for two days.

The second launch attempt had no such problems and lifted off into overcast skies at January 29, 1964, 11:25EST.Therocketsent back 1,183 measurements to the ground during the flight while at the same time it was tracked by six telescopes. For the first 1000 meters the rocket was filmed by 13 cameras that looked for anypitch, yaw, and rollmovements.

The separation of the two rocket stages was filmed by eight cameras that themselves separated from the rocket to be recovered 800 kilometers (430 nmi) downrange in theAtlantic Ocean.The whole stage separation system worked perfectly with the retrorockets firing on the first stage to decelerate it and ullage rockets on the S-IV firing to settle its fuel to aft of the stage.

After an eight-minute burn, the second stage entered into a 262-by-785-kilometer (141 by 424 nmi) orbit. At 16,965 kg (37,401 lb) it was the largestsatelliteever to go into orbit at that time. However, the achievement ofEarthorbit was not an objective of the mission but merely a bonus. It did show to the American public that the United States could buildlaunch vehiclesas large as those of theSoviet Union.

References

This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom websites or documents of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration.

External links

• Newsreel: President Kennedy inspects Saturn I SA-5 at Cape Canaveral LC-37BonYouTube
• The Apollo Spacecraft: A ChronologyArchived2017-12-09 at theWayback Machine
• NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive
• Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and OperationsArchived2011-03-18 at theWayback Machine
• NASA Apollo Mission SA-5Archived2016-12-17 at theWayback Machine
• Stages to Saturn