S-IC

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The S-IC (pronounced S-one-C[1][2]) was the first stage of the American Saturn V rocket. The S-IC stage was manufactured by the Boeing Company. Like the first stages of most rockets, more than 90% of the mass at launch was propellant, in this case RP-1 rocket fuel and liquid oxygen (LOX) oxidizer. It was Template:Cvt tall and Template:Cvt in diameter. The stage provided Template:Cvt[3] of thrust at sea level to get the rocket through the first Template:Cvt of ascent. The stage had five F-1 engines in a quincunx arrangement. The center engine was fixed in position, while the four outer engines could be hydraulically gimballed to control the rocket.

Manufacturing

File:Saturn V vehicle configurations.jpg
Saturn V configurations, including the S-IC-S, S-IC-C and S-IC-T test stages

The Boeing Co. was awarded the contract to manufacture the S-IC on December 15, 1961. By this time the general design of the stage had been decided on by the engineers at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The main place of manufacture was the Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans. Wind tunnel testing took place in Seattle and the machining of the tools needed to build the stages at Wichita, Kansas.

MSFC built two test stages (S-IC-S, the structural test "stage" which actually consisted of the various stage subassemblies but which was never fully assembled into a complete stage, and S-IC-T, the static test stage) and the first two flight models (S-IC-1 and -2).[4]

It took roughly seven to nine months to build the tanks and 14 months to complete a stage. The first stage built by Boeing was S-IC-D, a test model. Boeing also built a second test first stage, the S-IC-F stage[4]

In addition to the four test stages, NASA ordered 15 flight stages (S-IC-1 through -15) to support the initial Apollo program.[5] In July 1967, NASA awarded Boeing a contract to begin long-lead-time item acquisition (such as propellant lines and tank components) for the 16th and 17th S-IC stages. A full contract for the construction of S-IC-16 to S-IC-25 was drafted throughout mid-1967, but stages past S-IC-15 were canceled altogether in October of that year due to budgetary restrictions.[6][7] S-IC-16 to -25 would have been utilized for follow-on Apollo missions, including those from the Apollo Applications Program.

Design

The S-IC was composed of five major subsections.

The largest and heaviest single component of the S-IC was the thrust structure, with a mass of Script error: No such module "convert"..[8] It was designed to support the thrust of the five engines and redistribute it evenly across the base of the rocket. There were four anchors which held down the rocket as it built thrust. These were among the largest aluminum forgings produced in the U.S. at the time, measuring Script error: No such module "convert". long and weighing in at Script error: No such module "convert".. The four stabilizing fins withstood a temperature of Script error: No such module "convert"..[9]

The five F-1 engines were ignited in 3 staggered events, where the center engine was first ignited, followed by two outer engines, and then the remaining two outer engines. These three ignition events were separated by just 300 milliseconds.[5] This staggered ignition approach lessened the loads on the thrust structure, as an instantaneous ignition of all five engines would impart immense stress on the stage.

Above the thrust structure was the fuel tank, containing Script error: No such module "convert". of RP-1 fuel.[9] The tank itself had a mass of over Template:Cvt dry[8] and could release Script error: No such module "convert".. Nitrogen was bubbled through the tank before launch to keep the fuel mixed.[9] During the flight the fuel was pressurized using helium, which was stored in tanks in the liquid oxygen tank above. Both the thrust structure and fuel tank had alternating black and white paint, in order to monitor the vehicle's roll during flight.

Between the fuel and liquid oxygen tanks was the intertank. This contained propellant fill and drain lines for the liquid oxygen tank as well as a portion of the five liquid oxygen feed lines for the engines.

The liquid oxygen (LOX) tank held Script error: No such module "convert".. It raised special issues for the designer. The lines through which the LOX ran to the engine had to be straight (as any bend would slow the flow of LOX, which would necessitate even larger and heavier piping) and therefore had to pass through the fuel tank. This meant insulating these lines inside a tunnel to stop fuel freezing to the outside and also meant adding five extra holes in the top of the fuel tank.[9]

Atop the liquid oxygen tank sat the forward skirt, which connected the S-IC to the S-II stage and contained telemetry equipment and LOX tank vent lines.

Two solid motor retrorockets were located inside each of the four conical engine fairings. At separation of the S-IC from the flight vehicle, the eight retrorockets fired, blowing off removable sections of the fairings forward of the fins, and backing the S-IC away from the flight vehicle as the engines on the S-II stage were ignited.

The propellant tanks of the S-IC were manufactured from 2219-series aluminum panels, while the interstage, forward skirt, and thrust structure were built from 7075-series aluminum. The latter three sections also were corrugated with external stringers, providing additional structural support. The propellant tanks did not feature external stringers, as the tank pressurization provided sufficient rigidity.[5]

The S-IC also carried the ODOP transponder to track the flight after takeoff.

Stages built

Serial number Use Launch date Current location Notes
S-IC-T Static test firing Part of Saturn V display at Kennedy Space Center.[10] First all-up S-IC stage built, nicknamed "T-Bird." Assembled between 1963-1965. Completed at least 22 test firings between 1965 and 1967 in support of S-IC development and test stand activation.[5]
S-IC-S Structural load testing (had no engines). Scrapped after completing testing at MSFC.[5]
S-IC-F Facilities testing for checking out launch complex assembly buildings and launch equipment. Returned to MSFC for storage after testing, later scrapped.[5] Conducted propellant tank loading tests at LC-39A using Mobile Launcher 1.
S-IC-D Ground test dynamics model U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama
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S-IC-1 Apollo 4 November 9, 1967 Manufactured by MSFC.
S-IC-2 Apollo 6 April 4, 1968 Manufactured by MSFC; carried TV and cameras on boattail and forward skirt.
S-IC-3 Apollo 8 December 21, 1968 Script error: No such module "Coordinates". Manufactured by Boeing (as with all subsequent stages); weighed less than previously manufactured units allowing 36 kg more payload.
S-IC-4 Apollo 9 March 3, 1969 Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
S-IC-5 Apollo 10 May 18, 1969 Script error: No such module "Coordinates". Last flight for S-IC R&D Instrumentation.
S-IC-6 Apollo 11 July 16, 1969 Script error: No such module "Coordinates". One or more engines recovered by a team financed by Jeff Bezos.[11]
S-IC-7 Apollo 12 November 14, 1969 Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
S-IC-8 Apollo 13 April 11, 1970 Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
S-IC-9 Apollo 14 January 31, 1971 Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
S-IC-10 Apollo 15 July 26, 1971 Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
S-IC-11 Apollo 16 April 16, 1972 Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
S-IC-12 Apollo 17 December 7, 1972 Script error: No such module "Coordinates".
S-IC-13 Skylab 1 May 14, 1973 Engine shutoff changed to 1-2-2 from 1–4 to lessen loads on Apollo Telescope Mount.
S-IC-14 Unused Saturn V display at Johnson Space Center. Scheduled to fly Apollo 18 in 1974, never flew.[5]
S-IC-15 Unused On display at Michoud Assembly Facility until June 2016 then preserved at INFINITY Space Center in Mississippi. Originally intended to fly Apollo 19 in 1974. Designated but never used as a backup Skylab launch vehicle.[5]
S-IC-16 Never completed Assembly canceled during long-lead item procurement.[5]
S-IC-17 Never completed Assembly canceled during long-lead item procurement.[5]

Proposed variants

Besides the version flown as the Saturn S-IC stage, other versions were proposed for several vehicle concepts:[12]

Saturn S-IC-8

A 1960 study with eight F-1 engines, intended for the Saturn C-8.[13]

Saturn IC C-3B

A 1961 study with five F-1 engines, intended for the Saturn C-3B and Saturn C-3BN.[14]

Saturn IC C-4B

A 1961 study with five F-1 engines, intended for the Saturn C-4B.[15]

Saturn IC C-5A

A 1961 study with five F-1 engines, intended for the Saturn C-5 and Saturn C-5N.[16]

Saturn IC-Flat Bulkhead

A 1965 study, featuring reduced length and structural weight.[17]

Saturn S-IC-TLB stage

A 1967 study with two F-1 engines for a reusable booster, intended for the Saturn S-IC-TLB.[18]

Saturn S-ID Sustainer-1

A 1967 study with a single F-1 engine for a "stage and a half" booster/sustainer stage configuration.[19]

Saturn S-ID Booster

A 1968 study with a four F-1 engine for a "stage and a half" recoverable booster, intended for the Saturn V-B, Saturn V-C, and Saturn V-D.[20]

Saturn S-ID Sustainer

A 1968 study with a single F-1 engine for a "stage and a half" booster/sustainer stage configuration, intended for the Saturn V-B, Saturn V-C, and Saturn V-D.[21]

See also

References

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  8. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  14. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  16. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

Template:Sister project

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