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Aviation History
1962
1962 - 2773.PDF
DGB& Pre-hunch view of the third Saturn C-l on the pad at Launch Complex 34, Cape Canaveral. In this launch (designated SA-3) a total of 1.3m pounds of thrust was generated by the S-l first stage; the two dummy upper stages contained 95 tons of water which was released at peak altitude in a scientific experiment Missiles and ballast in the upper stages of the third vehicle was to be released at the peak of the trajectory and the resulting cloud of ice crystals were to be observed and photographed. The third flight differed from the second in the following points (as stated by NASA prior to the launch):— 1. The booster will carry a full load of propellant—approximately 750,0001b instead of 620,0001b—and engine burning time will be extended by 30sec. The four inner engines will cut off about 140 sec after lift-off, and the outer engines about 7sec later. This should produce a maximum altitude of 104 miles instead of 85 miles, a range of 270 miles instead of 225 miles and velocity of 4,000 m.p.h. instead of 3,600 m.p.h. Flight time should be slightly more than 8min. 2. The rocket will accelerate more slowly because of the increased fuel load, and the flight will be a more demanding test of the rocket's control and propulsion systems. 3. An engineering model of the ST-124 stabilized platform which is to be a major component of the final C-l guidance system will be carried on the flight "strictly as an inactive passenger." This platform, located between the first and second stages, will be instru mented and its performance will be monitored throughout the flight, but it will have no control over the vehicle. 4. Two small plates or panels are mounted on the payload adap ter section above the inert third stage. This is a dynamic-pressure study conducted in support of the Centaur vehicle programme. Eleven measurements will be taken to determine the pressure ex perienced and the rate of build-up. A structural failure in this region is thought to have caused the explosion of the first Centaur vehicle. 5. The S-l retro-rockets which will be used in later ("Block 2") launchings will be tested on SA-3. The four solid-propellant retro- rockets, mounted on top of the first stage, will be fired about 12sec after cut-off of the inboard engines, but there will be no stage separation. 6. The booster engine cut-off sequence has been changed. Cut off previously was achieved by a timer, whereas on SA-3 the inboard engines will be cut-off by propellant-level switches, and the outboard Spaceflight THIRD SATURN LAUNCH On November 16 the National Aeronautics and Space Administra tion successfully launched a Saturn C-l space vehicle in a suborbital test from Cape Canaveral. This launch, designated SA-3, was the third flight test of the Saturn vehicle; previous firings were made on October 27, 1961, and April 25, 1962. This article outlines the SA-3 flight. The third Saturn C-l flight was scheduled to be similar to the two previous flights of this vehicle in all major aspects, with the addi tion of several new secondary objectives which in general were planned to contribute towards the development of later versions of the rocket. The primary mission of the first four Saturn C-l firings is to test the first-stage cluster of eight Rocketdyne H-l engines. Upper stages are inert and are ballasted with water to simulate the propellant weight. The Saturn C-l first stage will ultimately produce a total thrust of 1.5m pounds (188,0001b from each engine). In the SA-3 launch t iie engines are rated at 165,0001b each, giving a total of 1.3m pounds. Beginning with the fifth Saturn flight, a live second stage—the S-4, powered by six Pratt and Whitney RL-10 liquid hydrogen/ liquid oxygen engines—will be fitted to the booster. According to the present schedule the C-l Saturn will be ready for manned space 'lights, launching the three-man Apollo craft into Earth orbit, by late 1964 or early 1965. As in the case of the second Saturn firing, on April 25, the water
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