APPENDIX 7

Apollo Launch Vehicle Family

Little Joe II

Configuration:

Single stage test vehicle powered by Algol solid-propellant motors. Recruit rocket motors were used as booster motors, to supplement liftoff thrust.

Mission:

The Little Joe II test launch vehicle, under construction during the period of this volume, was to be used to man-rate the launch escape system for the command module.

Saturn C-1 (renamed Saturn I)

Configuration:

S-1 booster (eight H-1 engines, clustered, producing 1.5 million pounds of thrust); S-IV second stage (four engines using liquid-hydrogen and liquid-oxygen propellants and producing 80,000 pounds of thrust); and S-V third stage (two engines of the type used in the S-IV stage, producing 40,000 pounds of thrust). The LR-119 engine (17,500 pounds of thrust), an uprated version of the LR-115 engine (15,000 pounds of thrust), was selected to be used in the S-IV and S-V stages. On March 29, 1961, NASA approved a change to six LR-115 engines on the S-IV stage. On June 1, 1961, NASA announced that the S-V had been dropped from the configuration.

Mission:

Two successful launches of the Saturn C-1 took place during the period covered by this volume. Later launches would test boilerplate Apollo command and service modules under flight conditions.

Saturn C-1B (renamed Saturn IB or Uprated Saturn I)

Configuration:

S-IB booster (eight uprated H-1 engines, clustered, producing 1.6 million pounds of thrust); and S-IVB second stage (one J-2 engine, producing 200,000 pounds of thrust).

Mission:

On July 11, 1962, NASA announced that the Saturn C-1B would be used to launch unmanned and manned Apollo spacecraft into earth orbit.

Saturn C-2

Four-stage configuration:

S-I booster (same as booster stage of the Saturn C-1); S-II second stage (not defined); S-IV third stage (same as Saturn C-1 second stage); and S-V fourth stage (same as Saturn C-1 third Stage).

Three-stage configuration:

S-I booster (same as booster stage of the Saturn C-1); S-II second stage (not defined); and S-IV third stage (same as Saturn C-1 second stage).

History:

Plans for the Saturn C-2 were canceled in June 1961 in favor of the proposed Saturn C-3.

Saturn C-3

Configuration:

Booster stage (two F-1 engines, producing 3 million pounds of thrust); second stage (four J-2 engines, producing 800,000 pounds of thrust); and S-IV third stage (same as Saturn C-1 second stage).

History:

Plans for the Saturn C-3 were canceled in favor of a more powerful launch vehicle.

Saturn C-4

Configuration:

Booster stage (four F-1 engines, clustered, producing 6 million pounds of thrust); second stage (four J-2 engines, producing 800,000 pounds of thrust).

History:

The Saturn C-4 was briefly considered in planning for the advanced Saturn launch vehicle but was rejected in favor of the Saturn C-5.

Saturn C-5 (renamed Saturn V)

Configuration:

S-IC booster (five F-1 engines, clustered, producing 7.5 million pounds of thrust); S-II second stage (five J- 2 engines, producing 1 million pounds of thrust); and the S-IVB third stage (one J-2 engine, producing 200,000 pounds of thrust).

Mission:

The Saturn C-5 was selected by NASA in December 1961 as the launch vehicle to be used in accomplishing the lunar landing mission.

Saturn C-8

Configuration:

First stage (eight F-1 engines, clustered, producing 12 million pounds of thrust); second stage (eight J-2 engines, producing 1.6 million pounds of thrust); and third stage (one J-2 engine, producing 200,000 pounds of thrust).

History:

The Saturn C-8 was briefly considered for the direct ascent lunar landing mission during the selection of the lunar landing mode. It was rejected in favor of the Saturn C-5 which would be used in the lunar orbit rendezvous mission.

Nova

Configuration:

Several configurations were proposed during the period of this volume. All were based on the use of the F-1 engine in the first stage. One typical configuration was: first stage (eight F-1 engines. clustered, producing 12 million pounds of thrust); second stage (four liquid-hydrogen M-l engines, producing 4.8 million pounds of thrust); third stage (one J-2 engine, producing 200,000 pounds of thrust). Nuclear upper stages were also proposed.

Mission:

The Nova was intended for use in a direct ascent lunar landing mission.