This week in 1966, technicians at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center captive-fired the F-1 engine on a first run for about 40 seconds. The engine, developed by Rocketdyne under the direction of Marshall, was propelled by a mixture of RP-1, a type of kerosene, and liquid oxygen. The engine was used in a cluster of five engines to propel the first, or S-IC, stage of the Saturn V rocket. Each engine produced 1.5 million pounds (6672kN) of thrust. Here, the engine is tested on the modified Saturn IB static test stand at Marshall.
On June 7, 1966, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center successfully static-fired S-IC-2, the first stage of the second Saturn V flight vehicle. The stage was powered by five F-1 engines, each capable of producing 1.5 million pounds of thrust. The S-IC-2 was one of the first two flight models of the S-IC stage and was used on the Apollo 6 mission. Here, the S-IC-T, a static firing test stage, is installed and awaits the first firing of all five F-1 engines at the Marshall static test stand.
On May 16, 1967, the first stage of the Apollo 9 Saturn V rocket, S-IC-4, was acceptance fired at Mississippi Test Facility – now known as NASA Stennis Space Center. This was the first flight S-IC to be tested at Mississippi Test Facility. The S-IC stage of the Saturn V was powered by five F-1 engines, each producing 1.5 million pounds (6672 kN) of thrust. Here, the S-IC-5, employed on the Apollo 10 mission, is tested at Mississippi Test Facility. The Saturn V was designed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
Yes, it keeps the Alabama red clay from eroding into the plume pit during a heavy rain storm and filling it. When the next motor test occurs, with a filled pit, you get baked clay projectiles… The angle of the photograph doesn’t allow a view into the pit. It is actually a good bit longer than that perspective shows.
One of the capabilities required for landing on the moon was the ability to dock, and un-dock, two spacecraft in a controlled manner. This was first attempted during the Gemini VIII mission by command pilot Neil Armstrong (remember this name, it comes up in a later mission ) and pilot David Scott.
They successfully docked with the Agena target vehicle. After being docked for about 30 minutes, they were forced to abort the mission due to a build up of roll and yaw rates which the control systems of the two spacecraft were unable to control. The image below is of the Agena vehicle prior to the successful docking procedure, viewed from a distance of about 45 ft (13-odd meters):
PBS is broadcasting a three-night series on the moonshot. I was able to DVR the first two last night (third is tonight), so y’all might be able to catch all three even though I’m late giving the heads-up.
This is likely my last post on this thread until after the anniversary. Below is a link to a video montage of Armstrong and Aldrin on the surface. https://youtu.be/hxPbnFc7iU8
Fifty years ago, yesterday, the Apollo 11 crew successfully returned to Earth following their eight day mission to the lunar surface. Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, 13 miles from the recovery ship USS Hornet. Donning biological isolation garments before leaving the spacecraft, the crew went directly into the Mobile Quarantine Facility on the aircraft carrier, their home for the following 21 days.
) and pilot David Scott.
