The S-IV was the second stage of the Saturn I rocket used by NASA for early flights in the Apollo program.
Manufacturer | Douglas Aircraft Company |
---|---|
Country of origin | United States |
Used on | Saturn I (stage 2) |
General characteristics | |
Height | 12.19 m (40.0 ft) |
Diameter | 5.49 m (18.0 ft) |
Gross mass | 50,576 kg (111,501 lb) |
Propellant mass | 45,359 kg (100,000 lb) |
Empty mass | 5,217 kg (11,500 lb) |
Launch history | |
Status | Retired |
Total launches | 6 |
Successes (stage only) | 6 |
Failed | 0 |
First flight | January 29, 1964 |
Last flight | July 30, 1965 |
S-IV 100 series | |
Powered by | 6 RL-10 engines |
Maximum thrust | 400 kN (90,000 lbf) |
Specific impulse | 410 s (4.0 km/s) |
Burn time | 482 s |
Propellant | LH2 / LOX |
The S-IV was manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company and later modified by them to the S-IVB, a similar but distinct stage used on the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets.[1]
The S-IV stage was a large LOX/LH2-fueled rocket stage used for the early test flights of the Saturn I rocket. It formed the second stage of the Saturn I and was powered by a cluster of six RL-10A-3 engines. Each one of the engines supplied 66.7 kilonewtons (15,000 lbf) of thrust for a total of about 400 kilonewtons (90,000 lbf). The cryogenic LH2 (liquid hydrogen) and LOX (liquid oxygen) tanks were separated by a common bulkhead. The forward bulkhead of the LOX tank formed the aft bulkhead of the LH2 tank. This saved up to 20% of structural weight.[2][3]
Mission serial number | Launch date
(UTC) |
Launch notes |
---|---|---|
SA-1 | October 27, 1961
15:06:04 |
First test flight. Block I. Suborbital. Range: 398 km. Apogee: 136.5 km. Apogee Mass: 115,700 lb (52,500 kg). Dummy S-IV and S-V stages. |
SA-2 | April 25, 1962
14:00:34 |
Second test flight. Block I. Suborbital. 86,000 kg water released at apogee of 145 km as part of Project Highwater. Dummy S-IV and S-V stages. |
SA-3 | November 16, 1962
17:45:02 |
Third test flight. Block I. Suborbital. 86,000 kg water released at apogee of 167 km. Dummy S-IV and S-V stages. Second and last Project Highwater flight. |
SA-4 | March 28, 1963
20:11:55 |
Fourth test flight. Block I. Suborbital. Dummy S-IV second stage and S-V third stage. Apogee: 129 km. Range: 400 km. |
SA-5 | January 29, 1964
16:25:01 |
First live S-IV second stage. First Block II. First to orbit: 760 x 264 km. Mass: 38,700 lb (17,550 kg). Decayed 30 April 1966. |
SA-6 | May 28, 1964
17:07:00 |
First Apollo boilerplate CSM launch. Block II. Orbit: 204 x 179 km. Mass: 38,900 lb (17,650 kg). Apollo BP-13 decayed 1 June 1964. |
SA-7 | September 18, 1964
16:22:43 |
Second Apollo boilerplate CSM launch. Block II. Orbit: 203 x 178 km. Mass: 36,800 lb (16,700 kg). Apollo BP-15 decayed 22 September 1964. |
SA-9 | February 16, 1965
14:37:03 |
Third Apollo boilerplate CSM. First Pegasus micrometeoroid satellite. Orbit: 523 x 430 km. Mass: 3,200 lb (1,450 kg). Pegasus 1 decayed 17 September 1978. Apollo BP-26 decayed 10 July 1985. |
SA-8 | May 25, 1965
07:35:01 |
Fourth Apollo boilerplate CSM. Only night launch. Second Pegasus micrometeoroid satellite. Orbit: 594 x 467 km. Mass: 3,200 lb (1,450 kg). Pegasus 2 decayed 3 November 1979. Apollo BP-16 decayed 8 July 1989. |
SA-10 | July 30, 1965
13:00:00 |
Third Pegasus micrometeoroid satellite. Orbit: 567 x 535 km. Mass: 3,200 lb (1,450 kg). Pegasus 3 decayed 4 August 1969. Apollo BP-9A decayed 22 November 1975. |