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  Saturn-1 photo information wanted

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Author Topic:   Saturn-1 photo information wanted
heng44
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Posts: 3413
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 11-09-2004 10:15 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for heng44   Click Here to Email heng44     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Can anyone help identifying this photo?

It appears to be a Saturn-1 first stage, but does anyone know where and when the photo was taken? I assume it is not at Cape Kennedy but perhaps somewhere at Marshall during one of the early tests?

Any help would be appreciated.
Ed Hengeveld

AlanLawrie
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Posts: 95
From: hitchin, herts, UK
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-09-2004 11:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for AlanLawrie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ed,

The photo is of the SA-T Saturn I test booster being installed in the East area static test stand at Marshall Space Flight Center in February 1960. The stage was then fired for the first time on 28 March 1960. There is a Saturn 1 first stage currently on the ground next to the stand (in poor condition) which I believe is the same SA-T booster. Alan.

heng44
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Posts: 3413
From: Netherlands
Registered: Nov 2001

posted 11-09-2004 02:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for heng44   Click Here to Email heng44     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Great! Thanks, Alan.

Ed

NASAVideographer
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posted 11-09-2004 03:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NASAVideographer   Click Here to Email NASAVideographer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hi Alan,

I work at the Marshall Space Flight Center and I am curious if the old booster out there is the SA-T booster. How would I be able to tell by looking at it?

James

AlanLawrie
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From: hitchin, herts, UK
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posted 11-09-2004 05:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AlanLawrie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hi James,

I looked at the booster earlier this year and there are no obvious identifiers. However I wasn't able to climb up on it so I couldn't see any s/nos of engines etc. If you get a ladder and look at some of the equipment on board you should be able to tell the date of manufacture. I have assumed the identity based on a process of elimination as I think I know where all the other Saturn 1 stages are except this one. Let me know if you get permission to look at it. Nobody I have spoken to at MSFC knows its identity. Now a question for you. As you are a videographer at MSFC do you have access to the film library there?

Thanks, Alan.

NASAVideographer
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posted 11-09-2004 05:40 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for NASAVideographer   Click Here to Email NASAVideographer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yes, I work for Marshall TV and I do have access to the film, video and photo libraries...there's a lot of neat stuff in there...

James

dtemple
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Posts: 730
From: Longview, Texas, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 11-09-2004 06:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dtemple   Click Here to Email dtemple     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by AlanLawrie:
Hi James,
I have assumed the identity based on a process of elimination as I think I know where all the other Saturn 1 stages are except this one. Let me know if you get permission to look at it. Nobody I have spoken to at MSFC knows its identity.

Alan, I thought all the Saturn I hardware still in existence was the Saturn I on display at Huntsville (with the exception of some leftover rocket engines). That example is a block 2. However, I would have sworn that years ago I saw a photo of a block 1 type on display there as well. Am I mistaken? What other Saturn I stages still exist? Any idea what happened to S-IB stages 212 through 214 or the S-IC from 500-F?

NASAVideographer
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posted 11-10-2004 11:03 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for NASAVideographer   Click Here to Email NASAVideographer     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Alan,

I sent an e-mail to the MSFC historian regarding that booster and this is what he wrote...

"As a matter of fact, some folks were out the other day looking at the same item. Test folks got a cherry picker and went on top of it to do some detective work. I will find out what they learned and relay it to you."

We may have an answer soon...

James

AlanLawrie
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Posts: 95
From: hitchin, herts, UK
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 11-10-2004 03:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for AlanLawrie     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
To answer the various points. There is a Saturn I on display within the grounds of MSFC (probably SA-D1). The Saturn 1 at ASRC is probably SA-D5. Both were dynamic test vehicles. S-IB-212, 213 and 214 were all built and installed with engines. I have photos of these stages. They were put in long term storage and their engines were transferred to the Delta programme. I haven't seen anything that positively says that they were scrapped but I did ask someone to search the warehouses at Michoud to look for them and he couldn't find them.

As for S-IC-F, the last record I have of it is that it was transferred from Michoud to MSFC on 29 September 1969 aboard the barge Poseidon.

James, I have contacted you via your e-mail on other Saturn topics.

Alan.

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