posted 04-16-2015 02:37 PM
Saturn historian Alan Lawrie reminded me that April 16, 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the first five-engine static test firing of the Saturn V's first stage, the S-IC. The test was performed in Marshall Space Flight Center's S-IC Static Test Stand.The S-IC-T stage, the static test article, was loaded, sans engines, into the test stand on March 1, 1965. MSFC photos 6520222, 6520223, and 6520225 document this effort. The engines were installed on the stage between March 27 and March 30 (not March 1, as indicated by the photo dates); MSFC photos 6521629, 6521634, and 6521876.
Preparations went smoothly, and two single-engine tests were performed on April 9 and another single-engine test was conducted on April 10. These paved the way for the five-engine test on April 16.
The test duration was 6.5 seconds (of a planned 7 seconds, although cutoff was initiated by the stage timer — a "programmed cutoff"). This test was performed two months ahead of schedule.
If you've visited the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in the last six years, you've probably stood in the flame bucket, under the F-1 engine, of the "The Force" exhibit. The accompanying video describes this first five-engine test.
In all, the "T-Bird" stage underwent 18 tests in MSFC's S-IC Static Test Stand. The first three flight stages were also tested at Marshall; the Mississippi Test Facility (today the Stennis Space Center) came online in time to test S-IC-4, and the remaining S-ICs were also tested there.
Today the S-IC-T stage is displayed as part of Kennedy Space Center's Saturn V display.
To commemorate, I've posted some photos of the S-IC Test Stand to my Website. You may also be interested in reading the S-IC Test Stand log book, also on heroicrelics.org.
posted 04-16-2015 02:37 PM
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