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Author
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Topic: Surviving Saturn V interstages on display
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sev8n
Member Posts: 234
From: Dallas TX USA
Registered: Jul 2012
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posted 12-07-2014 06:35 PM
  
As I'm sure many of you have, I've been to see all three Saturn V rockets on display at Kennedy Space Center, Johnson Space Center and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Noticeably missing (to me anyway) at all three displays is the presence of the interstage hardware. Did any of the interstages survive? If so does anyone know their location(s)? |
MB
Member Posts: 155
From: Olmsted Falls, Ohio U.S.A.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 12-07-2014 06:51 PM
Two of the interstages have been used at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville for (I believe) a Mars encounter exhibit/camp. They are located right beside the Pathfinder Space Shuttle outdoor exhibit. Interesting way to re-purpose the interstates. |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 12-08-2014 06:04 PM
In addition to the two Saturn V interstages, the cluster of buildings at the USSRC includes a Saturn IB interstage as well.The Field Guide lists another Saturn V S-IVB aft interstage in Puerto Rico. |
sev8n
Member Posts: 234
From: Dallas TX USA
Registered: Jul 2012
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posted 12-09-2014 12:15 PM
Are these recent sightings? I was at USSRC in 2012 and don't recall seeing them, they don't appear in my photos either...  |
MB
Member Posts: 155
From: Olmsted Falls, Ohio U.S.A.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted 12-09-2014 12:36 PM
Yes, I saw them in person in April 2012. The interstage sections that I'm referring to are just to the southwest of the Pathfinder space shuttle exhibit. If you look on Google Earth, you;ll see them just outside the sidewalk that goes around the shuttle exhibit. They are partially in the woods. Hope this helps you.
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garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 12-09-2014 01:29 PM
Do you mean the circular outer skins that covered the engines (until staging) or some other structure? |
sev8n
Member Posts: 234
From: Dallas TX USA
Registered: Jul 2012
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posted 12-09-2014 05:20 PM
Gary, I'm referring to the cylindrical structure between the S-IC and the S-II, and the conical section between the S-II and the S-IVB. |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 12-10-2014 05:57 PM
Google Maps.The S-II interstage is at left, with the white roof. The S-IVB is to the right. Nearly obscured in this view (but visible if you turn off the 45 degree view) is the Saturn IB S-IVB interstage, partly cut into to form a single building, along with the S-II interstage. |
Mr Meek
Member Posts: 353
From: Chattanooga, TN
Registered: Dec 2007
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posted 12-11-2014 07:33 AM
And off in the boonies of the west parking lot, in the field before you hit the bus shed, are two items that could be interstages. As I recall, one of them housed the centrifuge (or a portion of the queue) for a long time.It's also possible they belonged to one of the several test stages that ended its operational life at Marshall. Or they could just be junk. I've asked about them a couple of times, but haven't yet found a person who is certain of their origin. |
nasamad
Member Posts: 2121
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 12-11-2014 11:42 AM
For the life of me I can't remember where they were, but some interstages were fitted with roofs and used as storage sheds at one of the NASA facilities. |
sev8n
Member Posts: 234
From: Dallas TX USA
Registered: Jul 2012
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posted 12-11-2014 11:51 AM
quote:
Originally posted by mikej:
The S-II interstage is at left, with the white roof.
Left as in next to the "rocket garden"? Is this some sort of pavilion? I seem to remember walking through this and never realized it was based on the interstage. quote:
Originally posted by mikej:
The S-IVB is to the right. Nearly obscured in this view (but visible if you turn off the 45 degree view) is the Saturn IB S-IVB interstage, partly cut into to form a single building, along with the S-II interstage.
I remember a series of winding stairways leading to an observation deck in this area. Again, I climbed those stairs and never realized what they were. Thanks for all the replies, hopefully I will be able to return to USRCC some day. |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 12-12-2014 05:36 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Mr Meek:
And off in the boonies of the west parking lot, in the field before you hit the bus shed, are two items that could be interstages. As I recall, one of them housed the centrifuge (or a portion of the queue) for a long time.
I believe those items are an S-IC intertank and two forward skirts (the latter two stacked). Yes, they used to be in the area currently hosting the centrifuge ride (G Force???), but I don't know what was previously inside. |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 12-12-2014 05:38 PM
quote:
Originally posted by sev8n:
I remember a series of winding stairways leading to an observation deck in this area. Again, I climbed those stairs and never realized what they were.
Yes, the winding stairs and observation deck are to the left (south) side of the S-II interstage. |
Mr Meek
Member Posts: 353
From: Chattanooga, TN
Registered: Dec 2007
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posted 12-12-2014 10:17 PM
quote:
Originally posted by mikej:
I believe those items are an S-IC intertank and two forward skirts (the latter two stacked).
See, I kind of figured you'd have an idea, Mike. I agree, the intertank seems likely, though I didn't think about the other being two forward skirts stacked. Well spotted.So, the $64 question: Alan Lawrie's excellent book suggests that both S-IC-S and S-IC-F also ended their operational lives at MSFC. If it's S-IC hardware sitting there in the field, then they may have belonged to one of these stages. That's a particularly big "If" though. 33' in diameter, in fact. Alright, I'll stop before Robert has to toss this into its own thread. Back on topic: Anyone (Mike) remember the motion-base ride that was originally in the S-II/S-IVB building at the USSRC? |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 12-13-2014 06:05 PM
I don't "remember," as those are well before I started visiting the USSRC.Hab1.com has a couple of scans of brochures which show the stacked forward skirts: one (no, I don't know what the shorter cylinder is), two (scroll down to the second picture). They also have a scan of a "Lunar Odyssey" which seems to be in something that looks like the skirts, but the bottom one looks wrong and there isn't a round hole in the forward skirts today. Getting back on topic, they also have a scan of the interstages, apparently after the S-IVB interstage was converted to a building but before the S-II interstage had its current roof. It also shows Pathfinder sitting on the ground before being mounted on its external tank. |
sev8n
Member Posts: 234
From: Dallas TX USA
Registered: Jul 2012
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posted 12-23-2014 10:07 PM
Found these photos at historicspacecraft.com: 1 | 2 |
hotdog
Member Posts: 41
From: Chattanooga, TN
Registered: Dec 2011
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posted 12-25-2014 10:05 PM
"Lunar Odyssey" was the original name of the centrifuge. The name changed over the years, but the ride stayed basically the same. I think it's now called "G-Force".I'm not sure what "Mission To Mars" was originally, but previously it was a Space Shuttle-based ride called Shuttle Liner and took a large crew of visitors on a simulated Space Shuttle trip into space as if the cargo bay were outfitted like a passenger plane. Shuttle Liner ran from the early 1980s to the late 90's when it was turned into the Mars ride. It has been out-of-operation for several years. |
jdcupp
Member Posts: 45
From: Cookeville, TN, USA
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 12-26-2014 08:49 AM
In the late 70's, just before the USSRC "Shuttle Liner" ride (now Space Camp's Mars Mission) the S-IVB adapter skirt served as the dirt and vine covered home of a hermit (actor Art Carney) who cared for a post-apocalyptic rocket park in the movie "Ravagers", also starring Richard Harris. I remember visiting there during filming and being shocked at the poor condition of rocket park (not realizing it had been turned into a movie set). Another fun fact — the movie footage simulating spaceflight to a space station for the "shuttle liner" ride was clip from the James Bond "Moonraker" movie. Now that's trivia! |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 12-28-2014 07:30 PM
There are references to Ravengers in this thread (scroll down to the vine-covered F-1, and continued on the next page). |
Greggy_D
Member Posts: 977
From: Michigan
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 12-27-2015 12:05 AM
quote:
Originally posted by hotdog:
I'm not sure what "Mission To Mars" was originally, but previously it was a Space Shuttle-based ride called Shuttle Liner...
I attended Space Camp in July, 1984. I do not recall the "Shuttle Liner" ride at all. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-27-2015 01:15 AM
You can see a photo of the "Shuttle Liner" sign on this thread from the Ye Olde Rocket forum. |
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