Saturn V Propulsion Dave Mc Grath ACM Chief

Saturn V Propulsion Dave Mc. Grath ACM Chief Engineer February 18, 2010

Presentation Outline The Saturn V Vehicle Stage 1 Propulsion Stage 2 Propulsion Abort Propulsion Stage 3 Propulsion Lunar Module Propulsion Command Module Propulsion Saturn V in Comparison with Shuttle, Ares I and Ares V Future Directions in Exploration 2

The Saturn V Vehicle Formally approved as a project in 1961 (studies for certain parts as early as 1957) First flight in 1967 – Apollo 4 unmanned Last all-up flight 1972 for Apollo 17 14 total missions (3 unmanned, plus Skylab launch) 79 total rocket propulsion engines/motors Some references indicate additional attitude control engines on S-IVB stage (up to 8) – NASA manual does not list 10. 1 M total pounds of thrust for all systems 1. 072 M total pounds of thrust for all solids (21 motors total – “ATK” 19 motors) 3

Stage 1 – S 1 C - Boeing Prime contractor – Boeing Primary Propulsion – 5 F-1 engines from Rocketdyne LOX – RP-1 (kerosene) ~1. 5 M lbf thrust each 33 feet diameter by 138 feet long Staging propulsion – 8 TE-M 424 -6 retro from Thiokol Elkton 4

S 1 C Technical Details Dry weight: 288, 650 lbm Loaded weight: 5, 022, 262 lbm Operating Time: 2 min 42 seconds Separation conditions: 38 miles altitude, 6, 000 mph 5

The F-1 Engine - Rocketdyne Manufacturer: Rocketdyne Largest LOX/RP-1 single chamber engine ever made – 1. 5 M lbf thrust First full-up development test in 1959 Development started in 1957 for the Air Force Significant instability issues overcome in injector design 6

Additional F 1 Photos F-1 testing at AFRL Dr. Von Braun in Front of SI stage on display in Huntsville F-1 Engines at Rocketdyne 7

S 1 C Retro – Thiokol Elkton TE-M-424 -6 15. 2 inch diameter X 84. 3 inches long ~82, 000 lb of thrust for 0. 67 seconds 278 lbm of propellant (78% solids, 2% aluminum, polysulfide binder) 12 point star grain 506 lbm total motor weight Fully submerged steel nozzle Nozzle extensions put on by Boeing at installation Mounted in pairs under each outboard F-1 engine fairing Eight total used per flight 21 motor qualification program completed in 1965 8

Position of Stage 1 Retro Motors

Stage 2 – SII – North American Rockwell Prime contractor – North American Rockwell (started as North American Aviation) Primary Propulsion – 5 J-2 engines from Rocketdyne LOX – LH 2 230, 000 lbf thrust each 33 feet diameter by 81 feet long Staging propulsion – 4 TE-M-29 -X retro from Thiokol Elkton Ullage propulsion – 4 RS-U-601 from Rocketdyne Mac. Gregor, TX, later Hercules, then ATK 10

SII Technical Details Dry weight: 80, 220 lbm Loaded weight: 1, 060, 415 lbm Operating Time: 6 min 30 seconds Separation conditions: 117 miles altitude, 15, 300 mph 11

The J-2 Engine - Rocketdyne Manufacturer: Rocketdyne Largest LOX/LH 2 spacerestartable engine Isp = 421 sec, 230, 000 lb thrust Development started in 1960 Design updated by the Ares program as the J-2 X 12

Additional J-2 Engine Pictures 13

SII Retro – Thiokol Elkton TE-M-29 -4 9 inch diameter X 107 inches long 36, 250 lb of thrust for 1. 52 seconds 270 lbm of propellant (76% solids, 0% aluminum, polysufide binder) 5 point star grain 380 lbm total motor weight Mounted at the base of the stage Steel nozzle Four total used per flight Nozzle canted 9. 2 degrees versus straight baseline Recruit design 11 motor qualification program completed in 1965 14

SII Ullage – Rocketdyne Mac. Gregor RS-U-601 12. 6 inch diameter X 89 inches long 23, 000 lb of thrust for 3. 75 seconds 337 lbm of CTPB propellant 4 point star grain 488. 4 lbm total motor weight Phenolic exit cone with metal shell Four total used per flight 15

Launch Abort Propulsion 16

Main Abort Propulsion Contractor: Lockheed Propulsion in San Bernardino, CA Abort motor: 26 in dia, 186 in long 3, 162 lb prop, 4, 794 lb total 138, 300 lb thrust, 3. 3 sec 76% TS, 2% Al, polysulfide Pitch Motor: 8. 75 in dia, 22 in long 8. 9 lb prop, 49 lb total 2, 420 lb thrust, 0. 62 sec 76% TS, 2% Al, polysulfide 17

Tower Jettison Propulsion TE-M-380 26 inch diameter X 55. 6 inches long 31, 500 lb of thrust for 1. 1 seconds 205 lbm of propellant (78% solids, 2% aluminum, polysulfide binder) 10 point star grain 528 lbm total motor weight Dual steel canted, scarfed nozzle One total used per flight – normal operation or abort 21 motor qualification program completed in 1965 18

Stage 3 – SIVB – Mc. Donnell Douglas Prime contractor – Mc. Donnell Douglas (started as Douglas Aircraft) Primary Propulsion – 1 J-2 engine from Rocketdyne LOX – LH 2 230, 000 lbf thrust each 22 feet diameter by 59 feet long Ullage propulsion – 2 TX-280 from Thiokol Huntsville Used for LEO insertion burn and translunar injection burn 19

SIVB Ullage Motor – Thiokol Huntsville TX-280 -10 8. 3 inch diameter X 36. 3 inches long 3, 420 lb of thrust for 3. 81 seconds 58. 7 lbm of propellant (81% solids, 2% aluminum, polysulfide binder) 5 point star grain 88. 4 lbm total motor weight Steel nozzle Two total used per flight 13 motor qualification program completed in 1965 20

Lunar Module Propulsion Prime contractor – Grumman Primary Propulsion : 1 descent engine from TRW NTO/AZ 50 10, 500 lbf thrust Isp 305 sec 1 ascent engine from Rocketdyne NTO/AZ 50 3, 500 lbf thrust Isp 311 sec 16 RCS engines (4 pods of 4) Marquardt NTO/AZ 50 100 lb thrust Isp 290 sec Height ~21 feet, width ~14 feet, 31 feet diagonal on pads Weight 33, 000 lb 21

Pictures of Lunar Module Propulsion TRW Descent Engine Rocketdyne RS-18 Ascent Engine 10, 500 lbf thrust , 10: 1 throttle 3, 500 lbf thrust 6 degree gimbal Ablative nozzle to 16: 1, radiative to 48: 1 Isp = 311 sec Isp = 305 Propellant NTO/AZ 50 Propellant: NTO/AZ 50 Marquardt R 4 D RCS Engine 100 lbf thrust 16 on Lunar Module 16 on Service Module Propellants: NTO/AZ 50 Isp = 290 sec 22

Command Module Propulsion Prime Contractor: North American Aviation (later Rockwell, now Boeing) Propulsion: Rocketdyne Canoga Park, CA 12 thrusters for pitch, roll, and yaw control of the capsule during re-entry Rocketdyne SE-8 Command Module Thruster 93 lb thrust Propellants: NTO/MMH, Isp ~230 sec 23

Service Module Propulsion Prime Contractor: North American Aviation Primary Propulsion : 1 primary engine from Aerojet AJ 10 -137 NTO/AZ 50 21, 900 lbf thrust Isp 312 sec 16 RCS engines (4 pods of 4) Marquardt NTO/AZ 50 100 lb thrust Isp 290 sec Height 22. 5 feet, width ~13 feet Weight 50, 000 lb 24

Payload to LEO Comparison of the Saturn V with Shuttle and Ares I and Ares V 25

Future Directions in Exploration Back to the Moon? Initial target of the Constellation program Competition from China and India – both of which have stated manned mission goals to the moon Water found Helium 3 for fusion energy (~$1 B per pound) Other resources Asteroids? Potentially easier to get to Potential resources for water and minerals Mars? Part of the new NASA/administration long term goals Congress will have a say Strong bi-partisan support for Constellation 26

References AIAA 96 -3151 Thiokol Solid Rocket Motors on the Saturn V Launch Vehicle, Mc. Grath Wikipedia Various NASA websites NASA Apollo manuals – vehicle, spacecraft, Lunar Module, etc Rocketdyne web site Rocket Propulsion Elements, Sutton and Ross, 4 th ed. Boeing web site Aerojet web site National Air and Space Museum web site CPIAC – Rocket Motor Electronic Data (RMED) Base 27

Skylab Launch 28

Apollo 15 Photo 29

Apollo 17 – The last mission to the Moon – December 1972 30

Little Joe II – Altitude Abort Testing Little Joe II flown at White Sands One mission was a real abort Cluster of Algol motors provided main thrust 31