When did NASA begin designing the Nova rocket?
NASA began designing its first large launch vehicle under the name Nova in 1958. The team presented these initial concepts to President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the 27th of January 1959.
Questions about Nova (NASA rocket)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why was the Nova rocket program canceled instead of Saturn V?
The main determinant in selecting Saturn over Nova was that the C-5 could be built in an existing factory outside New Orleans known as the Michoud Assembly Facility. Larger diameter Nova rockets would require entirely new factories to be constructed and funding became considerably less than expected by 1964.
What were the engine specifications for the Nova C8 concept stage one?
The Nova C8 concept first stage contained eight F-1 engines burning liquid oxygen and kerosene. Vacuum thrust from this first stage reached roughly 7.6 million pounds with a burn time lasting 157 seconds.
How much payload could the post-Apollo Nova designs deliver to Low Earth Orbit?
These launchers were planned for delivery by 1977 with payloads up to 140 tons delivered to Low Earth Orbit. Martin's smallest design used fourteen F-1s in the first stage to achieve a LEO payload of 140 tons.
Which organizations submitted proposals for the second series of Nova design studies?
General Dynamics and Martin Marietta submitted proposals while Philip Bono at Douglas Aircraft sent unsolicited ideas. These launchers were studied under contract by major aerospace companies without major Apollo contracts.