When did Saturn I SA-1 launch?
Saturn I SA-1 launched on the 27th of October 1961, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. It lifted off approximately one hour behind schedule due to bad weather delays.
Questions about Saturn I SA-1
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was the purpose of the SA-1 mission?
SA-1 was designed to test the structure of the Saturn I launch vehicle during a suborbital flight. Only the S-I first stage was live; the two upper stages were dummies, reflecting NASA's policy of testing each rocket stage in separate launches rather than all-up testing.
How powerful was the Saturn I compared to earlier American rockets?
The Saturn I was three times taller than the Juno I rocket, required six times more fuel, and produced ten times more thrust. The Juno I had launched Explorer 1, the first American satellite, in 1958.
How did NASA transport the Saturn I stages to Cape Canaveral?
The Saturn I stages were transported by barge, the first time this method had been used for rocket stages delivered to Cape Canaveral. The barge, named Compromise, ran aground four times on the voyage due to poor nautical charts and struck a bridge on the return trip.
How high did SA-1 fly and where did it land?
SA-1 reached a height of 136.5 km and impacted the Atlantic Ocean 345.7 km down range from the launch site. The only deviation from a nominal flight was the engines cutting off 1.6 seconds early due to a propellant imbalance.
What odds did engineers give SA-1 before launch?
Engineers estimated only a 75 percent chance that SA-1 would lift off and only a 30 percent chance it would complete a nominal flight. They also thought some damage was possible even in a successful flight.