AS-101
The Saturn I launch vehicle carried its first boilerplate Apollo spacecraft into low Earth orbit on the 28th of May 1964. This flight designated AS-101 marked the sixth test of the rocket system. Engineers needed to verify the launch aerodynamics of the command and service module before sending astronauts. Previous launches used Jupiter nosecones which were a proven design for testing the rocket itself. The new boilerplate spacecraft BP-13 duplicated the size and shape of the actual crewed capsule. It weighed significantly less than a flight-weight command module but served as an accurate physical proxy. A dummy launch escape system tower attached to the top completed the mockup configuration. The primary goal was gathering data on how air pressure affected the spacecraft during ascent.
Three separate attempts failed before the rocket finally lifted off from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 37B. The first attempt stopped after liquid oxygen damaged a wire mesh screen during a test run. That damage caused fuel contamination that made ignition impossible. The second attempt halted when the guidance system overheated due to failure of an air conditioning compressor. Ground crews could not proceed until they fixed the cooling issue. On the third try, liquid oxygen vapors obscured an optical window in the instrument unit. A ground-based theodolite could not see the vehicle through the fogged glass. This camera was required by the countdown computer to confirm the rocket's position. Engineers deemed the visibility loss non-critical and reprogrammed the computer to allow the launch to proceed without visual confirmation.
The ascent proceeded normally up to 116.9 seconds after liftoff. At that exact moment engine number eight shut off early without warning. This shutdown had been planned as a test on previous flight SA-4 but occurred unexpectedly here. The rocket compensated perfectly by burning remaining fuel in the other seven engines for 2.7 seconds longer than scheduled. This adjustment kept the trajectory on course despite losing one power source. The first stage separated shortly after the anomaly resolved. The second stage ignited ten seconds later as planned. Ten seconds after that event the launch escape system jettisoned from the stack. Eight film cameras also dropped away from the first stage to observe separation events.
Engineers equipped the dummy spacecraft with 116 sensors to measure critical flight parameters. These instruments read strain, pressure, temperature, heat flux, and acceleration throughout the journey. The data provided insight into how air resistance affected the boilerplate shape. A flight-weight command module weighed around 5 tons while this mockup was lighter. The sensors allowed engineers to compare actual aerodynamic forces against computer predictions. George Mueller watched the launch alongside Wernher von Braun and Eberhard Rees from the firing room. They monitored the stream of numbers coming back from the instrument unit. The information proved vital for designing future crewed missions. Without these readings the team could not verify if the capsule would survive atmospheric stress.
The vehicle completed a total of 54 orbits before reentering the atmosphere east of Kanton Island in the Pacific Ocean on the 1st of June 1964. It continued to transmit data for four orbits after the second stage cut off at 624.5 seconds. That cutoff occurred 1.26 seconds earlier than predicted by ground controllers. Batteries failed after those initial four orbits ended. The spacecraft and upper stage remained in orbit until they burned up upon descent. The final crash site lay far out in the ocean waters. This long duration test allowed engineers to study orbital decay over time. The Saturn I had successfully placed its payload into space despite early engine trouble. The mission concluded with the debris sinking beneath the waves.
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Common questions
What date did the AS-101 mission launch?
The Saturn I launch vehicle carried its first boilerplate Apollo spacecraft into low Earth orbit on the 28th of May 1964. This flight designated AS-101 marked the sixth test of the rocket system.
Where did the AS-101 reenter the atmosphere?
The vehicle completed a total of 54 orbits before reentering the atmosphere east of Kanton Island in the Pacific Ocean on the 1st of June 1964. It continued to transmit data for four orbits after the second stage cut off at 624.5 seconds.
Why did engineers use a dummy spacecraft for the AS-101 flight?
Engineers needed to verify the launch aerodynamics of the command and service module before sending astronauts. The new boilerplate spacecraft BP-13 duplicated the size and shape of the actual crewed capsule while weighing significantly less than a flight-weight command module.
How many sensors equipped the dummy spacecraft during the AS-101 mission?
Engineers equipped the dummy spacecraft with 116 sensors to measure critical flight parameters. These instruments read strain, pressure, temperature, heat flux, and acceleration throughout the journey.
What caused the first two failed attempts of the AS-101 launch?
The first attempt stopped after liquid oxygen damaged a wire mesh screen during a test run which caused fuel contamination that made ignition impossible. The second attempt halted when the guidance system overheated due to failure of an air conditioning compressor.