S-I
The S-I stage carried eight H-1 rocket engines burning RP-1 fuel with liquid oxygen as oxidizer. A central Jupiter tank held the liquid oxygen while eight Redstone tanks surrounded it. Four of these Redstone tanks contained liquid oxygen and four contained RP-1. The outer tanks were painted to alter thermal conditions inside the tanks. This paint also provided a roll pattern used to estimate radial motion during flight. Engineers arranged the engines in two clusters. A group of four fixed central engines sat alongside a group of four outer gimbaled engines. The gimbals allowed the stage to be controlled with thrust vectoring.
Chrysler developed the first stage by repurposing existing rocket components. The S-I consisted of 9 tanks that were previously used on existing rockets. Tensions were high as a launch vehicle of this size had never flown before. The initial launch of the Saturn I included an active S-I, an inactive S-IV and inactive S-V stage. The S-I was partially loaded with propellant to lessen the destruction if an anomaly occurred near or on the pad. The first four launches had no fins on the S-I. The remaining six added them to improve stability during atmospheric flight. John F. Kennedy identified the SA-5 launch as the one that put the U.S. above the USSR in terms of lift capability.
The first test flight occurred on the 27th of October 1961 at 15:06:04 UTC. This Block I mission reached an apogee of 136.5 km with a mass of 115,700 lb. A second test flight took place on the 25th of April 1962 at 14:00:34 UTC. Engineers released 86,000 kg of water at an apogee of 145 km as part of Project Highwater. The third test flight happened on the 16th of November 1962 at 17:45:02 UTC. It also released 86,000 kg of water at an apogee of 167 km. The fourth test flight launched on the 28th of March 1963 at 20:11:55 UTC and reached an apogee of 129 km.
The SA-5 launch on the 29th of January 1964 marked the first time the vehicle achieved orbit. This Block II mission placed a payload into an orbit of 760 x 264 km. The next launch occurred on the 28th of May 1964 at 17:07:00 UTC. It carried the first Apollo boilerplate Command and Service Module into an orbit of 204 x 179 km. A second Apollo boilerplate CSM flew on the 18th of September 1964 at 16:22:43 UTC. The third Apollo boilerplate CSM launched on the 16th of February 1965 at 14:37:03 UTC. This mission deployed the first Pegasus micrometeoroid satellite into an orbit of 523 x 430 km.
A fourth Apollo boilerplate CSM launched on the 25th of May 1965 at 07:35:01 UTC. This was the only night launch for the Saturn I program. It carried a second Pegasus micrometeoroid satellite into an orbit of 594 x 467 km. The final test flight occurred on the 30th of July 1965 at 13:00:00 UTC. This mission deployed a third Pegasus micrometeoroid satellite into an orbit of 567 x 535 km. The S-I stage served as the foundation for early Apollo testing before more powerful rockets took over.
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Common questions
What engines did the S-I stage use for propulsion?
The S-I stage carried eight H-1 rocket engines burning RP-1 fuel with liquid oxygen as oxidizer. Engineers arranged these engines in two clusters consisting of four fixed central engines and four outer gimbaled engines.
When was the first test flight of the Saturn I rocket?
The first test flight occurred on the 27th of October 1961 at 15:06:04 UTC. This Block I mission reached an apogee of 136.5 km with a mass of 115,700 lb.
Who developed the first stage of the Saturn I rocket?
Chrysler developed the first stage by repurposing existing rocket components. The S-I consisted of 9 tanks that were previously used on existing rockets.
Which launch marked the first time the Saturn I achieved orbit?
The SA-5 launch on the 29th of January 1964 marked the first time the vehicle achieved orbit. This Block II mission placed a payload into an orbit of 760 x 264 km.
What was the purpose of Project Highwater during Saturn I flights?
Engineers released 86,000 kg of water at specific apogees as part of Project Highwater to study upper atmospheric conditions. This procedure occurred during the second and third test flights in April and November 1962.