STUDY SUMMARY- IMPROVING THE UPRATED SATURN I

[luke strawwalker]

Here's an interesting study from the late 60's... by Chrysler Space Division, who were contracted to build the Saturn IB's at the time-- Improving the Uprated Saturn I.

There's a plethora of good information in the summary straight out of the study... explanations and justifications for the different approaches and configurations, and descriptions of possible missions and their performance capabilities for those missions.

Enjoy! OL JR

View attachment STUDY SUMMARY-- IMPROVING THE UPRATED SATURN I.txt

 

[luke strawwalker]

First, a liftoff shot of Saturn IB...


Second, the baseline existing Saturn IB vehicle...


Third, the different trade study variants/configurations... some with either a 10 foot or 20 foot tank stretch on the first stage...


Fourth, the trade study performance of the various configurations...


Fifth, the trade study performance of configurations using the Minuteman first stage as boosters...


More to come! OL JR

 

[luke strawwalker]

Continued...

First, trade study cost impacts...


Second, MLV-11.5 w/ 4 five-segment Titan SRM boosters...


Third, MLV-11.5A w/ 4 five-segment Titan boosters, with dummy segments on top to accommodate a 20 foot stretch of the core S-IB propellant tanks...


Fourth, MLV-11.7A w/ 4 seven-segment (Titan III-M) boosters, with a 20 foot tank extension to the S-IB first stage...


Fifth, MLV-13.7 w/ 2 seven-segment boosters, and a 20 foot core stretch...


More to come... OL JR

 

[luke strawwalker]

Continued...

First, MLV-14, w/ four Minuteman missile first stage motors added and a 10 foot tank stretch on the S-IB first stage...


Second, circular orbit performance of the various configurations with altitude variance...


Third, general space station applications...


Fourth, S-IVB orbital workshop (wet workshop) applications...


Fifth, payload variations for various high-energy (planetary) missions...


More to come! OL JR

 

[luke strawwalker]

Continued...

First, high energy mission performance with a Centaur third stage...


Second, geosynchronous orbit (GEO) performance without Centaur, using 3 starts of S-IVB...


Third, different GEO mission profiles...


Fourth, GEO performance WITH Centaur...


Fifth, "Voyager" performance to various planets with various configurations... historical note here-- the "Voyager" they're talking about was the REALLY impressive Voyager spacecraft to Mars, which was cancelled a few years later... then it was revived and considerably downsized and simplified into what came to be known as "Viking" which landed on Mars in 1976...


More to come... OL JR

 

[luke strawwalker]

Continued...

First, uprated Saturn I with nuclear upper stage performance...


Second, high energy mission performance of MLV-11.7A with upper stages...


Third, guidance and control diagram...


Fourth, MLV-11.7A mission profile...


Lastly, program options for upgrades and performance...


That's it for this study! OL JR

 

[luke strawwalker]

Well, there's one other thing...

One of the Chrysler Space Division people gave a speech to the Aviation and Space Writers Association in Las Vegas, which was written up as a Bellcomm memo (which some of these studies are also Bellcomm Memos...) on this very subject... it's worth including here...

Here's virtually the whole thing, in summary form... sorta the "Cliff's notes" of rocketry...

Enjoy! OL JR

View attachment SUMMARY- The Uprated Saturn I- Its growth potential and future role in space.txt