#sa-5

The S-IV stage of the Saturn I intended for SA-5 is being loaded onto the Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy, a modified Boeing B-377 Stratocruiser, for transport. It was manufactured at the Douglas factory in Santa Monica, California.

Date: 1963

SA-5 Saturn I Block II sitting on Launch Complex 37B, Cape Kennedy, Florida. This was the first flight of the Block II version and the S-IV second stage. SA-5 was launched on January 29, 1964.

View from the Blockhouse.

Date: November 1963 to January 1964.

NASA ID: 63-SA5-3, 63-SA5-4, 107-KSC-64C-2046, 4-1142

"Mockup of the first version of the Instrument Unit, to fly first on SA-5. The Instrument Unit is the dark cylinder with two circular holes. It sits on a white truncated cone that is the fairing that fits on top of the S-IV stage."

Date: 1961

Lift off of SA-5 Saturn I Block II from Launch Complex 37B, Cape Kennedy, Florida.

It was the fifth Saturn I launched and had a number of notable acheivements. It was the first of the Block II version, which had the S-IV second stage and it's debut flight. It was the first Saturn I rocket to achieve orbit, the previous Block I only had one stage.

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It carried a Jupiter rocket nose cone instead of an Apollo boilerplate and placed in orbit an inert payload weighing 37,700 pounds, the heaviest object lifted to orbit by the U.S. at the time.

Date: January 29, 1964

NASA ID: 107-KSC-64C-PC-7, 64-01129, 4-1128-C, SAT-5-75, 107-KSC-64PC-11, 4-1430-C, 19650024284

(L-R): An unidentified (mostly obscured) individual, Senator George Smathers of Florida, Major General Chester V. Clifton (Military Aide to the President), President John F. Kennedy (back to camera), and Dr. Wernher von Braun.

President Kennedy is briefed by Dr. von Bruan regarding the Saturn I Block II rocket at Launch Complex 37B, Cape Canaveral, Florida.SA-5 on the pad at the time.

Date: November 16, 1963

NASA ID: ST-C-400-3, ST-C400-18-63, ST-C400-18-63, ST-C400-6-63, ST-C400-6-63

S-I stage (S-I-7) of the SA-7 launch vehicle during assembly in Bldg. 4705, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The S-I stage to the left for SA-5, (S-I-5).

Date: 1963

Workers installing H-1 engines onto the S-I stage for SA-5 at the main assembly building (bldg 4705), Marshall Space Flight Center.

Date: summer to fall 1962

Rocket diagram

Mission SA-5 was the first flight of the Block II variant and the first time the S-IV second stage was flown. It was powered by six RL10 engines burning liquid hydrogen.

The S-I first stage was improved for this flight. This was the first time the stage carried the full propellant of 750,000 lb (340,000 kg). Earlier flights were partially full due to fears of the rocket exploding on the pad. The Saturn I was the largest rocket at the time.

The S-I was also upgraded with eight fins to enhance control during atmospheric flight. The eight H-1 engines were upgraded to produce 188,000 lbf (836 kN) of thrust.

The payload, which consisted of a Jupiter nosecone and ballast. This flight was the first mission in the Apollo program to make it to orbit on January 29, 1964.