Saturn IB Totally Explained

Everything about The Saturn Ib totally explained

The Saturn IB was an uprated version of the Saturn I, which featured a much more powerful second stage, the S-IVB. Unlike the earlier Saturn I, the IB had enough throw weight to launch the Apollo Command/Service Module or Lunar Module into Earth orbit, which made it invaluable for testing the Apollo spacecraft while the larger Saturn V needed to send them to the moon was still being developed. The Saturn IB was later used for manned Skylab flights, and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. The final production run (such as Skylab launch vehicles) didn't have the alternating black and white tanks on the first stage that were hallmarks of the earlier runs.

Data

Parameter	S-IB - 1st Stage	S-IVB - 2nd Stage	Instrument Unit	Apollo Spacecraft
Height (m)	25.5	17.8	1.00	24
Diameter (m)	6.6	6.6	6.6	3.9
Gross mass (kg)	458,107	119,920	1,980	20,788
Empty mass (kg)	45,267	13,311	225	14,098
Engines	Eight - H-1	One - J-2	-	One SPS
Thrust (kN)	7,582	1,020	-	97.86
I_sp (s)	288	421	-	314
I_sp (kN·s/kg)	2.82	4.13	-	3.08
Burn duration (s)	150	470	-	635
Propellant	LOX/RP-1	LOX/LH2	-	N2O4/UDMH

Launch events

Launch Event	Time (s)	Altitude (km)	Range (km)
Ignition Command	-3.02	.	.
First Motion	-0.19	.	.
Liftoff	0.00	.	.
Initiate Pitch Maneuver	10.0	.	.
Initiate Roll Maneuver	10.0	.	.
End Roll Maneuver	38.0	.	.
Mach One	62.18	7.63	.
Max Q	75.5	12.16	.
Freeze Tilt	134.40	.	.
Inboard Engine Cutoff	140.65	.	.
Outboard Engine Cutoff	144.32	.	.
Ullage Rockets Ignition	145.37	.	.
S-IB / S-IVB Separation	145.59	.	.
S-IVB Ignition	146.97	.	.
Ullage Rocket Burnout	148.33	.	.
Ullage Rocket Jettison	156.58	.	.
Jettison LES	163.28	.	.
Start Pitch Over	613.95	.	.
S-IVB Cutoff	616.76	.	.
Orbit Insertion	626.76	.	.
Start S/C Sep Sequence	663.11	.	.
Spacecraft Separation	728.31	.	.

S-IB stage

The S-IB stage is an eight engine booster for Earth orbital missions. It is composed of nine propellant containers, eight fins, a thrust structure assembly, eight H-1 rocket engines, and many other components. The propellant containers consist of eight Redstone tanks (Four holding LOX and four holding RP-1.) clustered around a Jupiter rocket tank, which contains LOX. The four outboard engines can gimbal, meaning they can be steered to properly guide the rocket. This requires a few more engine components.
Specifications:
Height: 83.6 ft (25.5 m)
Diameter: 21.7 ft (6.6 m)
Number of fins: 8
Finspan: 18 ft (5.5 m)
Engines: 8 H-1 Thrust: 1,600,000 lbf (7.1 MN)
Fuel: RP-1 (Refined kerosene) 41,000 US gal (155 m³)
Oxidizer: Liquid oxygen (LOX) 66,000 US gal (250 m³)
Burn time: 2.5 min
Burnout altitude: 42 miles (68 km)

S-IVB stage

The S-IVB stage is generally identical to the Saturn V rocket third stage, with the notable exceptions of its interstage adapter, smaller auxiluary propulsion control modules, and its lack of an on-orbit engine restart capability. It is powered by a single J-2 engine, which is gimballed for flight control. This stage has a "common bulkhead," meaning that the propellant and oxidizer tanks share a bulkhead. This saved about ten tons of weight and reduced vehicle length over ten feet.
Height: 58.4 ft (17.8 m)
Diameter: 21.7 ft (6.6 m)
Number of fins: 0
Engines: 1 J-2
Thrust: 200,000 lbf (890 kN)
Fuel: Liquid hydrogen (LH2) 64,000 US gal (242 m³)
Oxidizer: Liquid oxygen (LOX) 20,000 US gal (76 m³)
Burn time: approx. 7 min
Burnout altitude (for Saturn IB): orbit

All Saturn IB launches

Saturn IB vehicles and launches

Serial Number	Mission	Launch Date	Notes
AS-201	AS-201	February 26, 1966	1st test flight. Sub-orbital Command/Service Module test.
AS-203	AS-203	July 5, 1966	2nd test flight. Test of SIV-B stage. Tracked 4 orbits.
AS-202	AS-202	August 25, 1966	3rd test flight. 2nd Sub-orbital Command/Service Module unmanned test.
AS-204	Apollo 5	January 22, 1968	Earth orbit unmanned test of Lunar Module. Launched on unused booster from Apollo 1. 36 orbits.
AS-205	Apollo 7	October 11, 1968	Earth orbit test. Crew: Schirra, Eisle, Cunningham. 163 orbits. Last launch from Launch Complex 34
AS-206	Skylab 2	May 25, 1973	First Skylab crew: Conrad, Kerwin, Weitz. 404 orbits. First launch from Launch Pad 39B using a Saturn V umbilical tower and a "milkstool" assembly to allow the rocket to be serviced using Saturn V launch tower and mobile service platform.
AS-207	Skylab 3	July 28, 1973	Second Skylab crew: Bean, Garriott, Lousma. 838 orbits.
AS-208	Skylab 4	November 16, 1973	Third and final Skylab crew: Carr, Gibson, Pogue. 1,214 orbits
AS-209	Skylab Rescue	1973, 1974	Skylab Rescue Mission. Not flown. Currently on display at Kennedy Space Center, with Apollo FVV spacecraft mockup. First stage engines and Apollo FVV service module replaced with fabricated duplicates in 1993-1994 due to severe corrosion.
AS-210	ASTP	July 15, 1975	Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, Crew: Stafford, Slayton, Brand. 136 orbits. Last Saturn IB flight.
AS-211	Unused. First stage on display with the S-IVB Battleship Test Stage stacked in a launch ready condition at the Alabama Welcome Center on I-65 in Ardmore, AL. Second stage, the S-IVB, is on display as a Skylab mockup at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, AL.
AS-212	Unused. Second stage, S-IVB, converted to Skylab space station.
AS-213	Only 1st stage built. Unused
AS-214	Only 1st stage built. Unused

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