Author Topic: Apollo Block 0  (Read 6691 times)

Offline JoeFromRIUSA

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 261
  • Rhode Island USA
  • Liked: 100
  • Likes Given: 600
Re: Apollo Block 0
« Reply #20 on: 01/20/2022 04:08 pm »
(Jim mode /ON/)

Yes

(Jim mode /OFF/)
You wascally wabbitt

Offline DaveJ576

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 192
  • Norfolk, VA
    • Pigboats.com
  • Liked: 115
  • Likes Given: 640
Re: Apollo Block 0
« Reply #21 on: 01/23/2022 04:04 pm »
I was reading through the excellent L2 thread Saturn Launch Vehicle - Hi Res Images and came across the attached document from late 1963. It directly relates to this discussion. It seems as if NASA intended to fly a complete Block I CSM on the Saturn I. The obvious caveat was fuel and consumables. Mission duration was to be limited to three days and thus quite a bit of consumables could be off loaded to save weight. In addition, the document states that only 1300 lbs. of propellent would be carried, presumably just enough to perform the deorbit burn with perhaps a tiny bit to spare. Pages A-5, A-6, and table A-7 give the details. Given this, it seems as if there never would have been a "Block 0" Apollo.

The main thrust of the document is that it is recommending that manned flights on the Saturn I be canceled, as the Saturn IB offered a much more robust testing capability. This document was most likely the death call for manned Saturn I flights.

Also on the L2 Saturn thread, Ed Kyle states that Saturn I flights SA-8, 9, & 10 carried a new, lightweight, unpressurized IU that saved a little over 2000 lbs. of weight. This would have helped getting a CSM to orbit if they had decided to do so.

Obviously, all of this is predicated on the hope that the CSM would have no further weight growth after 1963.
« Last Edit: 01/23/2022 04:06 pm by DaveJ576 »
"We have a pitch and a roll program and man this baby is really going!"

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1