Author Topic: Saturn I SA-5 Video  (Read 10138 times)

Offline Proponent

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Saturn I SA-5 Video
« on: 10/31/2008 08:30 am »
I found the following footage of SA-5 on YouTube:

 

I'm wondering what a few of the scenes are.  From 0:24, we see the inside of a tank; which tank is it?  Since it appears before the staging sequence is shown, I'm guessing it's a 1st-stage tank, maybe the central lox tank?

And what are we seeing at 1:26?  Something to do with staging, I presume.

At 2:19, there's another tank shot; S-IV LH2?

Online edkyle99

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #1 on: 10/31/2008 04:47 pm »

My guesses.

At 00:24:  S-I central LOX tank slosh camera view
At 01:26:  S-IV prestart LOX chilldown sequence (interstage)
At 01:37:  S-IV staging (interstage)
At 02:19:  S-IV hydrogen tank slosh camera view

Note also that one of the interstage blowout panels can be seen opening at about 01:04.  This helped vent the interstage during the LOX chilldown sequence.  Note that hydrogen chilldown started long before LOX chilldown.  Hydrogen chilldown was vented through a
pipe mounted on the outside of the interstage.

These videos appear to come from Spacecraft Films "Mighty Saturns".  Buy that DVD pair to see these and many other videos in higher definition.

 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 10/31/2008 06:34 pm by edkyle99 »

Offline EE Scott

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #2 on: 10/31/2008 05:43 pm »
I purchased Mighty Saturns - lots and lots of footage on that DVD!

One question: how did they insulate a camera such that it could operate in the midst of LH?
Scott

Online edkyle99

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #3 on: 10/31/2008 06:47 pm »
I purchased Mighty Saturns - lots and lots of footage on that DVD!

One question: how did they insulate a camera such that it could operate in the midst of LH?

If memory serves, they used an early version of optical fibers - a bundle of them - to "extend" the camera view into the tank even though the camera was outside the tank.  Quartz viewports were used with some cameras as well.  The camera was part of a recoverable pod system.  I don't immediately recall if the entire camera, or just the film, was ejected to parachute to the Atlantic for recovery.
   
Notice also that they had to light the interior of the tanks in order to film them.  Now, how do you light the interior of a liquid hydrogen tank?
 
 - Ed Kyle
« Last Edit: 10/31/2008 06:52 pm by edkyle99 »

Offline stockman

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #4 on: 10/31/2008 06:56 pm »
I purchased Mighty Saturns - lots and lots of footage on that DVD!

One question: how did they insulate a camera such that it could operate in the midst of LH?

Now, how do you light the interior of a liquid hydrogen tank?
 
 - Ed Kyle


Very carefully... ;)
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Offline Proponent

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #5 on: 11/03/2008 09:54 am »
If memory serves, they used an early version of optical fibers - a bundle of them - to "extend" the camera view into the tank even though the camera was outside the tank.  Quartz viewports were used with some cameras as well.

That's exactly what I recall too, from von Braun's popular book Space Frontier (not to be confused with the older title Across the Space Frontier, from the 50s).

Quote
The camera was part of a recoverable pod system.  I don't immediately recall if the entire camera, or just the film, was ejected to parachute to the Atlantic for recovery.

What I recall from Space Frontier is that it the whole camera was recovered.  The quartz-window versions, of course, were used to capture the famous engine-ignition and stage-separation shots.

By the way, which Saturn flights carried cameras?  I've now seen film from SA-5, AS-201 and AS-501, and AS-203 must have had cameras too, for the hydrogen experiment.  Any others?

Quote
Notice also that they had to light the interior of the tanks in order to film them.  Now, how do you light the interior of a liquid hydrogen tank?

Maybe by using those primitive fiber optics in reverse?

Offline ugordan

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #6 on: 11/03/2008 10:19 am »
By the way, which Saturn flights carried cameras?  I've now seen film from SA-5, AS-201 and AS-501, and AS-203 must have had cameras too, for the hydrogen experiment.  Any others?
IIRC, AS-503 had camera(s) onboard, there's recovered footage of LOX tank slosh though in poor quality. I don't know if there were other camera pods that weren't successfully recovered. AS-502 also had cameras, the famous S-IC drop and interstage separation footage is from Apollo 6. Hmmm, or was it Apollo 4?
« Last Edit: 11/03/2008 10:26 am by ugordan »

Offline dwmzmm

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #7 on: 11/03/2008 10:47 am »
By the way, which Saturn flights carried cameras?  I've now seen film from SA-5, AS-201 and AS-501, and AS-203 must have had cameras too, for the hydrogen experiment.  Any others?
IIRC, AS-503 had camera(s) onboard, there's recovered footage of LOX tank slosh though in poor quality. I don't know if there were other camera pods that weren't successfully recovered. AS-502 also had cameras, the famous S-IC drop and interstage separation footage is from Apollo 6. Hmmm, or was it Apollo 4?

I thought it was the Apollo - 4.  At least, Spacecraft's presentation of the Saturn's indicates it's this mission the S-IC drop and interstage separation footage came from the first Saturn - V flight.
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

Offline Hoonte

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #8 on: 11/05/2008 06:09 pm »
I've looked through some books I have and I think I found a drawing of one of those camera's
Drogues populaires www.viagrasansordonnancefr.com toxicose du medicament

Offline DarthVader

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #9 on: 11/05/2008 06:16 pm »
That's quite the neat set of footage there. Thanks Proponent for pointing this out.

Offline Zoomer30

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #10 on: 11/11/2008 01:06 am »
A quote from the LH2 tank camerman:

"Brrrrrrr" :)

Very cool video, NEVER have seen the inside of a tank with propellent in it. 

Offline luke strawwalker

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #11 on: 11/25/2008 03:00 pm »
I read about some of the camera pods either failing to seperate, or not being recovered for whatever reason (sank, lost, etc)  Pity because it's some of the coolest film footage of the entire space program!!!  I was rather disappointed that shuttle never had more cams mounted on it, until recently.  The SRB sep footage is amazing, as is the ox feedline hood footage from liftoff to orbit... SO cool!  Tank sep is amazing too!  I'd like to see the complete footage til the tank re-entry when the camera finally suffers signal loss or failure, but that'll probably never happen...  Too bad they never put a hardened camera pod on the side of the tank capable of surviving re-entry, as I'm sure the footage of the re-entering tank and how it disintegrates would be not only spectacular but rather informative as well...

Any ground based telescopic views of tank re-entry or stage re-entries out there anyone knows about??  Because of the remote locations and safety requirements probably not, but it would be fascinating nonetheless... I for one would like to know what size chunks end up coming down!  I recall reading on here that the S-IC hit the ocean tail-first due to the weight of the F-1's, so I'm sure that must have been a spectacular sight, and probably pretty interesting when the fairings and insulation around the engines hit the lower atmosphere tail first!  Any footage of S-II's coming in anywhere??  I bet that would be very interesting footage as well, or any other rockets for that matter! 

OL JR :)
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Offline Proponent

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #12 on: 12/02/2008 03:08 pm »
I looked at the video and noticed something else at 1:26.  Beneath each RL-10, there's a cylindrical frame.  It does not appear that the RL-10s are resting on the frames, so what is their purpose?

By the way, was any footage ever taken from an S-IC stage of the S-II igniting?  That's something I'd like to see.

Offline John Duncan

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #13 on: 12/04/2008 11:47 am »
There were supposed to be cameras on the S-IC heat shield watching the F-1's but I have never seen the footage.

I think I have seen an image of the installation of those camera ports but nothing on how it worked.

Offline Jim

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Re: Saturn I SA-5 Video
« Reply #14 on: 12/05/2008 12:46 am »
I looked at the video and noticed something else at 1:26.  Beneath each RL-10, there's a cylindrical frame.  It does not appear that the RL-10s are resting on the frames, so what is their purpose?


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