S-IB

Specifications

• Height: 80.17 ft
• Diameter: 21.42 ft
• Number of fins: 8
• Finspan: 39.42 ft
• Engines: 8 Rocketdyne H-1
• Thrust: 1,600,000 lbf
• Fuel: RP-1 (Refined kerosene) 41,000 US gal (155 m3)
• Oxidizer: Liquid oxygen (LOX) 66,277 US gal (251 m3) nominal capacity including 1.5% ullage volume (43,284 US gal / 163 m3 in four outer tanks plus 22,993 US gal / 87 m3 in center tank)
• Burn time: 2.5 min
• Burnout altitude: 37 nmi

Stages built

Apollo flights:

• S-IB-1: Launched 2/26/1966 on suborbital AS-201 mission.
• S-IB-3: Launched 7/5/1966 as AS-203 orbital test mission.
• S-IB-2: Launched 8/25/1966 on suborbital AS-202 test mission.
• S-IB-4: Launched 1/22/1968 on Apollo 5 orbital mission.
• S-IB-5: Launched 10/11/1968 on crewed Apollo 7 orbital mission.

Post-Apollo Flights:

• S-IB-6: Launched 5/25/1973 on Skylab-2 orbital mission.
• S-IB-7: Launched 7/23/1973 on Skylab-3 orbital mission.
• S-IB-8: Launched 11/16/1973 on Skylab-4 orbital mission.
• S-IB-10: Launched 7/15/1975 on ASTP orbital mission.

Hardware Not Flown:

• S-IB-9: Stacked on MLP ready to fly as Skylab backup. Now on display at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
• S-IB-11: Flight not assigned. Displayed vertically at Alabama Welcome Center until late 2023, when it was dismantled due to weathering.
• S-IB-12: Flight not assigned. Presumed scrapped at Marshall Space Flight Center in late 1970s.
• S-IB-13: Hardware scrapped.
• S-IB-14: Hardware scrapped.
• S-IB-15: Not built, cancelled by NASA in 1968.
• S-IB-16: Not built, cancelled by NASA in 1968.

Proposed variants

Besides the version flown as the Saturn IB stage, other versions were proposed for several vehicle concepts:

Saturn S-IB-2

The S-IB-2 stage was studied in 1960 to power the Saturn C-3. It was planned to be larger (with a height of 34.50 m and a diameter of 8.25 m), powered by two F-1 engines developing 3 e6lbf of thrust, with a fueled mass of 1.6 e6lb.

Saturn S-IB-4

The S-IB-4 stage was studied in 1960 to power the Saturn C-4, using four F-1 engines.

Saturn S-IB-A

The S-IB-A stage was studied in 1965 to power the Saturn IB-A and Saturn IB-B, using eight H-1c engines.

Saturn IB-11

The IB-11 stage was studied in 1966 to power the Saturn INT-11, Saturn INT-13 and Saturn INT-14, using eight H-1b engines and UA1207 solid boosters.

Saturn IB-15

The IB-15 stage was studied in 1966 to power the Saturn INT-15, using eight H-1b engines and Minuteman first-stage strap-ons.

Saturn S-1B-4

The S-1B-4 stage was studied in 1966 to power the Saturn INT-12, using four H-1b engines and UA1205 solid boosters.

References

References

2. Wade, Mark. (2001). "Saturn IB". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
3. (1972-09-30). "Skylab Saturn IB Flight Manual (MSFC-MAN-206)". NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center.
4. "Historic Alabama welcome center rocket dismantling begins".
5. "S-I stage".
6. "Saturn C-3".
7. "Saturn S-IB-2".
8. "Saturn S-IB-4".
9. "Saturn S-IB-A".
10. "Saturn IB-11".
11. "Saturn IB-15".
12. "Saturn S-1B-4".