Encyclopedia Astronautica
Saturn Shuttle

Shuttle - Saturn 1C
Shuttle - Saturn 1C booster
Credit: © Mark Wade

In yet another iteration of shuttle design studies, $ 2.8 million contracts were given in November 1971 to Grumman/Boeing, Lockheed, McDonnell-Douglas/Martin Marrietta, and North American Rockewell. The development costs for the Phase B Prime contracts had still been over the Nixon administration's budget cap, and still further ways to reduce development cost had to be found. The studies were to run through 15 March 1972 and study lower cost booster concepts, one of them a Saturn V first stage modified to serve as a flyback booster. The studiy concluded that a Saturn S-IC flyback booster would need a wing with at least a 700 sq m area, would be powered by five F-1 engines and have a gross mass of 1.6 million kg. Staging would take place at 6450 kph. The vehicle would be reusable, except for the F-1 engines. The use of expendable engines was considered a drawback. The study assumed a series burn, with the shuttle orbiter igniting at altitude.

in: 1985 dollars. Flyaway Unit Cost $: 1,020.500 million.

Stage Data - Saturn Shuttle

• Stage 1. 1 x Saturn IC. Gross Mass: 2,286,217 kg (5,040,245 lb). Empty Mass: 135,218 kg (298,104 lb). Thrust (vac): 38,703.160 kN (8,700,816 lbf). Isp: 304 sec. Burn time: 161 sec. Isp(sl): 265 sec. Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft). Span: 19.00 m (62.00 ft). Length: 42.06 m (137.99 ft). Propellants: Lox/Kerosene. No Engines: 5. Engine: F-1. Status: Out of Production.

• Stage 2. 1 x Shuttle Tank. Gross Mass: 750,975 kg (1,655,616 lb). Empty Mass: 29,930 kg (65,980 lb). Thrust (vac): 0.0000 N ( lbf). Isp: 455 sec. Burn time: 480 sec. Isp(sl): 363 sec. Diameter: 8.40 m (27.50 ft). Span: 8.70 m (28.50 ft). Length: 46.88 m (153.80 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 0. Engine: None. Other designations: External Tank. Status: Out of production.

• Stage 3. 1 x Shuttle Orbiter. Gross Mass: 99,318 kg (218,958 lb). Empty Mass: 99,117 kg (218,515 lb). Thrust (vac): 6,834.303 kN (1,536,412 lbf). Isp: 455 sec. Burn time: 480 sec. Isp(sl): 363 sec. Diameter: 4.90 m (16.00 ft). Span: 23.79 m (78.05 ft). Length: 37.24 m (122.17 ft). Propellants: Lox/LH2. No Engines: 3. Engine: SSME. Other designations: Shuttle; STS (Space Transportation System). Status: In Production.

• Stage 4. 1 x Shuttle Orbiter OMS. Gross Mass: 25,200 kg (55,500 lb). Empty Mass: 3,600 kg (7,900 lb). Thrust (vac): 53.377 kN (12,000 lbf). Isp: 316 sec. Burn time: 1,250 sec. Isp(sl): 0.0000 sec. Diameter: 4.90 m (16.00 ft). Span: 23.79 m (78.05 ft). Length: 37.24 m (122.17 ft). Propellants: N2O4/MMH. No Engines: 2. Engine: OME. Other designations: Orbital Maneuvering System Pods. Status: In Production. Comments: Two pods, mounted each side of vertical stabilizer, provide propulsion for orbit insertion, maneuver, and de-orbit.

Status: Study 1972.
Gross mass: 3,161,710 kg (6,970,370 lb).
Height: 107.00 m (351.00 ft).
Diameter: 10.06 m (33.00 ft).
Thrust: 33,737.90 kN (7,584,582 lbf).

• USA USA More...

• None Indicates that the stage shown is a propellant tank. The engine on another stage is drawing propellants from this tank. Performance shown is for that of the engine on the other stage. First flight 1964. More...

• OME Aerojet N2O4/MMH rocket engine. 26.7 kN. Study 1972. Isp=316s. Engine used in Shuttle Orbiter Orbital Maneuvering System pods, for orbit insertion, maneuvering, and re-entry initiation. First flight 1981. More...

• SSME Rocketdyne lox/lh2 rocket engine. 2278 kN. In production. Isp=453s. Space Shuttle Main Engines; only high-pressure closed-cycle reusable cryogenic rocket engine ever flown. . Three mounted in the base of the American space shuttle. First flight 1981. More...

• Shuttle The manned reusable space system which was designed to slash the cost of space transport and replace all expendable launch vehicles. It did neither, but did keep NASA in the manned space flight business for 30 years. More...

• Winged In the beginning, nobody (except Jules Verne) thought anybody would be travelling to space and back in ballistic cannon balls. The only proper way for a space voyager to return to earth was at the controls of a real winged airplane. More...

• orbital launch vehicle Category of launch vehicles. More...

• NASA American agency overseeing development of rockets and spacecraft. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, USA, USA. More...

• Saturn IC Lox/Kerosene propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 2,286,217/135,218 kg. Thrust 38,703.16 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 304 seconds. Configuration as flown. More...

• Shuttle Orbiter Lox/LH2 propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 99,318/99,117 kg. Thrust 6,834.30 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 455 seconds. More...

• Shuttle Orbiter OMS N2O4/MMH propellant rocket stage. Loaded/empty mass 25,200/3,600 kg. Thrust 53.38 kN. Vacuum specific impulse 316 seconds. Two pods, mounted each side of vertical stabilizer, provide propulsion for orbit insertion, maneuver, and de-orbit. More...

• Shuttle Tank Lox/LH2 propellant rocket drop tank. Loaded/empty mass 750,975/29,930 kg. Vacuum specific impulse 455 seconds. Original version. More...