SA-500F
Encyclopedia
SA-500F was a dummy Saturn V
used by NASA
to test facilities at Launch Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center
on Merritt Island, Florida
during 1966. Tests included the mating of the Saturn's stages in the Vehicle Assembly Building
(VAB), the fit of the service platforms, the launcher-transporter operation, the propellant loading system, and the test connections to the mobile launcher and support equipment.
Its three stages duplicated the flight configuration, ordnance, and umbilical connections of their live counterparts. Although inert, the retrograde rockets, ullage rockets, and shaped charges had the dimensions of the live ordnance to let the launch team practice ordnance installation. The first stage only had one real F-1 engine, and the inter-tank section between the first and second stages had a different paint scheme than flight vehicles. It was stacked on Mobile Launcher 1 in VAB Bay 1 with the Apollo spacecraft
facilities verification vehicle boilerplate.
500F was rolled out to Pad A on May 25, 1966. On June 8, it was rolled back to the VAB temporarily as Hurricane Alma
passed, though the ground crew supposed the rollback was more of an exercise than necessity because winds remained below critical for the entire storm. Facility checkout culminated with a "wet test" to verify storage and transfer of propellants.
500F was destacked on October 21, 1966. The first stage, S-1C-F, was returned to the Marshall Space Flight Center
and was eventually scrapped.
The second stage, S-IIC-F, was reassigned as a dynamic test stage at Marshall in early 1967 as S-II-F/D for use in the dynamic test vehicle SA-500D. It is now displayed as part of the Saturn V at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
The third stage, S-IV-B-500F, had been manufactured as a dummy third stage for the smaller Saturn IB and used to check Saturn IB launch complex facilities. It was then modified to meet the Saturn V third stage configuration for 500F. In 1970, it was modified into the Skylab
Workshop Dynamic Test Stage and was shipped in December to the Johnson Space Center for dynamic testing. In June 1971, it was shipped to Marshall for Skylab workshop static testing; and in June 1974 it was returned to KSC. Its fate is not known.
Saturn V
The Saturn V was an American human-rated expendable rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programs from 1967 until 1973. A multistage liquid-fueled launch vehicle, NASA launched 13 Saturn Vs from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida with no loss of crew or payload...
used by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
to test facilities at Launch Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
on Merritt Island, Florida
Merritt Island, Florida
Merritt Island is a census-designated place in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located on the east coast of the state on the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2000 census, the population was 36,090. It is part of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area...
during 1966. Tests included the mating of the Saturn's stages in the Vehicle Assembly Building
Vehicle Assembly Building
The Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center was used to assemble and house American manned launch vehicles from 1968-2011. It is the fourth largest building in the world by volume...
(VAB), the fit of the service platforms, the launcher-transporter operation, the propellant loading system, and the test connections to the mobile launcher and support equipment.
Its three stages duplicated the flight configuration, ordnance, and umbilical connections of their live counterparts. Although inert, the retrograde rockets, ullage rockets, and shaped charges had the dimensions of the live ordnance to let the launch team practice ordnance installation. The first stage only had one real F-1 engine, and the inter-tank section between the first and second stages had a different paint scheme than flight vehicles. It was stacked on Mobile Launcher 1 in VAB Bay 1 with the Apollo spacecraft
Apollo spacecraft
The Apollo spacecraft was composed of five combined parts designed to accomplish the American Apollo program's goal of landing astronauts on the Moon by the end of the 1960s and returning them safely to Earth...
facilities verification vehicle boilerplate.
500F was rolled out to Pad A on May 25, 1966. On June 8, it was rolled back to the VAB temporarily as Hurricane Alma
Hurricane Alma (1966)
Hurricane Alma was a rare June major hurricane in the 1966 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the earliest continental U.S. hurricane strike within any season since 1908...
passed, though the ground crew supposed the rollback was more of an exercise than necessity because winds remained below critical for the entire storm. Facility checkout culminated with a "wet test" to verify storage and transfer of propellants.
500F was destacked on October 21, 1966. The first stage, S-1C-F, was returned to the Marshall Space Flight Center
Marshall Space Flight Center
The George C. Marshall Space Flight Center is the U.S. government's civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center. The largest center of NASA, MSFC's first mission was developing the Saturn launch vehicles for the Apollo moon program...
and was eventually scrapped.
The second stage, S-IIC-F, was reassigned as a dynamic test stage at Marshall in early 1967 as S-II-F/D for use in the dynamic test vehicle SA-500D. It is now displayed as part of the Saturn V at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
The third stage, S-IV-B-500F, had been manufactured as a dummy third stage for the smaller Saturn IB and used to check Saturn IB launch complex facilities. It was then modified to meet the Saturn V third stage configuration for 500F. In 1970, it was modified into the Skylab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
Workshop Dynamic Test Stage and was shipped in December to the Johnson Space Center for dynamic testing. In June 1971, it was shipped to Marshall for Skylab workshop static testing; and in June 1974 it was returned to KSC. Its fate is not known.