In 1961, the idea of using solid rocket first stages was really being explored in depth. The first pic shows some of the candidate concepts for a first stage consisting of solid rocket motors for a NOVA class vehicle. The first one is for a cluster of 7 15 foot diameter SRMs with 13 foot diameter nozzles which would have stood 82 feet high and been 45 feet in diameter across the widest point. The second is a cluster of 4 17.8 foot diameter SRMs with 15.8 foot diameter nozzles, standing 92.5 feet tall and 42.5 feet in overall diameter. The third is a concept of a 33.8 foot diameter SRM with a 34.1 foot diameter nozzle, standing 130 feet tall... in other words an SRM nearly the third of the size of the entire Saturn V stack and slightly larger in diameter. It was found to be TOTALLY unfeasible due to the extreme weight-- it would have to be segmented and each segment would be about 2 feet in length and still be unbelievably heavy, and even the end segments would have had to been divided up into six gore segments that would have to be bolted together on the launch pad when the engine was stacked. Additionally the propellant burn rates at the time would have had to been about three times faster to even make the motor physically feasible of working! Interesting "blue sky" thinking nonetheless!



The second pic is a solid/liquid vehicle concept consisting of a first stage consisting of a 7 motor cluster of SRMs with a 460 inch overall diameter, topped with a 440 inch diameter second stage using 8 J-2 engines arranged like the Saturn IB-- 4 J-2's clustered in the center and fixed, with the outer 4 J-2's clocked 45 degrees and gimballing for stability and control. No third stage is mentioned, so presumably this would be used to inject very large payloads into LEO, such as space stations, tankers, or spacecraft for deep space missions...



The third pic is of another NOVA vehicle concept... this one using a first stage powered by a cluster of 7 SRMs, topped by a large second stage powered by 4 HUGE LH2 engines in the 1.4 million pound thrust class (M-1's possibly?? This would have been a hydrogen engine about the same thrust class as the F-1). The third stage appears to be powered by a single J-2 engine. This would make a really interesting model as well...



The final pic is a diagram of the C-4 OLV which would have rendezvoused in orbit and docked with additional propulsion stages to go to the moon. Note the Apollo landing stage and ascent stage under the capsule...



This last pic is something of an orphan... the study it came from may (hopefully) turn up as I summarize them and organize... if it does I'll repost it with the relevant summary... This is another NOVA concept that would make an interesting model... it consists of a first stage consisting of a cluster of SIXTEEN! SRMs, 612 inches in diameter! The second stage consists of 4 SRMs in a 360 inch diameter cluster, topped by a third stage that is 360 inches in diameter powered by 6 "S-II" engines (presumably J-2) with a fourth stage that looks like a stretched 260 inch diameter S-IVB stage, powered by a pair of J-2 engines... what a COMPLETE MONSTER of an LV!!



Hope this has been interesting! Later! OL JR




Later! OL JR

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