"A Cluster of eight H-1 engines were used to thrust the first stage of Saturn I (S-I stage) and Saturn IB (S-IB stage). The engines were arranged in a double pattern. Four engines, located inboard, were fixed in a square pattern around the stage axis, while the remaining four engines were located outboard in a larger square pattern and each outer engine was gimbaled. The H-1 engine, fueled with liquid oxygen (LOX) and kerosene (RP-1), had a thrust of 188,000 pound each for a combined thrust of over 1,500,000 pounds. Each H-1 engine was developed under the direction of Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)."
Date: 1960s
Imagine if they were manufactured today with all the DEI BS.
ReplyDeleteSlide rule technology.
ReplyDeleteI was stationed at Redstone Arsenal in 65-66 when they were static testing those bad boys. They would shake all of north Alabama. With in minutes there would be earthquake reports 100 miles south i Birmingham. Always seem to fire them on heavy clouded overcast day but the column of rising steam would open a huge circle in the sky. Went out on the range several times as we maintained the closed circuit TV systems. Never allowed to stay for the test but guess they were worried about total evaporation it things didn't go well. Great duty station for a 19 year old kid. Wish I had have had a camera back then. Went to Vietnam and carried one everyday since. I would have stayed 20 years if they would have insured I could stay there. Oh yeah... NASA had tons of secretaries and the town of Huntsville was refereded "C" untsville if you get my drift.
ReplyDeleteTheir big brother, the F1, put out 1,200,000 pounds of thrust, upgraded by the F1-A to 1,500,000 pounds of thrust.
ReplyDeleteI used to give presentations including those several times a week, the H-1 is a bush, the F-1 is a tree. Large is relative.
ReplyDeleteUsed once, dumped in the ocean, currently rusting away and/or gathering coral.
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple that were retrieved from the Atlantic and are on display at the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson KS. Found the place by accident and spent a whole day there, needed two.
DeleteI would pay cash money to have a pair of stereo speakers that looked like that.
ReplyDeleteOutside the old Rocketdyne building in Canoga Park, where they built the Saturn V booster engines, sits an example of its bigger brother, the F-1. I used to ride past it on my bike in grade school.
We used to hear them testing them in the nearby hills on Saturdays, from 10 miles away. It rattled the windows.