Saturn II (rocket)

Infobox rocket
name = Saturn II
country-origin = United States
function = Orbital launch vehicle
manufacturer = North American (S-II)
Douglas (S-IVB)
height = 51 m
alt-height =
diameter = 10.6 m
alt-diameter =
mass = 328,300 kg
alt-mass =
stages = 2
LEO-payload =21,500 kg
alt-LEO =
status = Cancelled
sites = LC-39, Kennedy Space Center
launches = 0
stage1name = S-II
stage1engines = 5 Rocketdyne J-2
stage1thrust = 5 MN
alt-stage1thrust = 1,000,000 lb_f
stage1time = 360 seconds
stage1fuel = LH2/LOX
stage2name = S-IVB
stage2engines = 1 Rocketdyne J-2
stage2thrust = 1 MN
alt-stage2thrust = 225,000 lb_f
stage2time = 400 seconds
stage2fuel = LH2/LOX

The Saturn II was a proposed American ELV, derived from the Saturn V rocket that was used for the Apollo lunar program. The basic concept of the Saturn II was to save money by ceasing production of the Saturn IB rocket, and replacing it with a more capable rocket, that was built using Saturn V components. This would allow them to close down production lines for the S-IB stage, and would allow for more efficient integration of rocket systems.

It is possible that manned Apollo spacecraft may have been launched atop it, seeing as the Saturn IB, which was to be discontinued, was used to launch Apollo for Earth-orbit missions.

Design

The Saturn II in its most simple form, was a Saturn V, without the S-IC first stage. It consisted of a S-II for a first stage, which was the second stage of the Saturn V, and an S-IVB as a second stage, which was used on both the Saturn V and Saturn IB.

Several derivatives were also considered, but before any version could be put into production, production of all Saturn variants was stopped in favour of launching all future payloads from the Space Shuttle.

aturn INT-17

The Saturn INT-17 was the first derivative of the Saturn II to be considered. It differed from the baseline Saturn II in having a modified first stage. The original five J-2 engines were to be replaced with seven HG-3 engines, which were believed to offer better performance. The concept was dropped when it was decided that J-2 engines would have better overall performance, and were more cost-effective.

aturn INT-18

The Saturn INT-18 was designed to be supplemented by two or four Titan SRBs. The UA1204 and UA1207 boosters were considered, with the most powerful configuration, featuring four UA1270 boosters, capable of placing 66,400 kg of payload into Low Earth orbit.

Designers also considered changing the amount of fuel loaded into the rocket, and whether to ignite the S-II stage on the ground, or whether to launch using the solids, and start the main stage in flight. Some designs even omitted the S-IVB stage, leaving just a single S-II stage, and boosters.

aturn INT-19

The Saturn INT-19 also used SRBs to supplement the power of the S-II, however it used smaller solids, derived from the first stage of the Minuteman missile. It was intended to use between four and twelve solids, with some being started at lift-off, and some being started in flight.

The heaviest configuration would have consisted of twelve SRBs, with eight started at launch, and a further four started after the first group had been jettisoned. It would have been capable of lofting a payload of up to 34,000 kg.

The S-II stage would have been modified as well. The J-2 engines would have been adjusted to give them a reduced expansion ratio, making them more suited to operations at sea level. The disadvantage of this is that the rocket would have been unable to even get off the ground without augmentation from SRBs.

ee also

*Saturn I
*Saturn IB
*Saturn V
*Saturn INT-20
*Saturn INT-21
*Apollo Applications Program
*S-II
*S-IVB

External links

* [http://www.astronautix.com/lvfam/saturnii.htm Encyclopaedia Astronautica]