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Saturn S-IB

Diagram of the S-IB first stage of the Saturn IB rocket.

The S-IB stage was an eight engine booster for Earth orbital missions. It was composed of nine propellant containers, eight fins, a thrust structure assembly, eight H-1 rocket engines, and many other components. The propellant containers consisted of eight Redstone tanks (four holding LOX and four holding RP-1.) clustered around a Jupiter rocket tank, which contained LOX. The four outboard engines gimballed, meaning they could be steered to properly guide the rocket. This required a few more engine components.

Specifications:

• Height: 83.6 ft (25.5 m)
• Diameter: 21.7 ft (6.6 m)
• Number of fins: 8
• Finspan: 18 ft (5.5 m)
• Engines: 8 H-1
• Thrust: 1,600,000 lbf (7.1 MN)
• Fuel: RP-1 (Refined kerosene) 41,000 US gal (155 m³)
• Oxidizer: Liquid oxygen (LOX) 66,000 US gal (250 m³)
• Burn time: 2.5 min
• Burnout altitude: 42 miles (68 km)

H-1 engine

H-1 Saturn I and Saturn IB rocket engine.

The H1 engine is a 200,000 lbf (890 kN) thrust LOX/RP-1 engine, used alone in the first stages of some Delta rockets and the Jupiter rocket. It is derived from the Navaho missile, and was simplified and improved for S-IB use. It is used in clusters on all S-IB rocket stages. Later it would be uprated to 205,000 lbf (910 kN) of thrust. The H-1 preceded the F-1 engine, which was used on the Saturn V rocket.

• Fuel: RP-1 (refined kerosene)
• Oxidizer: liquid oxygen (LOX)
• Height: 8.5 ft (2.6 m)
• Width: 5.5 ft (1.7 m)
• Thrust: 200,000 lbf (890 kN)
• Uprated thrust: 205,000 lbf (910 kN)
• Fuel flowrate: 2092 US gal/min (132 L/s)
• Oxidizer flowrate: 3330 gpm (210 L/s)
• Oxidizer to fuel ratio: 2.23:1
• Type: bipropellant standard
• Nominal chamber pressure: 633 psi (4.36 MPa)
• Inboard weight: 1,780 pounds (810 kg)
• Outboard weight: 2,020 pounds (920 kg)
• Expansion area ratio: 8:1