a (poss S-IC-T or 3)_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1965-67, unnumbered prob. NASA photo)
In lieu of comparative photographs (other than the one following), along with well-founded skepticism and doubt associated with NASA photographic record keeping & identification, I’ll foolishly go out on a limb and call this S-IC-3…being hoisted into position or removed(?) from the S-IC Test Stand/Building 4670, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), possibly in October 1966.
In support of my above, I submit the following weak evidence:
history.nasa.gov/MHR-5/part-7.htm
Specifically, the following passage:
“After successful completion of post-manufacturing checkout at the Michoud Booster Checkout Facility, the S-IC-3 stage left Michoud on September 23 and arrived at MSFC on October 1. Unloading operations began on October 3, and on that same date workmen erected the stage in the test stand. ³²⁵
325. MSFC Press Release No. 66-223, Sept. 29, 1966.”
Even more specifically, this image – it being the ‘smoking rocket’:
history.nasa.gov/MHR-5/Images/fig317.jpg
HOWEVER, odds are far greater that it’s S-IC-T, due to the fact that it was static fired multiple times in the test stand. Per Mike Jetzer’s superlative “HEROIC RELICS” website:
“A total of 18 tests were performed with the S-IC-T stage at MSFC. The first three flight stages were also static-fired in the stand, with S-IC-1 undergoing two tests and S-IC-2 and S-IC-3 each being fired once. S-IC-4 and subsequent were tested at the MTF.”
At:
heroicrelics.org/msfc/test-stand-s-ic/index.html
ALTHOUGH, what little photographic evidence I’ve found of the purported S-IC-T at the MSFC S-IC test stand, of both supposed emplacement & removal, none have evidence of thrust chambers installed.
FINALLY, the outward appearance of the S-IC probably offers a clue as to its identification, Unfortunately though, I can’t keep up with the different paint schemes of the Saturn V’s, which seemed to have been changed, at different locations, during different times of the manufacturing/testing process, and where/when/if the U.S. flag decals were applied, along with what font “USA” decal was applied. So I suppose my final determination should actually be: who the f**k knows.
a (poss S-IC-T or 3)_v_bw_o_n (ca. 1965-67, unnumbered prob. NASA photo)
In lieu of comparative photographs (other than the one following), along with well-founded skepticism and doubt associated with NASA photographic record keeping & identification, I’ll foolishly go out on a limb and call this S-IC-3…being hoisted into position or removed(?) from the S-IC Test Stand/Building 4670, Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), possibly in October 1966.
In support of my above, I submit the following weak evidence:
history.nasa.gov/MHR-5/part-7.htm
Specifically, the following passage:
“After successful completion of post-manufacturing checkout at the Michoud Booster Checkout Facility, the S-IC-3 stage left Michoud on September 23 and arrived at MSFC on October 1. Unloading operations began on October 3, and on that same date workmen erected the stage in the test stand. ³²⁵
325. MSFC Press Release No. 66-223, Sept. 29, 1966.”
Even more specifically, this image – it being the ‘smoking rocket’:
history.nasa.gov/MHR-5/Images/fig317.jpg
HOWEVER, odds are far greater that it’s S-IC-T, due to the fact that it was static fired multiple times in the test stand. Per Mike Jetzer’s superlative “HEROIC RELICS” website:
“A total of 18 tests were performed with the S-IC-T stage at MSFC. The first three flight stages were also static-fired in the stand, with S-IC-1 undergoing two tests and S-IC-2 and S-IC-3 each being fired once. S-IC-4 and subsequent were tested at the MTF.”
At:
heroicrelics.org/msfc/test-stand-s-ic/index.html
ALTHOUGH, what little photographic evidence I’ve found of the purported S-IC-T at the MSFC S-IC test stand, of both supposed emplacement & removal, none have evidence of thrust chambers installed.
FINALLY, the outward appearance of the S-IC probably offers a clue as to its identification, Unfortunately though, I can’t keep up with the different paint schemes of the Saturn V’s, which seemed to have been changed, at different locations, during different times of the manufacturing/testing process, and where/when/if the U.S. flag decals were applied, along with what font “USA” decal was applied. So I suppose my final determination should actually be: who the f**k knows.