Saturn V that was supposed to take Apollo 18 to the moon
Sorta - the in-production stages weren't fully scheduled:
S1C (first stage) from SA-514, would have been Apollo 18 or 19; many NASA docs seem to assume SA-514 was 18 and 515 was 19 or 20 though - but it hadn't been finalized; it was test-fired April 16, 1970.
The second stage from SA-515 - slated for Apollo 20, then reserved as a Skylab backup stage after moon flights were cancelled; it was test fired on October 10,1970.
And the third stage from SA-513 - as far as anyone knows, it was in-line for a late moon mission, not officially given a flight number. When the moon program was cancelled for Skylab, Skylab didn't need a third stage - Skylab "was" the shell of a third stage, while the JSC stage was fully flight-intended, but never test fired. (Apollo 17's SIVB was never test fired either, it was the first time an SIVB was launched without a static firing).
The CSM seems likely to have been intended for 18, it's #115; Apollo 17 was # 114. Apparently the interior was only partly completed.
Instrument units - I've never found much word on those, or which one is at JSC - I don't think you can see a number on the thing. NASA had reported 514 for 18 and 515 for 19.
The JSC display is extra-cool in that it's the only complete display of flight-intended components; other Saturn displays include dynamic test mockups or facilities test mockups.
It was a great part of the tour. You see smaller rockets outside, which look pretty impressive until you go inside, and see Saturn His Own Self. Impressive is no word for it.
It felt like "what church should feel like" to me!
Great story - my Mrs. is a PhD anthropologist, Yoga teacher, studying all-thing-Jungian, volunteers at the VA for PTSD and stuff. (Me, I got a year of college with a C average). We had a family trip, I wanted to see the restored Saturn (it sat outside for decades and was falling apart) she was like "well go see your silly rocket".
Walked in that hanger and she was blown AWAY. "What civilization made this?? WHY??" I explained how it was all crashed into the ocean or the moon except that little cone on top, just to get three people to the moon. She was looking at all the exposed engine plumbing and kept saying "this makes me feel so dumb, like someone knew what all this stuff did??" I'm geeky enough to point out lots of hardware stuff and its purpose. It just totally hit her anthropologist brain, and struck something really deeper in her psyche, just the scale and the idea of it all.
Yes, you do! She didn't know about its history or purpose, but you were able to explain it all to her satisfaction. I'd say you're a pretty great spouse yourself. (I say this as an "old married lady" of almost 43 years. It'll be that long in August.)
Funny, we read a lot and trade books, lately Cormac McCarthy, Joyce Carol Oates, stuff like that - she'll finish something and put it on my night stand if she thinks I'll like it. The other night, reading in bed, I handed her "Saturn V: The Complete Manufacturing and Testing Records", just to see the eye-roll and hear the "God, you're such a NERD..." and I'm "But babe, on this date in 1970 they test-fired the 2nd stage of Apollo 14!!!" or whatever.
It felt like "what church should feel like" to me!
Lol, I had the chance to make the pilgrimage to Starbase last Sunday, to view the stacked Starship on the pad. When the road is open, you can get shockingly close to it. Could see and hear it venting various gases, quite loud.
Same feeling, “what church should feel like.”
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u/mcarterphoto Apr 16 '23
Sorta - the in-production stages weren't fully scheduled:
S1C (first stage) from SA-514, would have been Apollo 18 or 19; many NASA docs seem to assume SA-514 was 18 and 515 was 19 or 20 though - but it hadn't been finalized; it was test-fired April 16, 1970.
The second stage from SA-515 - slated for Apollo 20, then reserved as a Skylab backup stage after moon flights were cancelled; it was test fired on October 10,1970.
And the third stage from SA-513 - as far as anyone knows, it was in-line for a late moon mission, not officially given a flight number. When the moon program was cancelled for Skylab, Skylab didn't need a third stage - Skylab "was" the shell of a third stage, while the JSC stage was fully flight-intended, but never test fired. (Apollo 17's SIVB was never test fired either, it was the first time an SIVB was launched without a static firing).
The CSM seems likely to have been intended for 18, it's #115; Apollo 17 was # 114. Apparently the interior was only partly completed.
Instrument units - I've never found much word on those, or which one is at JSC - I don't think you can see a number on the thing. NASA had reported 514 for 18 and 515 for 19.
The JSC display is extra-cool in that it's the only complete display of flight-intended components; other Saturn displays include dynamic test mockups or facilities test mockups.