AS-101 (also designated SA-6) was the sixth flight of the Saturn I launch vehicle, which carried the first boilerplateApollo spacecraft into low Earth orbit.[2][3] The test took place on May 28, 1964, lasting for four orbits (about six hours). The spacecraft and its upper stage completed a total of 54 orbits before reentering the atmosphere and crashing in the Pacific Ocean on June 1, 1964.
The flight experienced a single anomaly: one of the eight first-stage Saturn I engines shut down early, but the guidance system compensated by burning the remaining seven engines longer. AS-101 was followed by four more flights to verify the launch aerodynamics of the Apollo command and service module (CSM) and its launch escape system (LES) tower.
The first five launches of the Saturn I had carried Jupiter nosecones, a proven design which allowed engineers to focus on development of the rocket. To verify the launch aerodynamics of the CSM, AS-101 carried BP-13, a boilerplate spacecraft that weighed 17,000 pounds (7,700 kg) and duplicated the size and shape of the CSM, and a dummy LES tower. A flight-weight command module (CM) weighed around 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg).[3] The boilerplate spacecraft was instrumented with 116 sensors reading strain, pressure, temperature, heat flux, and acceleration.
It took three attempts to launch the rocket from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 37B. The first attempt was scrubbed after the liquid oxygen damaged a wire mesh screen during a test, causing fuel contamination. The second attempt was scrubbed after the rocket's guidance system overheated due to failure of an air conditioning compressor.
The vehicle finally lifted off on May 28, 1964. There had been several delays during the countdown as liquid oxygen vapors obscured an optical window in the SA-6's instrument unit, so that a ground-based theodolite could not see it. This theodolite was required by the countdown computer in order for launch to proceed. Engineers deemed it non-critical and reprogrammed the computer, allowing the launch to proceed.
The ascent was normal up to 116.9 seconds after liftoff, at which point engine number eight shut off early. This was not planned, as it had been on SA-4 as a test, but the rocket compensated perfectly by burning the remaining fuel in the other seven engines for 2.7 seconds longer than planned. The first stage separated and the second stage ignited. Ten seconds later, the launch escape system was jettisoned as planned. Also jettisoned from the first stage were eight film cameras that observed separation of the stages.
The second stage cut off at 624.5 seconds after launch (1.26 seconds earlier than predicted), with the stage and boilerplate spacecraft in a 182 kilometers (98 nautical miles) by 227 kilometers (123 nautical miles) orbit. It continued to transmit data for four orbits, after which the batteries failed. The vehicle made a total of 54 orbits, re-entering the atmosphere east of Kanton Island in the Pacific Ocean on June 1.
Engine failure cause
Engineers were quick to find the cause of the failure of engine number eight. The teeth on one of the gears in the turbopump were stripped off. This did not cause any delays in the next launches as engineers had already decided that the gear design was inferior and were planning to change it for the next launch. This was the only problem encountered with an H-1 engine during a flight.
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AS 101 also designated SA 6 was the sixth flight of the Saturn I launch vehicle which carried the first boilerplate Apollo spacecraft into low Earth orbit 2 3 The test took place on May 28 1964 lasting for four orbits about six hours The spacecraft and its upper stage completed a total of 54 orbits before reentering the atmosphere and crashing in the Pacific Ocean on June 1 1964 AS 101AS 101 SA 6 Mission typeSpacecraft aerodynamicsOperatorNASACOSPAR ID1964 025ASATCAT no 800Mission duration 5 hours 53 minutesOrbits completed54Spacecraft propertiesSpacecraftApollo BP 13Launch mass7 700 kilograms 17 000 lb Start of missionLaunch dateMay 28 1964 17 07 00 1964 05 28UTC17 07Z UTCRocketSaturn I SA 6Launch siteCape Kennedy LC 37BEnd of missionDisposalUncontrolled reentryLast contactMay 28 1964 1964 05 29 after 4 orbitsDecay dateJune 1 1964Orbital parametersReference systemGeocentricRegimeLow Earth orbitPerigee altitude178 kilometers 96 nmi Apogee altitude199 kilometers 107 nmi Inclination31 7 degreesPeriod88 26 minutesEpoch30 May 1964 1 Apollo program SA 5AS 102 The flight experienced a single anomaly one of the eight first stage Saturn I engines shut down early but the guidance system compensated by burning the remaining seven engines longer AS 101 was followed by four more flights to verify the launch aerodynamics of the Apollo command and service module CSM and its launch escape system LES tower Contents 1 Boilerplate Apollo 2 Flight 3 Engine failure cause 4 References 5 External linksBoilerplate Apollo EditThe first five launches of the Saturn I had carried Jupiter nosecones a proven design which allowed engineers to focus on development of the rocket To verify the launch aerodynamics of the CSM AS 101 carried BP 13 a boilerplate spacecraft that weighed 17 000 pounds 7 700 kg and duplicated the size and shape of the CSM and a dummy LES tower A flight weight command module CM weighed around 12 000 pounds 5 400 kg 3 The boilerplate spacecraft was instrumented with 116 sensors reading strain pressure temperature heat flux and acceleration Flight Edit George Mueller Wernher von Braun and Eberhard Rees MSFC Director for Research and Development watch the AS 101 launch from the firing room It took three attempts to launch the rocket from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 37B The first attempt was scrubbed after the liquid oxygen damaged a wire mesh screen during a test causing fuel contamination The second attempt was scrubbed after the rocket s guidance system overheated due to failure of an air conditioning compressor The vehicle finally lifted off on May 28 1964 There had been several delays during the countdown as liquid oxygen vapors obscured an optical window in the SA 6 s instrument unit so that a ground based theodolite could not see it This theodolite was required by the countdown computer in order for launch to proceed Engineers deemed it non critical and reprogrammed the computer allowing the launch to proceed The ascent was normal up to 116 9 seconds after liftoff at which point engine number eight shut off early This was not planned as it had been on SA 4 as a test but the rocket compensated perfectly by burning the remaining fuel in the other seven engines for 2 7 seconds longer than planned The first stage separated and the second stage ignited Ten seconds later the launch escape system was jettisoned as planned Also jettisoned from the first stage were eight film cameras that observed separation of the stages The second stage cut off at 624 5 seconds after launch 1 26 seconds earlier than predicted with the stage and boilerplate spacecraft in a 182 kilometers 98 nautical miles by 227 kilometers 123 nautical miles orbit It continued to transmit data for four orbits after which the batteries failed The vehicle made a total of 54 orbits re entering the atmosphere east of Kanton Island in the Pacific Ocean on June 1 Engine failure cause EditEngineers were quick to find the cause of the failure of engine number eight The teeth on one of the gears in the turbopump were stripped off This did not cause any delays in the next launches as engineers had already decided that the gear design was inferior and were planning to change it for the next launch This was the only problem encountered with an H 1 engine during a flight References Edit Spaceflight portal This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration McDowell Jonathan Satellite Catalog Jonathan s Space Page Retrieved October 31 2013 NASA SA 6 Archived from the original on May 14 2011 Retrieved December 8 2003 a b NSSDC SA 6External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saturn Apollo 6 The Apollo Spacecraft A Chronology Archived December 9 2017 at the Wayback Machine NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive Moonport A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations Archived March 18 2011 at the Wayback Machine http science ksc nasa gov history apollo sa 6 sa 6 html Archived May 14 2011 at the Wayback Machine Stages to Saturn Postlaunch Report for Apollo Mission A 101 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title AS 101 amp oldid 1150733976, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
