Saturn Launch Complex 34 (1962)

model of launch complex 34 the main elements of the certain c1 complex are the launch pad which is approximately 120 meters in diameter in the sender is a launch table 360 meters away is the block house which is a launch control center or the nerve center of the operations this particular con call center is igloo shaped and contains two floors the lower floor contains a telemeter station the upper floor is a control center itself with all panels and instruments vital to the checkout and launch other elements of the 40-acre complex are the facilities for storage and automatic fuel transfer of liquid oxygen liquid hydrogen fuel and to control ions as well as a high pressure storage area necessary for the fueling of the space vehicle before launch the most noticeable element is that of the service tower which in servicing position straddles the space vehicle the service cover is used to assemble service and shell the space vehicle during preparation of socket for launch assets job is completed it is moved under its own power approximately one hundred and eighty two meters back to a parking position this is considered to be the minimum distance in order to protect the tower from an explosion caused by a space vehicle falling back on to the path the design and construction of this tower was a engineering task and challenge of the first order it is self-propelled weighs almost 3,000 tonnes is built to withstand hurricane winds of 125 knots and this point is 31 storeys above the ground from here you can get a good view of the various elements I described to you on the model incidentally in the background are the launch pad used in the other programs at the Cape now let's look at complex 34 and see it in operation this is the NASA symbol its likeness will no doubt appear on vehicles and hardware used in America's manned lunar landing program which will be launched from a site here at Cape Canaveral Florida beyond this gate is complex 34 the largest known launching site in the world and the first built expressly for the peaceful exploration of space the dome-shaped structure in the foreground is the launch control center with 10,000 square feet of protected floor space on two levels and designed to withstand tremendous blast pressure the 43 foot diameter spherical tank is for storage of liquid oxygen and in reality is a giant thermos bottle electrical pneumatic and hydraulic services are provided through limes on this 240 foot high umbilical tower a three-story pedestal supports and retains the vehicle during checkout and launch operations the doughnut shaped torus ring around the center opening is part of the water delude system high pressure helium is stored in these cylindrical bottles helium is used for bubbling the liquid oxygen tanks of the booster to keep the liquid oxygen from forming into layers of different temperatures the moveable service structure is 310 feet high it is used to erect and check out the vehicle ten days and 2,000 miles of water travel brings the Saturn barge to a dock at Cape Canaveral the docking procedure is the final task of the barge and tug cruise comparison of booster size can now be made it is 82 feet long and 21 and 1/2 feet in diameter at dusk the Saturn booster is making its last earthbound trip destination complex 34 some 2 miles away the booster will remain on the transporter overnight and be erected the following day other stages have remained on the barge overnight work begins on their removal shaved in a blue plastic protective covering is the second stage the water ballast tank and nose cone are also covered for protection against dirt and dust a slow but steady two-mile trip begins for the transporter cruise the caravan passes through the gate at complex 34 preceded by guards in the station wagon the saturn service structure dominates the skyline booster stage erection has begun the stage is lifted by an overhead crane located at the top of the service structure we conceived the eight h1 ancients clearly the inner four engines are fixed in position while the outer four engines are moveable to provide directional control during the powered flight lowering the booster onto the pedestal is the first assembly operation the booster rests on eight steel arms or to support the vehicle and four to both support and restrain the vehicle until proper engine ignition has been achieved technicians remove the plastic sheet the second stage is then hoisted by the crane prior to being mated to the booster the whole process is like a construction worker laying blocks another step in this block laying procedure is to hoist the nosecone section to the top of the service structure the nosecone cradle transporter is moved away from the immediate launch area an explanation and briefing on Saturn erection procedures takes place at the base of the service structure while high in the service structure work progresses in lowering the third stage on to the second final assembly is complete now the long and complicated checkout begins to determine Saturn's readiness to perform its intended function this requires varied forms of communication between the many teams working toward the common goal of a successful flight the Assembly of the various stages has created the final configuration known as Saturn c1 which stands majestically while surrounded by the steel network of the service structure preparation for fueling begins nitrogen supplies the necessary gas for purging fuel lines liquid oxygen lines and the engine and instrument compartments liquid oxygen is manufactured on the Cape and is stored in this spherical ground storage tank seen here venting in order to expedite work at the various levels five moveable work platforms are positioned around the vehicle these are sectionalized and positioned in the horizontal plane repositioning can be accomplished to place the platform's at various vertical levels activities continue in other areas of the complex inside the launch control center the test conductor and his part of the team continued the countdown the complexity of this operation can best be understood by noting the myriad of instruments and equipment required in support of the Saturn program the analog system presently in use will be phased out and analog to digital conversions will be used at future launch sites specialized launch operations require specialized skills and equipment dr. de bas and his lunch control center personnel keep in visual contact with outside activities through a closed-circuit television system from the launch control center heart of this giant complex the scene shifts to the giant vehicle being prepared for launch what might appear to be the columns of an ancient civilization is in reality a modern system of supports for the liquid oxygen lines installed above ground from the storage tank to the vehicle expansion loops in the lines allow for rapid expansion and contraction of liquids at extremely low temperatures from the indicated time ignition of the engines followed by liftoff of the vehicle will soon occur after ignition the for whole down arms are retracted to release the vehicle for flight tracking cameras located about two miles from the launch area provide coverage from ignition through flight culminating in the high water experiment 1 million 300,000 pounds of thrust generated by Saturn's eight engines accelerate the vehicle to the upper atmosphere maximum speed attained by the vehicle was 3700 miles per hour inboard engine cutoff came at 110 seconds following locked outboard engine cutoff was achieved at 116 seconds after liftoff the light was a complete success with all objectives attained including determination of the in-flight performance of the ape booster engines the controlling movements of the four gimballed engines engine cutoff and propellant utilization also achieved were verification of the airframe structural integrity a further proving of the launch facilities and ground support equipment a cloud cover partially obscures the vehicle but the trailing tail of flame is easily seen entering the rarefied atmosphere where the vapor trail appears the vehicle was deliberately destroyed at an altitude of 65 miles to release the 95 tons of water which was carried as ballast in the dummy upper stages a nice cloud with a diameter of 8 to 10 miles was formed within three seconds this is the highest ice cloud ever known to have existed there you have a short glimpse of the size and the complexity of the launch facilities and launch operations as they are required for the launch of a c1 space vehicle if we take a view at the total space program that the United States of America plans it becomes immediately apparent that the launch complexes and operation concepts that you have seen for the certain c1 vehicle have severe limitations for the next generation vehicle it becomes necessary and mandatory to develop a new launch concept but this is a story in itself some of the problems and the totality of the problems that have to be resolved may become apparent to you if you compare a model Saturn c1 vehicle as you see it here with the same scale model of a certain c5 figure as it will be used in the manned exploration of the moon [Music]