Saturn C-8
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 Saturn C-8 Launch Vehicle |
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| Fact sheet | ||
|---|---|---|
| Function | Heavy Manned Launch vehicle | |
| Manufacturer | Never Assigned | |
| Country of origin | USA | |
| Cost per Launch (1985) | c. $58,300,000 (USD) | |
| Size | ||
| Height | 131m | |
| Diameter | 12.19m | |
| Mass | 4,770,260kg | |
| Stages | 3 | |
| Capacity | ||
| Payload to LEO | 210,000kg | |
| Launch History | ||
| Status | Unbuilt | |
| Launch Sites | Kennedy Space Center | |
| Total launches | 0 | |
| First Stage - Increased Diameter S-IC | ||
| Engines | 8 F-1 | |
| Thrust | 6,314,600kgf | |
| Specific Impulse | 304sec | |
| Burn time | 157 seconds | |
| Fuel | LOX/Kerosene | |
| Second Stage - Increased Diameter S-II | ||
| Engines | 8 J-2 | |
| Thrust | 842,822kgf | |
| Specific Impulse | 425sec | |
| Burn time | 306sec | |
| Fuel | LOX/LH2 | |
| Third Stage - S-IVB Stretch (Details not available, description is for standard S-IVB) |
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| Engines | 1 Rocketdyne J-2 | |
| Thrust | 1 MN (225,000 lbf) | |
| Burn time | 165 + 335 seconds (2 burns) |
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| Fuel | LH2/LOX | |
The Saturn C-8 was the largest Saturn rocket to be designed. It was an alternative to the Nova rocket, should a direct landing method of lunar exploration have been chosen by NASA for the Apollo program. The first stage was an increased diameter version of the S-IC. The second stage was an increased diameter S-II stage. Both of these had eight engines, as opposed to the standard five. The third stage was a stretched S-IVB stage, which still retained its original diameter and engines.
Eventually, the Lunar Orbit Rendezvous concept rendered the C-8 obsolete, and the smaller Saturn C-5 was developed instead under the designation "Saturn V", as the LOR spacecraft was within its payload capacity.
The C-8 was never taken further than the design process as it was too big and costly.
| Saturn Family of Launch Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Early Proposals: Juno V | Saturn A-1 | Saturn A-2 | Saturn B-1 |  |
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| "C" series: Saturn C-1 | Saturn C-2 | Saturn C-3 | Saturn C-4 | Saturn C-5 | Saturn C-5N | Saturn C-8 | ||
| Saturn 1 series: Saturn I | Saturn IB | Saturn IB-CE | Saturn IB-A | Saturn IB-B | Saturn IB-C | Saturn IB-D | Saturn INT-05 | Saturn INT-11 | Saturn INT-12 | Saturn INT-13 | Saturn INT-14 | Saturn INT-15 | Saturn INT-16 | Saturn INT-27 | Saturn LCB | ||
| Saturn II series: Saturn II | Saturn INT-17 | Saturn INT-18 | Saturn INT-19 | ||
| Saturn V series: Saturn V | Saturn MLV | Saturn V ELV | Saturn INT-20 | Saturn INT-21 | Saturn INT-23 | Saturn INT-24 | Saturn INT-25 | Saturn-Shuttle | Saturn V-3 | Saturn V-A | Saturn V-B | Saturn V-C | Saturn V-D | Saturn V-Centaur | Jarvis | ||
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