Apollo 6

567 Pages·2002·7.53 MB·English

SE Cg

GEORGEGe
JUNE 25, 1968
4s
Unel as
DufkS OPSTUTS

SATURN V LAUNCH VEHICLE
FLIGHT EVALUATION REPORT-AS-502
APOLLO 6 MISSION )
PREPARED BY
SATURN V FLIGHT EVALUATION WORKING GROUP
S
MSF Form 774 Rev Octoher 1967)

56 Cepee
GEORGE C. MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
MPR-SAT~FE-68-3
SATURN V LAUNCH VEHICLE
FLIGHT EVALUATION REPORT - AS-502
APOLLO 6 MISSION
PREPARED BY
‘SATURN ¥ FLIGHT EVALUATION WORKING GROUP

AS-502 Laurch Vehicle

MPR-SAT-FE-68-3
SATURHK Y LAUNCH VEHICLE FLIGHT EVALUATION REPORT - AS-S02
APOLLO 6 MISSION
BY
Saturn Flight Evaluation Working Group
George C. Marshal] Space Flight Center
ABSTRACT
Saturn V AS-502 (Apollo 6 Mission) was launched at 07:00:01 Eastern Stan-
dard Time on April 4, 1968, from Kennedy Space Center, Complex 39, Pad A.
The vehicle lifted off on schedule on a launch azimuth of 90 degrees east
of north and rolled to a flight azimuth of 72 degrees east of north.
The actual trajectory parameters of the AS-502 were close to nominal until
the premature shutdown of two engines in the S-II stage. After this
occurred, the trajectory deviated significantly from the nominal through-
out the remainder of the mission.
Nine of the sixteen primary objectives of this mission were completely
accomplished, six partially accomplished, and one (S-IVB restart) was not
accomplished. One of tre two secondary objectives was completely
accomplished, and one partially accomplished.
Any questions or comments pertaining to tae information contained in this
report are invited and should be directed to:
Director, George C. Marshall Space Fligit Center
Huntsville, Alabama 36812
Attention: Chairman, Saturn Flight Evaluation
Working Group, R-AERO-F (Phone [phone])

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Section
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii
LIST OF TABLES xxvii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT xxxtd
ABBREVIATIONS xxxiii
MISSION PLAN wo
FLIGHT TEST SUMMARY xxvty
INTRODUCTION
1 Purpose
1.2 Scope
EVENT TIMES
21 Summary of Events
2.2 Secuence of Events
LAUNCH OPERATIONS
31 Summary
3.2 Prelaunch Milestones
3.3 Countdown Events
34 Propellant Loading
3.4.1 RP-1 Loading
34.2 LOX Loading
a LH2 Loading
3.4.4 Auxiliary Propulsion System Prone] lant
Loading
TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED)
Section
Page
w S-IC Stage Propellant Load 6
o S-II Stage Propellant Load 26
M 5-IVB Stage Propellant Load 36
S-II Insulation Purge and -eak
Detection
Ground Support fquipment
TRAJECTORY
4a Summary
4.2 Tracking Data Utilization
4.2.1 Tracking During the Ascent Phase of
Flight
2 Tracking During Orbital Flight
e
o
Trajectory Evaluation
e
Ascent Trajectory
p
a Orbital Trajectory
S-1€ PROPULSION
Sumnary
5.1
5.2 S-IC Igniticn Transient Performance
5.3 S-IC Main Stage Performance
6.4 S-IC Engine Shutdown Transient Performance
5.5 S-IC Stage Proneltant Management
5.6 S-IC Pressurization System
5.6.1 S-IC Fuel Pressurization System
5.6.2 S-IC LOX Pressurization System
5.7 S-IC Pneumatic Control Pressure System
5.8 S-IC Purge System
5.9 S-IC Camera Zjection and Purge System
S-11 PROPULSION
Suemary
6.) 6-1
6.2 S-1L Chitldown and Bui tdup ~ransient

Performance
6-2
iv