Revell 04909 Apollo Saturn V 1:144 Scale Unbuilt/Unpainted Plastic Model Kit

Product Information

a b "Launch escape subsystem" (PDF). NASA. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 20, 2021 . Retrieved October 7, 2020. My stash RealSpace CSM is also all in one piece, but is made from a different, white resin that seems to provide better surface detail.

As of 2023, the Saturn V remains the only launch vehicle to have carried humans beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). Saturn V holds records for the heaviest payload launched and largest payload capacity to low Earth orbit: 311,152lb (141,136kg), which included the third stage and unburned propellant needed to send the Apollo command and service module and Lunar Module to the Moon. Streigel, Mary (July 1, 2015). "The Space Age In Construction". National Park Service. Archived from the original on June 19, 2020 . Retrieved October 4, 2019. Since I’m beginning my third iteration of this model (the first when it was initially issued a very long time ago), your blog is a true gold mine of reference. My most successful Apollo model is the Airfix 1/144th S1B, although I wish I would have corrected the clunky kit first stage fin shapes. Not being nearly as fastidious as you, I’m not going to model the parts you can’t see once assembled which will speed up the process immensely. I did get a good laugh reading your observation of the confusing coordinate system and getting lost in space. NASA SPACE VEHICLE DESIGN CRITERIA (GUIDANCE AND CONTROL)" (PDF). ntrs.nasa.gov. NASA. March 1971. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 6, 2021 . Retrieved July 7, 2020.Edgar M. Cortright, ed. (1975). "3.2". Apollo Expeditions to the Moon. NASA Langley Research Center. ISBN 978-9997398277. Archived from the original on February 14, 2008 . Retrieved February 11, 2008. The Saturn V's final design had several key features. F-1 engines were chosen for the 1st stage, [9] while new liquid hydrogen propulsion system called J-2 for the 2nd and 3rd stage. [35] [11] NASA had finalized its plans to proceed with von Braun's Saturn designs, and the Apollo space program gained speed. [36]

On September 3, 2002, astronomer Bill Yeung discovered a suspected asteroid, which was given the discovery designation J002E3. It appeared to be in orbit around the Earth, and was soon discovered from spectral analysis to be covered in white titanium dioxide, which was a major constituent of the paint used on the Saturn V. Calculation of orbital parameters led to tentative identification as being the Apollo 12 S-IVB stage. [110] Mission controllers had planned to send Apollo 12's S-IVB into solar orbit after separation from the Apollo spacecraft, but it is believed the burn lasted too long, and hence did not send it close enough to the Moon, so it remained in a barely stable orbit around the Earth and Moon. In 1971, through a series of gravitational perturbations, it is believed to have entered in a solar orbit and then returned into weakly captured Earth orbit 31 years later. It left Earth orbit again in June 2003. [111] See also [ edit ] Skylab: First U.S. Space Station". Space.com. July 11, 2018. Archived from the original on July 8, 2020 . Retrieved July 7, 2020. Reach for the Stars". Time Magazine. February 17, 1958. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. This parking orbit was quite low by Earth orbit standards, and it would have been short-lived due to aerodynamic drag. For perspective, the current ISS orbits at an altitude of roughly 250 miles (400km), and requires a reboost roughly once a month. This was not a problem on a lunar mission because of the short stay in the parking orbit. The S-IVB also continued to thrust at a low level by venting gaseous hydrogen, to keep propellants settled in their tanks and prevent gaseous cavities from forming in propellant feed lines. This venting also maintained safe pressures as liquid hydrogen boiled off in the fuel tank. This venting thrust easily exceeded aerodynamic drag. [ citation needed] Ah, interesting. The RealSpace CSM I used in my build is this one: http://ninfinger.org/models/realspace/96csm.html

Subscribe to our Newsletter

The kit S-II aft interstage comes with eight ullage motors. These were reduced to four on the Apollo 11 launch vehicle, and were later omitted entirely. The attachment points for the kit parts therefore need to be removed and the stringers restored. The kit motor fairings are too small and need to be replaced with New Ware parts. The S-II fairings extended on to the aft interstage—all the New Ware resin fairings need to be divided at an appropriate level, with their trailing parts added to the interstage and aligned. New Ware provides a photo-etch personnel access hatch. The box artwork is usually very good and it’s good here showing the Saturn V leaving earth’s atmosphere bound for the moon. Let’s go inside…

The entire aft end of the S-IC stage needs to be remodelled, because of inaccuracies in the heatshield and engines. The F-1 engines were covered with batted insulation, but the kit parts are bare. I used RealSpace’s resin replacements, with Bare-Metal Foil detailing and some scratch-building to reproduce the appearance of the real engines. The kit heatshield is surround by air scoops, most of which were removed in S-IC stages that actually flew—New Ware provides resin replacement for the heatshield, engine fairings and fins, and photo-etch parts for the remaining air scoops on either side of the engine fairings. The New Ware heatshield is poorly detailed—I printed a custom decal sheet to depict rivets and other details in this area. I also scratch-built lunate heatshields for the engine fairings—neither Revell nor New Ware provide appropriately shaped parts. The S-IC stage is wrongly orientated relative to the S-II. I corrected this at the junction between the S-II aft interstage and the S-IC—see build log for details.

Skylab was the only launch not directly related to the Apollo lunar landing program. The only significant changes to the Saturn V from the Apollo configurations involved some modification to the S-II to act as the terminal stage for inserting the Skylab payload into Earth orbit, and to vent excess propellant after engine cutoff so the spent stage would not rupture in orbit. The S-II remained in orbit for almost two years, and made an uncontrolled re-entry on January 11, 1975. [82]