luke strawwalker
04-29-2011, 03:49 PM
Here's a quick study from 1968 on alternate Apollo Applications... this study uses all Saturn IB's to launch not only crews and supplies to orbit, but a series of three space stations as well. This program was basically outlining a "Skylab II program on the cheap" as it were, since it was obvious there would be no more Saturn V's to launch extra stations the size of Skylab. SO, this study outlined the design of a station that would basically fit inside the SLA spacecraft adapter on top of the S-IVB with a simple nosecone (Apollo LES BPC cover style) on top, similar to how several unmanned Saturn IBs were launched to test the LM in LEO, and to study hydrogen behavior in zero G inside the S-IVB. This would have allowed the uprated S-IB to launch the station "as is" without having to be requalified for a larger payload envelope with different aerodynamic properties.
Later! OL JR
Later! OL JR