Information Needed - win 10,000 points

As some of you may know, Springer and I are on the road for site related business and, as a result, researching the following question is something we simply cannot do at this moment. Sure, we could wait until we returned tomorrow to start looking into it but we figured you guys might know the answer or be able to answer it faster than either of us could. So, I'm offering 10,000 points to the first person to tell me which nation had the capability to launch the heaviest object into space in August 1967 and, more important, how much was the maximum launchable weight?

10,000 points to the first person to find the right answer (yes, I would like something to document it). FYI, there is mention of where we are and what we're doing so, if you can put two and two together, you can figure out how big this might be.

Thanks and good researching.

wikipedia.com

The Saturn V (pronounced 'Saturn Five', popularly known as the Moon Rocket) was a multistage liquid-fuel expendable rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programs.

The largest production model of the Saturn family of rockets, the Saturn V was designed under the direction of Wernher von Braun at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, with Boeing, North American Aviation, Douglas Aircraft Company, and IBM as the lead contractors. It remains the most powerful launch vehicle ever brought to operational status, from a height, weight and payload standpoint, although the Russian Energia, which flew only two test missions, had slightly more takeoff thrust.

In all, NASA launched thirteen Saturn V rockets between 1967 and 1973, with no loss of payload. The design payload was the manned Apollo spacecraft used by NASA for moon landings, and the Saturn V went on to launch the Skylab space station.

The three stages of the Saturn V were developed by various NASA contractors, but following a sequence of mergers and takeovers all of them are now owned by Boeing. Each first and second stage was test fired at the Stennis Space Center located near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The facility was later used for the testing and verification of both the Space Shuttle Main Engine and the newer RS-68 rocket engine currently used on the Delta IV EELV rocket and in the future, on the Ares V rocket.

...

Payload to LEO 118,000 kg

Payload to
Lunar orbit 47,000 kg

I think that's the info you're looking for.


EDIT: Citation

[edit on 29-11-2007 by wingman77]

Which nation? United states of America, it was the Lunar Orbiter-5, launchable weight, 385.6 kg.

citation

[edit on 29-11-2007 by PontiacWarrior]

Originally posted by Crakeur
FYI, there is mention of where we are and what we're doing so, if you can put two and two together, you can figure out how big this might be.

Thanks and good researching.

You guys are going to space?!?

reply to post by hikix


i believe there in roswell at the moments (see ATS mix)
wonder if this research and that are connected.

heres some, still looking, this is only the american side, still looking into russian, but like the above poster it concerns the Saturn model space craft

Manufacturer: Von Braun. Launches: 9. Success Rate: 100.00%. First Launch Date: 1966-02-26. Last Launch Date: 1975-07-15. Launch data is: complete. LEO Payload: 18,600 kg (41,000 lb). to: 185 km Orbit. at: 28.00 degrees. Associated Spacecraft: Apollo ASTP Docking Module, Apollo CSM, Apollo LM, Gemini Observatory, Apollo X, Orbital Workshop, Apollo LM Lab, Apollo Rescue CSM, Apollo RM, Apollo Experiments Pallet, MORL. Liftoff Thrust: 7,295.100 kN (1,640,004 lbf). Total Mass: 589,770 kg (1,300,220 lb). Core Diameter: 6.61 m (21.68 ft). Total Length: 51.00 m (167.00 ft). Development Cost $: 1,002.200 million. in: 1965 average dollars. Launch Price $: 107.000 million. in: 1967 price dollars. Cost comments: J-2 engine development cost included with Saturn V.

LEO Payload: 18,600 kg (41,000 lb). from above

reply to post by wingman77


No,
The first flight of a Saturn 5 occurred in Nov of 1967:

The first Saturn V launch took place on November 9, 1967 with the Apollo 4 unmanned spacecraft as payload.

reply to post by hikix


OK, if you're on your way to the moon by any chance, get some good high res pictures for S&E.

I think you already have the correct answer by Pontiac Warrior.

reply to post by wingman77


A slight problem with that, the Saturn V was launched in Nov. '67 for the first time. Crakeur is asking for data from Aug. '67. Now, we can all say "they had a secret launch". But that would be a coverup too. I think what they have found is that someone launched a massive object in Aug '67 and we need to find out who might have had the capability as known publicly.

Am searching ...

Russian specs on www.spaceandtech.com...

too many specs to post

Proton UR500M 41400lbs payload (for that "Super-ICBM" configuration). Zond configs had more.

www.russianspaceweb.com...

Vic

reply to post by Crakeur


I am pretty sure it was the Proton rocket from the Russians. It could loft a 22,000kg payoload into LEO.

Either it was that, or the R-7. Both rockets had the US beat until we launched the Saturn 5 successfully and took the record. But that all came about after August of 1967

PROTON ROCKET INFO

No,
The first flight of a Saturn 5 occurred in Nov of 1967:

I see, a trick question perhaps. In that case the most powerful launch vehicle could have belonged to the Soviet Union at that point. It could be the Soviet Proton:

wikipedia.com

(Прото́н) (formal designation: UR-500) is a rocket used in an expendable launch system for both commercial and Russian government launches. The first Proton was launched in 1965 and the launch system is still in use as of 2007, which makes it one of the most successful heavy boosters in the history of spaceflight. All Protons are built at the Khrunichev plant in Moscow.[1] They are transported for launch to the Baikonur Cosmodrome, where they are brought to the launch pad horizontally and then raised into vertical position for launch.[2]

The name "Proton" originates from a series of large scientific Proton satellites, which were among the rocket's first payloads. It is also known as the D-1/ D-1e or SL-12/SL-13. Like many Soviet boosters, the name of the recurring payloads became associated with their launchers.

Launch capacity to low Earth orbit is about 22 tonnes (44,000 lb). Interplanetary transfer capacity is about 5–6 tonnes (11,000–13,000 lb). Commercial launches are marketed by International Launch Services (ILS).

It wasn't the Redstone, Vostok, or Titan II...

So far I can confirm:

# Lunar Orbiter 5 - USA Lunar Orbiter - 389 kg (August 1, 1967)

Orbited the moon at a polar inclination, took high resolution pictures of many important sites, and impacted on command.

So looks like th U.S. was in Aug of 67, to actually have launched.


[edit on 29/11/07 by Rhain]

Here are all the launches from 1967. You can check other years also.

Looks like 1967 was first successful flight for Saturn V.

Proton had 2 failures.
External source


[edit on 29-11-2007 by Xeven]

let me adjust this and when I return, y'all are getting points for assisting on a slight dead end.

document in question to be uploaded.

Originally posted by Crakeur
let me adjust this and when I return, y'all are getting points for assisting on a slight dead end.

document in question to be uploaded.

Well I cant wait to hear what it is that you were suspecting - even if it turns into a dead end.

Nah not a space launch ...never mind.

[edit on 29/11/07 by Rhain]

here's the deal. we have a document regarding the retrieval, from the Sudan, of a 3 ton object which fell from space. the shape and size are odd, given the lack of markings as well. so, what we're looking for is anything that might aid us in what this could be.

that sadi, when I get back to town, y'all will be getting bumps from me for the wrong direction and the additional assistance provided.


I emailed the doc to SO who will, in turn, put it here as soon as possible.

Do you mean total weight or total cargo weight?

If it is total weight then the answer is the Soviet Union. UR-500.
www.globalsecurity.org...
Launch weight was 600 tons, that's over 500,000 kg.

www.ufoarea.com...
Project "Moon Dust"
I think this is what you are talking about.

[edit on 20071129 by NJ Mooch]

[edit on 20071129 by NJ Mooch]