Saturn SA-5 [NASA]
Saturn SA-5 was the first orbital test flight of the Saturn-IV upper stage of the Saturn-1 (Block-2) launch vehicle.
It consisted of a ballasted and instrumented nosecone attached to the Saturn-IV stage. The ballast payxload was not separated in orbit. More than 11,000 measurements of flight parameters were taken.
The 17600 kg Saturn SA-5 entered an elliptical orbit 264 km × 785 km at an inclination of 31.5°, being the largest object in orbit at the time. It reentered from orbit after 791 days in space on 30 April 1966.
Nation: | USA |
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Type / Application: | Vehicle evaluation, instrumented second stage |
Operator: | NASA |
Contractors: | |
Equipment: | Ballast |
Configuration: | Instrumented Saturn-4 |
Propulsion: | |
Power: | Batteries |
Lifetime: | |
Mass: | 16965 kg |
Orbit: | 264 km × 785 km, 31.5° |
Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
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Saturn-SA 5 | 1964-005A | 29.01.1964 | CC LC-37B | Saturn-1 (Block-2) |