Apollo Space Vehicle Configuration

 

 

S-IB (Apollo 7)

• Reached 1.640 million pounds of thrust at liftoff

• Accelerated total space vehicle to ~7,620 fps

• Reached ~33 nautical miles in ~ 2.5 minutes

  

S-IC

• Reached to 7.650 million pounds of thrust at liftoff

• Accelerated total space vehicle to ~7,880 fps

• Reached ~58 nautical miles in ~ 2.5 minutes

 

 S-II interstage

• Interfaced first and second stages

• Housed second stage engines

• Provided ullage for S-II engine start

  

S-II

• Accelerated vehicle from ~7,880 fps to ~ 22,850 fps in ~370 sec.

• Achieved altitude of ~101 nautical miles

• Housed S-II retro-rocket mounting

 

 S-IVB Interstage

• Provided structural transition from diameter of S-II to S-IVB

• Housed S-IVB engine

• Had attitude control about 3 axes and +X ullage with APS, up to 505 seconds of burn time

 

 S-IVB

• Increased velocity from 7,620 fps to 25,553 fps in 470 sec to accomplish orbit (Apollo 7)

• Increased velocity from 22,850 fps to 25,568 fps in 154 sec to accomplish orbit (all other flights)

• Accelerated space vehicle to ~35,500 fps for TLI (all except Apollo 7 and Apollo 9)

  

Instrument Unit

• Provided launch vehicle guidance; navigation; control signals; telemetry; command communications; tracking; EDS rates and display activation timing and stage functional sequencing

 

 Spacecraft/Lunar Module Adapter

• Housed and supported the LM, aerodynamically enclosed, supported LM

• Provided the structural electrical interface between spacecraft and launch vehicle

• Provided diameter transition from S-IVB to CSM

• Allowed LM extraction

 

 Lunar Module Descent Stage

• Provided velocity change for lunar deorbit and lunar landing (throttleable)

• Protected ascent stage from landing damage

• Provided ascent stage /descent stage staging

• Provided LM ascent stage launch pad

• Stowed lunar scientific equipment

 

 Lunar Module Ascent Stage

• Provided mission life support for 2 crewmen

• Contained secondary command control and communications

• Computed and performed lunar landing abort, launch, rendezvous and docking with CSM

• Facilitated CM, LM ingress/egress inter- and extra-vehicular activities

• Maneuvered about and along 3 axed in the near-lunar environment

  

Service Module

• Provided velocity change for course correction, lunar orbit insertion, transearth injection and CSM aborts

• Provided attitude control and translation

• Supplemented environmental, electrical power and reaction control requirements of CM

 

 Command Module

• Provided mission life support for 3 crewmen

• Provided inertial/space-fixed navigation

• Provided command control and communication center

• Provided attitude control about 3 axes

• Acted as a limited lifting body

• Provided CM-LM ingress/egress for inter- and extra-vehicular activity

 

 Launch Escape System

• Transported CM away from space vehicle (and mainland) during launch abort

• Oriented CM attitude for launch abort descent

• Jettisoned safely as required

• Sensed flight dynamics

• Provided CM thermal protection