Rocket Engine, Liquid Fuel, H-1

Object Details

Manufacturer

Rocketdyne Division, Rockwell International

Summary

This is the H-1 liquid-fuel rocket engine. The H-1 was the first stage powerplant for the Saturn 1 and Saturn 1B launch vehicles, the precursors to the Saturn V which took humans to the moon in the Apollo program. The Saturn 1 and Saturn 1B were each fitted with eight H-1s in their first stages. The engine uses RP-1 (kerosene) and liquid oxygen. The model shown here may be the second variation which produced 188,000 pounds of thrust.

The H-1 was evolved directly from the Jupiter missile engine. In 1958, during the earliest days of the space race, the Army Ballistic Missile Agency proposed a large launch vehicle for lifting military satellites. This vehicle was known as the Juno V. In its final configuration, its first stage was to be powered by eight uprated Jupiter engines. This engine was subsequently re-named the H-1. With the advent of the Apollo Project, Juno V was re-designated the Saturn. The Saturn 1 and Saturn 1B were successfully test flown with the H-1s and led the way to the Saturn V. The Saturn 1, with its eight H-1's, first flew on 27 October 1961. The last Saturn 1B was flown on 15 July 1975 for the low-Earth orbit Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.

NASA transferred this engine to the Museum in 1969.

Credit Line

Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

ca. 1959-1961

Inventory Number

A19700259000

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

PROPULSION-Rocket Engines

Materials

Chamber and nozzle coolant passages 347 stainless steel. Propellant tanks, lines, and valves, stainless steel. Pumps, aluminum alloys; turbine, Hastealloy. Injector, OHFC copper and 347 stainless steel.

Combustion chamber made of 292 stainless steel tubes. The assembly, except for inlet manifold, was furnaced brazed with gold brazing alloy. Injectors, furnaced brazed.

Dessicant holders on each side of rocket plumbing, with red plastic protective covers; bundle of wires in white plastic isulation adjacent to red desicant holders; another bundle of wires with white plastic insulation, in back of plumbing,

Dimensions

Overall: 5ft 3 1/2in. x 4ft 5 3/4in. x 8ft 4in. (161.3 x 136.5 x 254cm)

Country of Origin

United States of America

See more items in

National Air and Space Museum Collection

National Air and Space Museum

Record ID

nasm_A19700259000

Metadata Usage (text)

Not determined

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv91c1d7950-78bc-4913-a05e-c535f62c8d6e