Saturn (Apogee Books Space Series)

The complete story of the Saturn V Rocket is presented in this detailed history of each stage of the construction and testing process. From the drawing boards of Boeing, North American Aviation, and the Douglas company, through shipping materials on massive Super Guppy air transports, prototype engine firings, and wind tunnel tests, and finally to the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, every stage of the planning, production, and actual flight of the rocket is meticulously documented. The lives of the first 45 rocket stages built for the Saturn project are charted, including unprecedented information on the dates, times, and performance parameters for each stage, the facilities used in production, rare documentation of the stages that malfunctioned and the engines that exploded along the way. Details on the development of the F1 and J2 rocket engines and recently declassified photographs of the Saturn project are also included.