Talk:Saturn V Instrument Unit

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I'm looking for others who worked on the IBM Saturn V Instrument Unit during Project Apollo, 1965 - 1969 at the Kennedy Space Center.

Dick Conklin, keysy.com/dick, conch@keysy.com

[edit] Lunar orbit?

I'm not aware of any SIVBs going into Lunar orbit; that would require another engine burn as it approached the Moon, with associated fuel. Does anyone have any evidence to support this or should we delete it? Mark Grant 16:29, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

No S-IVBs ever went into orbit around the Moon. Andy120290 19:23, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

OK, I've removed that comment. Mark Grant 22:50, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Specifications

The concept of empty weight does not apply to the Instrument Unit; it carried no fuel or bombs, and weighed about the same at the beginning of the mission as later.

Instrument Unit Fact Sheet. Saturn V News Reference. Changed December 1968. P. 1: Weight (average) 4,500 lbs, Diameter 260 inches, Height 36 inches

SA-507 Flight Manual PDF p. 11: Dry weight = At launch weight = 4,306 pounds.

SA-503 Flight Manual PDF p. 11: Dry weight = At launch weight = 4,873 pounds.

I propose to delete the empty weight from the Specifications.

The references quoted above illustrate how the Instrument Unit varied from mission to misson. It was not a single configuration. I will point out in text to accompany some historical images how components were moved around. E.g. some missions had 3 batteries, some 4.

I also propose, therefore, to put a tilde in front of the weight.

Edgar Durbin 01:38, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

Sure, sounds like a good idea to me. Mark Grant 02:06, 31 May 2007 (UTC)