75:). The image of the Nova C8 is commonly used as a representative of the entire Nova series, and many references to Nova refer specifically to these post-Apollo versions. The two series of designs were, essentially, separate, but shared their name. Thus, "Nova" does not refer to a specific rocket design, just a rocket larger than the Saturn V in most cases. Nova was the name used by NASA in the early 1960s for a super booster in the 10 to 20 million pound thrust range.
60:. Nova was NASA's first large launcher proposed in 1958, for missions similar to what Saturn V was subsequently used for. The Nova and Saturn V designs closely mirrored each other in basic concept, power, size, and function. Differences were minor but practical, and the Saturn was ultimately selected for the Apollo program, largely because it would reuse existing facilities to a greater extent and could make it to the pad somewhat earlier.
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proposals, those requiring new engines, were lumped together in the "C series". C-1 was similar to the A-1, but used new upper stages derived from Titan engines, while the similar C-2 used new J-2 powered upper stages. C-3 through C-5 used the same J-2 powered uppers, but added a new first stage powered by three, four, or five F-1 engines (hence the names). Dr. von Braun's favored approach remained
161:" mission profile, in which a single large spacecraft would be placed in Earth orbit, and after transferring to a lunar orbit, would land directly on the Moon and take off without the need for rendezvous and docking with multiple spacecraft, which was as yet untried and perceived to be difficult. This greatly increased the liftoff mass of the space vehicle.
197:(LEO), it seemed that the Saturn C-5 would be the best solution. The C-2 model would also be built as a testbed system, launching subassemblies into orbit for flight testing before the C-5 would be ready. The main determinant in selecting the Saturn over the Nova was that the Saturn C-5 could be built in an existing factory outside
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Von Braun favored a profile that built up the spacecraft in Earth orbit, which reduced the launch mass needed for any one launch. However, as studies into the spacecraft needed for the mission started, it became clear that the systems would be much heavier than initially suspected; the existing Nova
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In 1959 the Army decided it was no longer interested in developing large boosters, for which it had no immediate need, and it passed von Braun's team over to NASA. This left NASA with two large booster designs: its own Nova, and von Braun's recently renamed Saturn ("the one after
Jupiter"). Over the
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All of the companies submitted a wide variety of designs. Many of these were based on existing technology, suitably enlarged. For instance, Martin's smallest design, the 1B, used fourteen F-1s in the first stage and had a LEO payload of 662,000 pounds (300,000 kg). They also suggested a number
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would be the next "obvious" step. For this role the Saturn V was far too small, and a second series of Nova design studies started for launchers of up to 1,296,000 pounds (588,000 kg) planned for 1977 delivered to LEO. Unlike the original Nova series which was designed by NASA, the new designs
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Nova was still targeting the direct ascent approach, which required the most lift capacity. The most powerful of the resulting "normal" designs, the 8L, included eight F-1's in the lower stage and placed 68 tons in a translunar trajectory. Other designs in the series replaced the F-1s with large
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A number of upgraded
Saturns were also studied. Dr. von Braun's original Saturn design became the A-1 model, while the A-2 replaced the Titan missile with a Jupiter. The more powerful B-1 model used a cluster of Titans for its second stage, but was otherwise similar to the A-1. More "radical"
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Very early concept diagrams, April 1962, of the Saturn I, Saturn V and "Nova C8" rockets. (Each concept included one additional stage, one that was omitted entirely from the Saturn I and eventually replaced by the Lunar Module
Adapter on the Saturn IB and Saturn
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The debate between the various approaches came to a head in 1961, and the outcome was unexpected by both teams. Instead of either the direct ascent or Earth orbit rendezvous, the working group instead selected a third option,
193:(LOR). LOR had a mass requirement about midway between the Saturn C-3 and Nova 8L. After studying what would be required to modify either booster to the new requirement of about 200,000 pounds (91,000 kg) in
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designs were too small, and the original Saturn design would need up to fifteen launches to put all the parts and fuel into orbit. A redesign of both plans followed.
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Soon after the proposals were submitted, it became clear that post-Apollo funding would be considerably less. NASA abandoned its Nova plans in 1964.
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Studies on the Nova series continued into 1962 as a backup for Saturn, but were eventually ended as the Saturn-based LOR profile became ingrained.
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As the Apollo program continued, NASA designers started looking at their needs for the post-Apollo era, and it appeared that a
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The first Nova series was designed in-house at NASA in 1958. This project examined several designs, the smallest having four
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in the uppers. This design placed 24 tons in a lunar injection trajectory. These designs were presented to
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revealed the need for boosters much larger than Apollo's, and a new series of designs with as many as eight
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next two years the competing NASA and Air Force studies continued, but immediately following
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engines for the upper stages. Lunar payload for the various models varied between 48 and 75 tons.
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This article is about a series of NASA rocket designs. For a class of lunar landers, see
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were studied under contract by the major aerospace companies that did
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466:"A National Space Vehicle Program: A Report to the President"
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engines were developed under the Nova name (along with the
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decided to send in his own unsolicited proposals as well.
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Proposed United States super heavy-lift launch vehicle
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designs that were proposed both before and after the
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Comparison table of Saturn V and Nova configurations
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225:receive major Apollo-related contracts, namely
142:related engines and tanks for a lower stage, a
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23:. For the launch vehicle by Stoke Space, see
157:Originally, NASA had designed Nova for the "
445:. Steve Garber, NASA History Web Curator
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418:List of canceled launch vehicle designs
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315:3,600,000 kg (8,000,000 lb)
357:61,925 kN (13,920,000 lbf)
114:-powered uppers mounting the J-2 or
25:Nova (fully reusable launch vehicle)
318:771,000 kg (1,700,000 lb)
264:Major Nova specifications include:
102:was in the process of defining its
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360:8,265 kN (1,860,000 lbf)
321:120,000 kg (264,500 lb)
181:(EOR), but this time based on two
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363:1,032 kN (232,000 lbf)
329:181,400 kg (400,000 lb)
439:"NASA Plans for a Lunar Landing"
335:13,310 kg (29,350 lb)
332:63,500 kg (140,000 lb)
110:rockets in the lower stage with
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567:Cancelled space launch vehicles
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169:solids, while others studied
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377:425 s (4.17 kN·s/kg)
260:Specifications for Nova C8
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545:Encyclopedia Astronautica
374:425 s (4.17 kN·s/kg)
371:304 s (2.98 kN·s/kg)
203:Michoud Assembly Facility
21:Intuitive Machines Nova-C
87:in the lower stage and
191:Lunar Orbit Rendezvous
179:Earth Orbit Rendezvous
65:crewed mission to Mars
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443:NASA History Division
218:human mission to Mars
201:, later known as the
146:as the second stage.
95:on January 27, 1959.
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340:Number of engines
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399:Lox/Kerosene
279:Third stage
276:Second stage
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396:Propellants
273:First stage
235:Philip Bono
199:New Orleans
556:Categories
424:References
326:Empty mass
251:Saturn C-8
183:Saturn C-3
108:solid fuel
73:Saturn MLV
382:Burn time
312:Full mass
519:July 30,
485:cite web
412:See also
405:Lox/LH2
349:1 x J-2
298:Diameter
140:Redstone
54:Saturn V
402:Lox/LH2
346:8 x J-2
343:8 x F-1
293:17.8 m
136:Jupiter
120:US Army
391:473 s
307:6.6 m
304:10.1 m
301:12.2 m
290:42.7 m
287:48.8 m
284:Length
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132:Juno V
50:rocket
547:entry
388:338 s
385:157 s
521:2019
491:link
477:2024
451:2018
229:and
185:'s.
138:and
89:J-2s
85:F-1s
46:NASA
42:Nova
368:ISP
237:at
223:not
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116:M-1
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37:V.)
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