MANAGER, SATURN LOGISTICS SUPPORT DOUGLAS A I R C R A F T COMPANY, INC. MISSILE & SPACE SYSTEMS DIVISION SPACE SYSTEMS C E N T E R H U N T I N G T O N BEACH, C A L I F O R N I A , 92646 PRESENTED TO AMERICAN SOCIETY O F C I V I L ENGINEERS COCOA BEACH, F L O R I D A NOVEMBER 1965
DOUGLAS /M/SS/L E
d SPACE S Y S T E M S D / V / S / D N 2 3 S
ABSTRACT
This paper describes the significant events and equipment associated with transporting the Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., built Saturn S-IVB stage from stage fabrication at Huntington Beach, California, to the Sacramento Test Center and to the Kennedy Space Center. Descriptions and illustrations
of the transportation vehicles and major ground support and instrumentation equipment are presented for a more comprehensive understanding of the transportation problem.
t u r e r s of t h e s e s p a c e g i a n t s f a c e a new and i n c r e a s i n g l y d i f f i c u l t p r o b l e m ; t h a t of how t o t r a n s p o r t t h e s e c e l e s t i a l c o v e r e d wagons w h i l e t h e y a r e s t i l l on t h e g r o u n d . The Douglas A i r c r a f t Company, I n c . , M i s s i l e and Space Systems
Figure 1
i l l u s t r a t e s t h e d e s i g n and c o m p a r a t i v e s i z e of t h e s e v e h i c l e s .
Douglas i s
f l i g h t program w i t h i t s 1 0 t h s u c c e s s f u l l a u n c h on 30 J u l y 1965.
F i g u r e 1.
S a t u r n Comparison
F i g u r e 2.
S-IV S t a g e
S-IVB/TB S t a g e
The S-IVB/IB s t a g e , f i g u r e 3 , i s 2 1 f e e t , 8
The
figure 4,
flared a f t interstage
The S-IVB a f t i n t e r s t a g e s a r e s h i p p e d
The
e d g e o f t h e pavement on b o t h s i d e s .
comparable t o moving a t h r e e - s t o r y b a r n .
maximum s i z e and w e i g h t l i m i t s , moving t i m e r e s t r i c t i o n s , t h e enormous c o s t of p e r m a n e n t l y r e p o s i t i o n i n g u t i l i t y and power l i n e s , and d e t o u r i n g u n d e r p a s s e s and b r i d g e s , f i g u r e 6 , t h a t c a n n o t a c c e p t t h e s i z e of t h e S-IVB s t a g e and transporter.
Figure 4.
S-IVB/V
Stage
Figure 5.
Highway Movement
Figure 6.
a r i d g e Crossing
C l e a r l y , t h e u s e of highways f o r long d i s t a n c e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i s o u t of t h e question. R a i l r o a d s cannot b e used s i n c e r a i l r o a d r o u t e s a r e d e s i g n e d t o a w i d t h l i m i t c o n s i d e r a b l y l e s s t h a n t h e dimensions of t h e S-IVB s t a g e . Because of i t s s i z e , t h e S-IVB was n o t a i r t r a n s p o r t a b l e i n t h e c a r g o compartment of any a i r c r a f t e x i s t i n g a t t h e t i m e of i t s d e s i g n . t h e u s e of e x i s t i n g h e l i c o p t e r s . Lighter-than-air
I t s weight precludes
cargo c r a f t o f f e r i n t r i g u -
p o s s i b l e t o downgrade t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a t t h e e x p e n s e of s t a g e r e l i a b i l i t y . The s t u d i e s by D o u g l a s , d u r i n g t h e i n i t i a l d e s i g n p h a s e s , d e t e r m i n e d t h a t w a t e r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , t o g e t h e r w i t h a s p e c i a l highway t r a n s p o r t e r f o r u s e a t t e r m i n a l a r e a s , o f f e r e d t h e most r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e s o l u t i o n f o r t r a n s p o r t of t h e S-IV and S-IVB s t a g e s . The S-IVB s t a g e t r a n s p o r t e r , f i g u r e 7 , p r o v i d e s s u p p o r t , m o b i l i t y , and s h o c k i s o l a t i o n f o r t h e S-IVB s t a g e d u r i n g a l l normal l a n d and s e a t r a v e l . The
t r a n s p o r t e r i s a l s o c a p a b l e of t r a n s p o r t i n g n e c e s s a r y s t a g e h a r d w a r e , w i t h t h e
Figure 7.
S-IVB S t a g e T r a n s p o r t e r
e x c e p t i o n of t h e a f t i n t e r s t a g e .
The t r a n s p o r t e r i s a b u i l t up b a s e f r a m e ,
d e s i g n e d t o a t t a c h t o f o r w a r d and a f t s t a g e h a n d l i n g k i t r i n g s .
Figure 8.
A S t a g e H o i s t i n g K i t , f i g u r e 8, i s p r o v i d e d t o l i f t t h e s t a g e o n t o t h e t r a n s -
p o r t e r and t o l i f t t h e s t a g e from t h e t r a n s p o r t e r t o a ground o r w a t e r c a r r i e r . To e s t a b l i s h e n v i r o n m e n t a l p r o t e c t i o n f o r t h e s t a g e d u r i n g ground and s e a t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , p r o t e c t i v e and tiedown t r a n s p o r t k i t s , f i g u r e 8, a r e p r o v i d e d . These k i t s i n c l u d e a n e o p r e n e c o a t e d n y l o n c o v e r assembly which, when i n s t a l l e d on t h e s t a g e , forms a w e a t h e r - t i g h t p r o t e c t i v e cover.
A sponge r u b b e r pad i s
s t a g e t o m o n i t o r t e m p e r a t u r e and h u m i d i t y , t o g e t h e r w i t h any shock and v i b r a t i o n l o a d s t h a t might b e e n c o u n t e r e d d u r i n g t r a n s i t . D u r i n g ground and s e a t r a n s p o r t i n g of t h e S-IVB s t a g e , a NASA-furnished ~obiie
F i g u r e 9.
of v i b r a t i o n , d i f f e r e n t i a l p r e s s u r e s , h u m i d i t y , and t e m p e r a t u r e s , a r e r e c o r d e d on t a p e . When t h e S-IVB s t a g e i s b e i n g t r a n s p o r t e d on w a t e r , t h e Dynamic D e s i c c a n t System T r a i l e r , f i g u r e 1 0 , p r o v i d e s c o n s t a n t low humidity c o n t r o l of t h e S-IVB s t a g e by c i r c u l a t i n g warm d r y a i r t h r o u g h t h e s t a g e and a d e h y d r a t o r bed of s i l i c a gel. The s y s t e m a l s o m a i n t a i n s a c o n s t a n t low p r e s s u r e on t h e environ-
t h e o p e r a t i o n of t h e d e s i c c a t o r when s h i p power i s n o t a v a i l a b l e o r i n o p e r a t i v e
A s p r e v i o u s l y mentioned, t h e i n t e r s t a g e s and s k i r t s e c t i o n s a r e t r a n s p o r t e d
s e p a r a t e l y from t h e s t a g e i t s e l f . Handling k i t s a r e p r o v i d e d f o r t h e s e i t e m s
elements w h i l e i n t r a n s i t .
F i g u r e 10.
Dynamic D e s i c c a n t System T r a i l e r
Figure 1 . 1
I n t e r s t a g e and S k i r t S e c t i o n s
s e c t i o n , f o r w a r d i n t e r s t a g e s e c t i o n and a f t s k i r t s e c t i o n w a i t i n g t o b e t r a n s p o r t e d t o Kennedy Space C e n t e r . The i n i t i a l S-IV s t a g e s t h a t were d e l i v e r e d t o t h e t e s t and l a u n c h f a c i l i t i e s w e r e s h i p p e d by commercial s h i p and b a r g e f o l l o w i n g a t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f l o w a s shown i n f i g u r e 1 2 . C o n s i d e r , f o r a moment, some of t h e a s p e c t s of t r a n s Following a t r a n s p o r t a t i o n flow
p o r t i n g a n o v e r s i z e d s t a g e s u c h a s t h e S-IVB.
s u c h a s shown i n f i g u r e 1 2 , t h e S-IVB s t a g e on i t s transporter, f i g u r e 1 3 , w i t h t h e towing i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n t r a i l e r and power s u p p l y a t t a c h e d , a r e t r a n s p o r t e d from t h e Douglas Space Systems C e n t e r a t H u n t i n g t o n Beach, C a l i f o r n i a , on t h e f i r s t l e g of i t s l o n g t r i p t o Kennedy Space C e n t e r . From t h e Space
SANTA MONICA
S-IV STAGE
LONG BEACH
COURT LAND
SACRAMENTO T E S T CENTER
COURTLAND
S-IVB STAGE
S E A L BEACH CENTER
SACRAMENTO
SUPER GUPPY
SACRAMENTO
Figure 12.
T r a n s p o r t a t i o n Flow C h a r t s
F i g u r e 13.
S-IVB Stage--Space
Systems C e n t e r
r'lgure 1 4 .
S-IVB Stage--Loading
a t S e a l Beach
12
Figure 15.
Figure 16.
A t o t a l t r a n s i t t i m e of f o u r o r f i v e d a y s
i s r e q u i r e d f o r t h e S e a l Beach t o Sacramento T e s t C e n t e r move. When d e p a r t i n g S a c r a m e n t o , t h e t r a n s p o r t e r and b a r g e a r e u s e d t o t r a n s p o r t t h e s t a g e t o San F r a n c i s c o Bay where t h e S-IVB s t a g e and t r a n s p o r t e r a r e t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e o c e a n f r e i g h t e r , t h e P o i n t Barrow, f i g u r e 1 7 . The s t a g e i s s h i p p e d v i a t h e Transit
t i m e from San F r a n c i s c o t o t h e Kennedy Space C e n t e r i s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 17 d a y s . The O r i o n , f i g u r e 1 4 , a m o d i f i e d YFNB c l a s s b a r g e , was t u r n e d o v e r t o t h e M a r s h a l l Space F l i g h t C e n t e r which was t u r n e d o v e r t o them by t h e Navy. 264 f e e t l o n g and 48 f e e t w i d e . The P o i n t Barrow, f i g u r e 1 7 , h a s a s p e e d of a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 5 k n o t s and i s 465 f e e t l o n g , 74 f e e t w i d e , w i t h a 1 9 f o o t maximum d r a f t .
It i s s e l f It i s
p r o p e l l e d and i s owned and o p e r a t e d by t h e M i l i t a r y S e a T r a n s p o r t a t i o n S e r v i c e f o r t h e N a t i o n a l A e r o n a u t i c s and Space A d m i n s t r a t i o n . During t h e e a r l y d e l i v e r y o f S-IV f l i g h t s t a g e s , i t was c l e a r t h a t program r e q u i r e m e n t s d i c t a t e d a need f o r f a s t e r s t a g e d e l i v e r i e s . Consequently,
Figure 17.
P o i n t Barrow
Figure 18.
S-IVB Stage--Unloading
a t P o r t Canaveral In
T h i s 25,000 pound p a y l o a d a i r c r a f t ,
A R o l l e r T r a n s f e r K i t , f i g u r e 2 0 , i s mounted on t h e t r a n s p o r t e r when t h e
s t a g e i s t o b e t r a n s p o r t e d by a i r . The two l o n g i t u d i n a l beams of t h e r o l l e r
k i t a r e t o p p e d w i t h a s e r i e s of s m a l l r o l l e r s which p r o v i d e t h e c a p a b i l i t y of
Figure 19.
P r e g n a n t Guppy
F i g u r e 20.
S-IVB S t a g e A i r c a r r y H a n d l i n g Equipment
moving t h e s t a g e mounted on an a i r c a r r y s u p p o r t assembly from t h e t r a n s p o r t e r t o a cargo l i f t t r a i l e r . For a i r t r a n s i t an A i r c a r r y S u p p o r t Assembly, f i g u r e 2 0 , r e p l a c e s t h e s t a g e cradles. The s u p p o r t assembly i s s i m i l a r t o a p a l l e t and p r o v i d e s a s u p p o r t
i s s p e c i f i c a l l y d e s i g n e d t o c a r r y t h e S-IVB s t a g e , a s w e l l a s s i m i l a r s p a c e
components. T h i s a i r c r a f t i n i t i a l l y f l e w i n l a t e August 1 9 6 5 . When t h e
S u p e r Guppy i s f u l l y o p e r a t i o n a l , a l l S-IVB s t a g e d e l i v e r i e s w i l l be p e r f o r m e d by M a r s h a l l Space F l i g h t C e n t e r u t i l i z i n g t h i s a i r c a r r y method. F o l l o w i n g t h e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f l o w i n f i g u r e 1 2 , t h e S-IVB s t a g e w i l l b e t r a n s p o r t e d from t h e Space Systems C e n t e r , o v e r l a n d 5 m i l e s t o t h e Los A l a m i t o s Naval A i r S t a t i o n . A t Los A l a m i t o s , t h e s t a g e and i t s s u p p o r t
a t t h e M a t h e r A i r F o r c e B a s e , p l a c e d o n a t r a n s p o r t e r , and towed o v e r l a n d t h e
F i g u r e 21.
i s c' s Super ~ u ~ ~ ~ - - ~ r t C o nt e p t i o n
F i g u r e 22.
The s t a g e w i l l r e c e i v e i t s f i n a l
unloading from t h e a i r c a r r i e r and be taken t o a launch a r e a a t t h e Kennedy Space Center when i t w i l l be r e a d i e d f o r i t s f l i g h t i n t o o u t e r s p a c e . N w t h a t t h e major problem of how t o t r a n s p o r t t h e S-IVB s t a g e h a s been s o l v e d , o l e t us r e f l e c t on some of t h e numerous and seemingly i n s i g n i f i c a n t l i t t l e d e t a i l s t h a t have t o b e r e s o l v e d i n o r d e r t o move t h i s 3 - s t o r y s p a c e age g i a n t . Weeks of s e a r c h i n g and i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e v a r i o u s p o s s i b l e o v e r l a n d t r a n s p o r t a t i o n routes a r e required. Then, when t h e one r o u t e w i t h t h e b e s t a d v a n t a g e s must be c l e a r e d and o b s t a c l e s removed. When
The d e s t i n a t i o n
must b e o b t a i n e d t o move o v e r l o a d e d and o v e r s i z e d equipment t h r o u g h t h e i r jurisdiction. The u t i l i t y companies must b e n o t i f i e d and r e q u e s t e d t o lower The l o c a l law e n f o r c e m e n t
o r r a i s e any l i n e s t h a t might p r e s e n t an o b s t a c l e .