151-492: The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama is a museum operated by the government of Alabama , showcasing rockets , achievements, and artifacts of the U.S. space program. Sometimes billed as "Earth's largest space museum", astronaut Owen Garriott described the place as, "a great way to learn about space in a town that has embraced the space program from the very beginning." The center opened in 1970, just after
302-646: A squirrel monkey who flew on a suborbital test flight of the PGM-19 Jupiter rocket on May 28, 1959. Baker lived in a facility at the center from 1971 until she died of kidney failure in November 1984. The idea for the museum was first proposed by Dr. Wernher von Braun , who led the efforts of the United States to land the first man on the Moon. Plans for the museum were underway in 1960 with an economic feasibility study for
453-467: A crewed spacecraft to the Moon. During these revisions, the team rejected the single engine of the V-2's design and moved to a multiple-engine design. The Saturn V's final design had several key features. F-1 engines were chosen for the first stage, while new liquid hydrogen propulsion system called J-2 for the second and third stage. NASA had finalized its plans to proceed with von Braun's Saturn designs, and
604-401: A dry mass of about 303,000 pounds (137,000 kilograms); when fully fueled at launch, it had a total mass of 4,881,000 pounds (2,214,000 kilograms). The S-IC was powered by five Rocketdyne F-1 engines arrayed in a quincunx . The center engine was held in a fixed position, while the four outer engines could be hydraulically turned with gimbals to steer the rocket. In flight, the center engine
755-459: A few months later. In the fall of 1863, they returned to Huntsville, using it as a base of operations for the war in the South until the last months of 1864. According to the journal of a nearby resident, Union troops burned many homes and villages in the surrounding countryside in retaliation for the active guerrilla warfare in the area. Many houses and buildings were burned, although most of Huntsville
906-468: A major center for high technology. On July 1, 1960, 4,670 civilian employees, associated buildings and equipment, and 1,840 acres (7.4 km ) of land were transferred from ABMA to form NASA 's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Wernher von Braun was MSFC's initial director. On September 8, President Dwight D. Eisenhower formally dedicated the MSFC. During the 1960s, the major mission of MSFC
1057-627: A museum, is displayed overhead in a new building designed specifically for the rocket named Davidson Center for Space Exploration . The Space Shuttle Pathfinder , sometimes described as the first manufactured Space Shuttle Orbiter, was a mockup made of steel and wood to test facilities for later handling the actual vehicle. Until it was removed for refurbishment in February 2021 it sat atop an external tank with solid rocket boosters attached. The tank and boosters remain. The center showcases significant military rockets, including representatives of
1208-629: A number of experiments. Bus tours originally started July 4, 1972, but were suspended following the September 11 attacks in 2001. Tours resumed July 20, 2012, the 43rd anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, limited to U.S. citizens because of security protocol at the Army installation, Redstone Arsenal , which contains Marshall Space Flight Center. As of 2023, bus tours of MSFC are no longer offered. Bus tours of Space Camp's Aviation Challenge are available. In
1359-504: A proposed replacement for the first stage was the AJ-260x . This solid rocket motor would have simplified the design by removing the five-engine configuration and, in turn, reduced launch costs. The S-II was built by North American Aviation at Seal Beach, California . Using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, it had five Rocketdyne J-2 engines in a similar arrangement to the S-IC, and also used
1510-457: A riskier option, as a space rendezvous had yet to be performed in Earth orbit, much less in lunar orbit. Several NASA officials, including Langley Research Center engineer John Houbolt and NASA Administrator George Low , argued that a lunar orbit rendezvous provided the simplest landing on the Moon with the most cost–efficient launch vehicle, and the best chance to accomplish the lunar landing within
1661-426: A rocket varies with air density and the square of relative velocity . Although velocity continues to increase, air density decreases so quickly with altitude that dynamic pressure falls below max q. The propellant in just the S-IC made up about three-quarters of Saturn V's entire launch mass, and it was consumed at 13,000 kilograms per second (1,700,000 lb/min). Newton's second law of motion states that force
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#17328764909921812-516: A second time for translunar injection (TLI). The Saturn V's instrument unit was built by IBM and was placed on top of the rocket's third stage. It was constructed at the Space Systems Center in Huntsville, Alabama . This computer controlled the operations of the rocket from just before liftoff until the S-IVB was discarded. It included guidance and telemetry systems for the rocket. By measuring
1963-543: A second. Once the rocket had lifted off, it could not safely settle back down onto the pad if the engines failed. The astronauts considered this one of the tensest moments in riding the Saturn V, for if the rocket did fail to lift off after release they had a low chance of survival given the large amounts of propellant. To improve safety, the Saturn Emergency Detection System (EDS) inhibited engine shutdown for
2114-482: A space tourism effort. The Space & Rocket Center offers bus tours of Marshall Space Flight Center . The tour offers views of all four National Historic Landmarks at the center including a stop at the landmark Redstone Test Stand , where Alan Shepard 's Redstone Rocket was tested prior to launch. Another scheduled stop is the Payload Operations and Integration Center , which serves as mission control for
2265-1031: A statement denying the closure. When the schools opened on September 9, Wallace was served a restraining order against further interference with the desegregation of Huntsville schools. Huntsville became the first city in Alabama to desegregate its schools as well. Alabama's opposition to desegregation at this time caused concern from the NASA Administrator James E. Webb , who investigated equal employment opportunities for Black people in Huntsville. After failing to attract high-level staff to Huntsville, Webb said that "some research work would have to be switched from Huntsville to New Orleans". This investigation into employment caused MSFC to open their engineering education programs to Black students at Alabama A&M and Oakwood College , as well as for local contractors to "work for progress in race relations". The emergence of
2416-468: A three-man spacecraft to land directly on the lunar surface. An EOR would launch the direct-landing spacecraft in two smaller parts which would combine in Earth orbit. A LOR mission would involve a single rocket launching two spacecraft: a mother ship , and a smaller, two-man landing module which would rendezvous back with the main spacecraft in lunar orbit. The lander would be discarded and the mother ship would return home. At first, NASA dismissed LOR as
2567-450: A time with a delay to reduce peak acceleration further. After S-IC separation, the S-II second stage burned for 6 minutes and propelled the craft to 109 miles (175 km) and 15,647 mph (25,181 km/h), close to orbital velocity . For the first two uncrewed launches, eight solid-fuel ullage motors ignited for four seconds to accelerate the S-II stage, followed by the ignition of
2718-427: A total of just 20 minutes. Although Apollo 6 experienced three engine failures, and Apollo 13 experienced one engine shutdown, the onboard computers were able to compensate by burning the remaining engines longer to achieve parking orbit. In the event of an abort requiring the destruction of the rocket, the range safety officer would remotely shut down the engines and after several seconds send another command for
2869-539: Is a center for technology and engineering research in the area. There are commercial technology companies such as the network access company ADTRAN , computer graphics company Intergraph and designer and manufacturer of IT infrastructure Avocent . Cinram manufactures and distributes 20th Century Fox DVDs and Blu-ray discs out of their Huntsville plant. Sanmina-SCI has a presence in the area. A number of Fortune 500 companies have operations in Huntsville. There are several strip malls and shopping malls throughout
3020-491: Is a retired American super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by NASA under the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon . The rocket was human-rated , had three stages , and was powered by liquid fuel . Flown from 1967 to 1973, it was used for nine crewed flights to the Moon, and to launch Skylab , the first American space station . As of 2024, the Saturn V remains the only launch vehicle to have carried humans beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). The Saturn V holds
3171-474: Is enough rainfall to keep soils moist and vegetation lush. Much of Huntsville's precipitation is delivered by thunderstorms . Thunderstorms are most frequent during the spring, and the most severe storms occur during the spring and late fall. These storms can deliver large hail , damaging straight-line winds, and tornadoes . Huntsville lies in a region colloquially known as Dixie Alley , an area more prone to violent, long-track tornadoes than most other parts of
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#17328764909923322-404: Is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration, or equivalently that acceleration is equal to force divided by mass, so as the mass decreased (and the force increased somewhat), acceleration rose. Including gravity, launch acceleration was only 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 g , i.e., the astronauts felt 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 g while the rocket accelerated vertically at 1 ⁄ 4 g . As
3473-420: Is headquartered in Huntsville. Huntsville has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfa ). It experiences hot, humid summers and generally mild winters, with average high temperatures ranging from near 90 °F (32.2 °C) in the summer to 49 °F (9.4 °C) during winter. Huntsville is near the center of a large area of the U.S. mid-South that has maximum precipitation in
3624-705: Is owned by the State of Alabama and operated by the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission (ASSEC), whose 18 members are appointed by the Governor for terms of four or eight years. The composition and authority of the board are set forth in Title 41, Article 15 of the Code of Alabama . ASSEC meetings are open to the public. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for
3775-500: Is partially surrounded by several plateaus and large hills. These plateaus are associated with the Cumberland Plateau , and are locally called "mountains". Monte Sano Mountain (Spanish for "Mountain of Health") is the most notable and is east of the city, along with Round Top (Burritt), Chapman, Huntsville, and Green mountains. Others are Wade Mountain to the north, Rainbow Mountain to the west, and Weeden and Madkin mountains on
3926-603: Is rare in Huntsville. However, there have been some unusually heavy snowstorms, like the New Year's Eve 1963 snowstorm, when 17 in (43 cm) fell within 24 hours. Likewise, the Blizzard of 1993 and the Groundhog Day snowstorm in February 1996 were substantial winter events for Huntsville. On Christmas Day 2010, Huntsville recorded over 4 inches (10 cm) of snow, and on January 9–10, 2011 it received 8.9 inches (23 cm) at
4077-476: Is water as of 2024. Huntsville has grown through recent annexations west into Limestone County by 21.5 square miles (56 km ) (13,885 acres, 5,619 ha) in the early 2000s, and south into Morgan County with 1.03 square miles (2.67 km2) (659.1 acres, 266.73 ha) in 2018. Huntsville borders Marshall County across the Tennessee River near Hobbs Island . Huntsville has the 29th largest land area in
4228-447: The Apollo 11 moon landing, July 1999. It serves as a towering landmark in Huntsville, and cost the center $ 8.6 million of borrowed money. The Huntsville Times estimated interest costs at $ 10 million. Wing also sought to create a program for fifth grade students in Alabama and elsewhere to attend Space Camp at no cost to them. Anonymous corporate pledges that Wing promised would fund the $ 800 per student never arrived. Wing prolonged
4379-638: The Apollo 12 Moon landing, the second crewed mission to the lunar surface. It showcases Apollo Program hardware, including the Apollo 16 capsule, and also houses interactive science exhibits, Space Shuttle exhibits, and Army rocketry and aircraft. With more than 1,500 permanent rocketry and space exploration artifacts, as well as many rotating rocketry and space-related exhibits, the center occupies land carved out of Redstone Arsenal adjacent to Huntsville Botanical Garden at exit 15 on Interstate 565 . The center offers bus tours of nearby NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center . Two camp programs offer visitors
4530-506: The Army's Redstone Arsenal provided a location on which to build. To help draw tourists from far afield, the center needed a crown jewel. The Huntsville Times reported, Center director "Edward O. Buckbee is the type of guy with the tenacity to 'arrange' for this planet's largest, most complex mechanical beast to become a part of the Alabama Space and Rocket Center at Huntsville. / Pulling off
4681-498: The COVID-19 pandemic , and because of the center's unique governance, it was not eligible for any state or federal bailout programs. After a week, the center's fundraiser met its $ 1.5 million goal to continue operations through April 2021. On December 15, 2020, the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission announced that Dr. Kimberly Robinson would be the next director, starting February 15, 2021. Huntsville architect David Crowe designed
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4832-480: The FBI's operational support headquarters, all were sited at Redstone Arsenal. The National Trust for Historic Preservation included Huntsville in its "America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations for 2010" list. The population was 215,006 at the 2020 census , and was estimated to be 221,933 in 2022. The Huntsville metropolitan area 's population was 514,465 in 2022, making it the second most populous metropolitan area in
4983-574: The Great Depression . Huntsville became known as the Watercress Capital of the World because of its abundant harvest in the area. Madison County led Alabama in cotton production during this time. By 1940, Huntsville was still relatively small, with a population of about 13,000 inhabitants. This quickly changed in early 1941 when the U.S. Army selected 35,000 acres (140 km ) of land adjoining
5134-611: The Jupiter series of rockets . The Juno I rocket launched the first American satellite in January 1958. Von Braun considered the Jupiter series of rockets to be a prototype of the upcoming Saturn series of rockets , and referred to it as "an infant Saturn". Named after the sixth planet from the Sun , the design of the various Saturn rockets evolved from the Jupiter vehicles. Between 1960 and 1962,
5285-690: The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) designed a series of Saturn rockets that could be deployed for Earth orbit and lunar missions. NASA planned to use the Saturn C-3 as part of the Earth orbit rendezvous (EOR) method for a lunar mission, with at least two or three launches needed for a single landing on the Moon. However, the MSFC planned an even bigger rocket, the C-4, which would use four F-1 engines in its first stage, an enlarged C-3 second stage, and
5436-862: The Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico . After rounding Florida , the stages were transported up the Intra-Coastal Waterway to the Vehicle Assembly Building (originally called the Vertical Assembly Building). This was essentially the same route which would be used later to ship Space Shuttle external tanks . The S-II was constructed in California and traveled to Florida via the Panama Canal . The third stage and Instrument Unit
5587-568: The Project Nike series, which formed the first ballistic missile defense, MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile, Hermes , an early surface-to-surface missile, MGR-1 Honest John and Corporal nuclear missiles and Patriot , first used in the Gulf War of 1991. The rocketry collection includes numerous engines, as well. In addition to the authentic engines mounted on rockets on display, the museum has unmounted engines on display, including two F-1s ,
5738-713: The Redstone and Jupiter IRBM vehicles, and civilian derivatives such as the Mercury-Redstone and the Juno II , up to the Saturn rocket family civilian rockets, including the vertically displayed Saturn I Block 2 Dynamic Test Vehicle, SA-D5 , which has become a famous local landmark, and on to the Space Shuttle . The Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle , SA-500D , the only Saturn V of the three on display to have been brought together outside
5889-604: The Redstone Arsenal property in the south. Brindley Mountain is visible in the south across the Tennessee River. As with other areas along the Cumberland Plateau, the land around Huntsville is karst in nature. The city was founded around the Big Spring, which is a typical karst spring. Many caves perforate the limestone bedrock underneath the surface, as is common in karst areas. The National Speleological Society
6040-763: The S-IVB stage and delivered less sea level thrust (78,000 pounds-force (350 kN)) than the Launch Escape System rocket (150,000 pounds-force (667 kN) sea level thrust) mounted atop the Apollo command module. The Apollo LES fired for a much shorter time than the Mercury-Redstone (3.2 seconds vs. 143.5 seconds). The Saturn V was principally designed by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama , although numerous major systems, including propulsion systems, were designed by subcontractors. The rocket used
6191-501: The S-IVB , a stage with a single J-2 engine, as its third stage. The C-4 would only need to carry out two launches to carry out an EOR lunar mission. On January 10, 1962, NASA announced plans to build the C-5. The three-stage rocket would consist of the S-IC first stage, with five F-1 engines; the S-II second stage, with five J-2 engines; and the S-IVB third stage, with a single J-2 engine. The C-5 would undergo component testing even before
U.S. Space & Rocket Center - Misplaced Pages Continue
6342-462: The Saturn V and particularly featured the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama . It is the county seat of Madison County with portions extending into Limestone County and Morgan County . It is located in the Appalachian region of northern Alabama south of
6493-643: The Space Shuttle , the International Space Station , and a wide variety of advanced research in space sciences led to a resurgence in NASA-related activities that has continued into the 21st century. In addition, new Army organizations have emerged at Redstone Arsenal, particularly in the ever-expanding field of missile defense . This city is located at 32°31′03″N 87°50′11″W / 32.51750°N 87.83639°W / 32.51750; -87.83639 (34.6934098, -86.5607619). According to
6644-590: The Super Outbreak in April 1974 , the November 1989 tornado that killed 21 and injured over 460, and the 1995 Anderson Hills tornado that killed one person and caused extensive damage. On January 21, 2010, an EF2 tornado struck Huntsville, resulting in moderate damage. Because it was not rain-wrapped and was easily photographed, it received extensive media coverage. While most winters have some measurable snow, heavy snow
6795-515: The U.S. Army Air Force considered this for a major testing facility, but selected another site. Redstone Arsenal was prepared for disposal, but Sparkman used his considerable Southern Democratic influence (the Solid South controlled numerous powerful chairmanships of congressional committees) to persuade the Army to choose it as a site for rocket and missile development. As the Korean War started,
6946-541: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 225.17 square miles (583.2 km ), of which 223.63 square miles (579.2 km ) is land and 1.54 square miles (4.0 km ), is water as of 2023. According to the City of Huntsville Statistics , the city has a total area of 226.62 square miles (586.9 km ), of which 225.09 square miles (583.0 km ) is land and 1.54 square miles (4.0 km ),
7097-491: The War of 1812 , in 1811 the town name was changed to "Huntsville" to honor pioneer John Hunt. Both John Hunt and LeRoy Pope were Freemasons and charter members of Helion Lodge #1 , the oldest lodge in Alabama. In 1811, Huntsville became the first incorporated town in what is now Alabama. However, the recognized "founding" year of the city is 1805, the year of John Hunt's arrival. David Wade settled in Huntsville in 1817. He built
7248-557: The instrument unit . All three stages used liquid oxygen (LOX) as the oxidizer . The first stage used RP-1 for fuel, while the second and third stages used liquid hydrogen (LH2). LH2 has a higher specific energy (energy per unit mass) than RP-1, which makes it more suitable for higher-energy orbits, such as the trans-lunar injection required for Apollo missions. Conversely, RP-1 offers higher energy density (energy per unit volume) and higher thrust than LH2, which makes it more suitable for reducing aerodynamic drag and gravity losses in
7399-503: The 1,300 inhabitants of Huntsville, 448 were slaves, making up 36% of the city's population. In 1819, Huntsville hosted a constitutional convention in Walker Allen's large cabinet-making shop. The 44 delegates wrote a constitution for the new state of Alabama. In accordance with the new state constitution, Huntsville became Alabama's first capital when the state was admitted to the Union. This
7550-550: The ASSEC. The Space & Rocket Center saw 540,153 visitors in 2010 and 553,137 in 2011, and over 584,000 in 2013, the latter earning the museum recognition as the top paid-tourist attraction in Alabama. In 2017, more than 786,820 people visited the center, ranking it first among state attractions that charge admission, according to the Alabama Department of Tourism. The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge , previously known as
7701-416: The Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission's investigation into the pledges by writing bogus personal checks and having the center record them as received. The program ultimately cost the center $ 7.5 million. Wing was pressured to resign, and several members of the governing Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission were ousted from that board as a result of the debacle. At the end of Wing's term as director,
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#17328764909927852-540: The Apollo space program gained speed. The stages were designed by von Braun's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, and outside contractors were chosen for the construction: Boeing ( S-IC ), North American Aviation ( S-II ), Douglas Aircraft ( S-IVB ), and IBM ( instrument unit ). Early in the planning process, NASA considered three methods for the Moon mission: Earth orbit rendezvous (EOR), direct ascent , and lunar orbit rendezvous (LOR). A direct ascent configuration would require an extremely large rocket to send
8003-643: The Army. The Marshall Space Flight Center has been designated to develop NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), and the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) is responsible for developing a variety of rocket-based tactical weapons. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama was constructed in 2003 and is located in North Huntsville Industrial Park. The plant has 1,800 employees as of 2022. The plant manufactures engines for Toyota vehicles. Navistar Huntsville Powertrain Manufacturing Plant
8154-478: The Biotech Campus focus on subjects such as diagnosing disease, immune responses to cancer, protein crystallization , lab-on-a-chip technologies, and agricultural technologies. The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) created a doctoral program in biotechnology to help develop scientists to support HudsonAlpha in addition to the emerging biotechnology economy in Huntsville. Saturn V The Saturn V
8305-516: The Carolinas to develop new cotton plantations. The invention of the cotton gin in the late eighteenth century meant that uplands areas could be profitably cultivated with short-staple cotton, which could be grown in a much larger area than the long-staple cotton of the Sea Islands and Low Country. The increased use of cotton meant an increased use of slave labor throughout the South as well. Like
8456-466: The David Wade House on the north side of what is now Bob Wade Lane (Robert B. Wade was David's grandson), just east of Mt. Lebanon Road. Huntsville's initial growth was based on wealth generated by the sale of cotton from plantations , for which there was international demand, and trade associated with railroad industries. Many wealthy planters moved into the area from Virginia , Georgia , and
8607-568: The Davidson Center for Space Exploration with artifacts outlining Apollo missions. Astronauts crossed the service structure 's red walkway to the White Room, both on display, and climbed in the Command Module atop a Saturn V which was their cabin for the trip to the Moon and back. The Apollo 16 command module, which carried astronauts John Young , Charles Duke and Ken Mattingly , orbited
8758-510: The Great Moonbuggy Race, has run every year since 1994, and all but the first two have been held at the Space & Rocket Center. The race challenges high school and college students to design and build a small moonbuggy that they can assemble on-site and ride across a simulated lunar terrain. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center was the setting for feature films SpaceCamp (1986), Beyond
8909-478: The Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce. Von Braun, understanding the dominance of football in the Alabama culture, persuaded rival Alabama and Auburn coaches Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan to appear in a television commercial supporting a $ 1.9 million statewide bond referendum to finance museum construction. The referendum passed on November 30, 1965, and a donation of land from
9060-401: The Moon 64 times in 1972, is on display. The Saturn V Instrument Unit controlled five F-1 engines in the first stage of the rocket as it lifted off the pad. Several exhibits relate the complexity and magnitude of that phase of the journey. They took a Lunar Module (mockup on display) to the lunar surface where they collected Moon rocks such as the Apollo 12 Lunar Sample Number 12065,15 at
9211-659: The Moon. At a height of 363 feet (111 m), the Saturn V stood 58 feet (18 m) taller than the Statue of Liberty from the ground to the torch, and 48 feet (15 m) taller than the Elizabeth Tower , which houses Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster . In contrast, the Mercury-Redstone Launch Vehicle used on Freedom 7 , the first crewed American spaceflight, was approximately 11 feet (3.4 m) longer than
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#17328764909929362-431: The Ordnance Guided Missile Center (OGMC) was given the mission to develop what eventually became the Redstone Rocket . This rocket set the stage for the United States' space program , as well as major Army missile programs, to be centered in Huntsville. Brigadier General Holger Toftoy commanded OGMC and the overall Redstone Arsenal. In early 1956, the Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA) under Major General John Medaris
9513-469: The S-IC from the rest of the vehicle at an altitude of about 42 miles (67 km). The first stage continued on a ballistic trajectory to an altitude of about 68 miles (109 km) and then fell in the Atlantic Ocean about 350 miles (560 km) downrange. The engine shutdown procedure was changed for the launch of Skylab to avoid damage to the Apollo Telescope Mount . Rather than shutting down all four outboard engines at once, they were shut down two at
9664-405: The S-IC, the S-II was transported from its manufacturing plant to Cape Kennedy by sea. The S-IVB stage was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company at Huntington Beach, California . It had one Rocketdyne J-2 engine and used the same fuel as the S-II. The S-IVB used a common bulkhead to separate the two tanks. It was 58.6 feet (17.86 m) tall with a diameter of 21.7 feet (6.604 m) and
9815-425: The Saturn V shared characteristics with the one carried by the Saturn IB. The Saturn V was primarily constructed of aluminum . It was also made of titanium , polyurethane , cork and asbestos . Blueprints and other plans of the rocket are available on microfilm at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The Saturn V consisted of three stages—the S-IC first stage, S-II second stage, and S-IVB third stage—and
9966-401: The Saturn V. The center opened on March 17, 1970. The Space & Rocket Center was a "major sponsor" of the United States pavilion at the 1982 World's Fair , providing exhibits on space and energy as well as equipment and operations for the IMAX theater at the fair. At the time, the Space & Rocket Center also served as the Alabama Energy Information Center. The Spacedome IMAX theater at
10117-437: The Stars (1989), and Space Warriors (2013), along with the 2012 made-for-TV movie A Smile as Big as the Moon . The U.S. Space & Rocket Center was the site of a Roadblock and Pit Stop at the end of Leg 3 of The Amazing Race: Family Edition aired in October 2005. Good Morning America has featured the Space & Rocket Center multiple times. In their 2006 proclamation the "Seven wonders of America", GMA selected
10268-400: The U.S. government brought the German rocket technologist Wernher von Braun and over 1,500 German rocket engineers and technicians to the United States in Operation Paperclip , a program authorized by President Truman . Von Braun, who had helped create the German V-2 rocket, was assigned to the Army's rocket design division. Between 1945 and 1958, his work was restricted to conveying
10419-564: The US. On April 27, 2011, the largest tornado outbreak on record, the 2011 Super Outbreak , affected northern Alabama. During this event, an EF5 tornado that tracked near the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant destroyed many transmission towers and caused a multi-day power outage for the majority of North Alabama. That same tornado also resulted in considerable damage to the Anderson Hills subdivision and in Harvest, Alabama . In total, nine people were killed in Madison County, and many others were injured. Other significant tornado events include
10570-508: The Union in 1861, but provided many men for the Confederacy's efforts. The 4th Alabama Infantry Regiment, led by Col. Egbert J. Jones of Huntsville, distinguished itself at the Battle of Manassas/Bull Run , the first major encounter of the American Civil War . The regiment, which contained two Huntsville companies, were the first Alabama troops to fight in the war. They were also present when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House in April 1865. Nine generals of
10721-415: The United States at that time. Two main reasons for the cancellation of the last three Apollo missions were the heavy investments in Saturn V and the ever-increasing costs of the Vietnam War to the U.S. in money and resources. In the time frame from 1969 to 1971 the cost of launching a Saturn V Apollo mission was between $ 185,000,000 to $ 189,000,000, of which $ 110 million were used for the production of
10872-416: The United States, for cities with a population over 100,000. Huntsville has borders surrounding both the cities of Madison and Triana . Huntsville also borders the cities of Decatur , Athens , Owens Cross Roads , the town of Mooresville as well as the census-designated places of Moores Mill , Meridianville , Laceys Spring, and Redstone Arsenal . Situated in the Tennessee River valley, Huntsville
11023-520: The acceleration and vehicle attitude , it could calculate the position and velocity of the rocket and correct for any deviations. After the construction and ground testing of each stage was completed, they were each shipped to the Kennedy Space Center. The first two stages were so massive that the only way to transport them was by barge. The S-IC, constructed in New Orleans, was transported down
11174-452: The admission of two Black students to the University of Alabama in Huntsville was challenged by Governor George Wallace . Wallace pushed back the registration dates for multiple state universities (presumably to allow more time for state troopers to move into the area) but instead moved them to Tuscaloosa . The students were admitted without issues. Around the same time, the color barrier
11325-513: The airport and up to 10 inches (25 cm) in the suburbs. As of the 2020 census , there were 215,006 people, 92,074 households, and 52,924 families residing in the city. The population density was 985.7 inhabitants per square mile (380.6/km ) There were 100,391 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 55.17% White, 29.0% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 2.51% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, and 4.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.75% of
11476-467: The center at Huntsville, they settled and raised families. The city is nicknamed "The Rocket City" for its close association with U.S. space missions. On January 31, 1958, ABMA placed America's first satellite, Explorer 1 , into orbit using a Jupiter-C launch vehicle, a descendant of the Redstone. This brought national attention to Redstone Arsenal and Huntsville, with widespread recognition of this being
11627-467: The center was $ 26 million in debt. The state sued Wing for $ 7.5 million over the Space Camp fraud. They settled for $ 500,000. The expenditures would shape more than the next decade for the center. Bill Stender took over from ousted Wing as acting chief executive officer on October 14, 1999. The board of directors was largely changed out in the shakeup removing Wing. New directors included Larry Capps who
11778-591: The city. Huntsville has one enclosed mall, Parkway Place , built in 2002 on the site of the former Parkway City Mall. A larger mall built in 1984, Madison Square Mall , was closed in 2017 and the site is being redeveloped into the Mid City lifestyle center. An additional lifestyle center, Bridge Street Town Centre , was completed in 2007, in Cummings Research Park. Huntsville is a key city in rocket-propulsion research for NASA and various organizations run by
11929-422: The company stores, which sometimes overcharged them. The mill owners also established rules for behavior and could throw out workers from housing if they violated these policies. As was common for the time, work was highly segregated with only whites being allowed to work inside the mills and Blacks relegated to working outside as laborers and groundskeepers. During the 1930s, industry declined in Huntsville due to
12080-451: The coup – getting a Saturn 5 moon rocket here which cost 90 times the center itself – was 'a little difficult,' admits Buckbee in a galloping understatement." Buckbee worked with von Braun to see that the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle would be delivered to the site as it was on June 28, 1969. The Saturn I Block 2 Dynamic Test Vehicle which stands erect at the museum was delivered the same day. Initial plans called for visitors to walk through
12231-422: The cramped conditions endured by the first Americans in space. A Gemini simulator shows visitors the accommodations when two people flew together to space for the first U.S. missions involving extra-vehicular activities and space rendezvous . Exhibits also cover the future of space flight. Two Orion spacecraft exhibits show the next NASA spacecraft, and a Bigelow Aerospace commercial habitat model details
12382-585: The decade. Other NASA officials became convinced, and LOR was then officially selected as the mission configuration for the Apollo program and announced by NASA administrator James E. Webb on November 7, 1962. Arthur Rudolph became the project director of the Saturn V rocket program in August 1963. He developed the requirements for the rocket system and the mission plan for the Apollo program. The first Saturn V launch lifted off from Kennedy Space Center and performed flawlessly on November 9, 1967, Rudolph's birthday. He
12533-479: The decades following World War II. During the war, the U.S Army established Redstone Arsenal in the vicinity, with a chemical weapons plant and related facilities. After the war, additional research was conducted at Redstone Arsenal on rockets , followed by adaptations for space exploration. NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center , the United States Army Aviation and Missile Command , and most recently
12684-418: The early stages of launch. If the first stage had used LH2, the volume required would have been more than three times greater, which would have been aerodynamically infeasible at the time. The upper stages also used small solid-propellant ullage motors that helped to separate the stages during the launch, and to ensure that the liquid propellants were in a proper position to be drawn into the pumps. The S-IC
12835-458: The end of the war in 1945, the munitions facilities were no longer needed. They were combined with the designation Redstone Arsenal (RSA), and a considerable political and business effort was made in attempts to attract new tenants. One significant start involved manufacturing the Keller automobile , but this closed after 18 vehicles were built. With the encouragement of US Senator John Sparkman (D-AL),
12986-643: The entire stack was moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to the launch pad using the Crawler Transporter (CT). Built by the Marion Power Shovel Company (and later used for transporting the smaller and lighter Space Shuttle, as well as the Space Launch System ), the CT ran on four double-tracked treads, each with 57 "shoes". Each shoe weighed 2,000 pounds (910 kg). This transporter
13137-408: The facilities had to be expanded again. A $ 3 million NASA Educator Resource Center was built during Larry Capps's tenure, opening mid-2005. The newest addition to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is the Davidson Center for Space Exploration, named after Dr. Julian Davidson, founder of Davidson Technologies. The 68,000 square feet (6,300 m) building opened January 31, 2008. The Davidson Center
13288-443: The fins, was 33 feet (10 m) in diameter. Fully fueled, the Saturn V weighed 6.5 million pounds (2,900,000 kg) and had a low Earth orbit (LEO) payload capacity originally estimated at 261,000 pounds (118,000 kg), but was designed to send at least 90,000 pounds (41,000 kg) to the Moon. Later upgrades increased that capacity; on the final three Apollo lunar missions, it sent up to 95,901 lb (43,500 kg) to
13439-417: The first 30 seconds of flight. If all three stages were to explode simultaneously on the launch pad, an unlikely event, the Saturn V had a total explosive yield of 543 tons of TNT or 0.543 kilotons (2,271,912,000,000 J or 155,143 lbs of weight loss), which is 0.222 kt for the first stage, 0.263 kt for the second stage and 0.068 kt for the third stage. (See Saturn V Instrument Unit ) Contrary to popular myth ,
13590-452: The first model was constructed. The S-IVB third stage would be used as the second stage for the C-1B, which would serve both to demonstrate proof of concept and feasibility for the C-5, but would also provide flight data critical to the development of the C-5. Rather than undergoing testing for each major component, the C-5 would be tested in an "all-up" fashion, meaning that the first test flight of
13741-457: The first stage ignition sequence started. The center engine ignited first, followed by opposing outboard pairs at 300-millisecond intervals to reduce the structural loads on the rocket. When thrust had been confirmed by the onboard computers, the rocket was "soft-released" in two stages: first, the hold-down arms released the rocket, and second, as the rocket began to accelerate upwards, it was slowed by tapered metal pins pulled through holes for half
13892-426: The five J-2 engines. For the first seven crewed Apollo missions, only four ullage motors were used on the S-II, and they were eliminated for the final four launches. About 30 seconds after first stage separation, the interstage ring dropped from the second stage. This was done with an inertially fixed attitude—orientation around its center of gravity —so that the interstage, only 3 feet 3 inches (1 m) from
14043-416: The four outer engines for control. The S-II was 81.6 feet (24.87 m) tall with a diameter of 33 feet (10 m), identical to the S-IC, and thus was the largest cryogenic stage until the launch of the Space Shuttle in 1981. The S-II had a dry mass of about 80,000 pounds (36,000 kg); when fully fueled, it weighed 1,060,000 pounds (480,000 kg). The second stage accelerated the Saturn V through
14194-474: The ideas and methods behind the V-2 to American engineers, though he wrote books and articles in popular magazines. This approach changed in 1957, when the Soviets launched Sputnik 1 atop an R-7 ICBM, which could carry a thermonuclear warhead to the U.S. The Army and government began putting more effort towards sending Americans into space before the Soviets. They turned to von Braun's team, who had created
14345-452: The initial building with 22,000 square feet (2,000 m) of exhibit space. Since 1969, Huntsville residents could point to the vertical Saturn I rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center as a distant landmark (located a few miles from the city center). In 1999, a full-scale model of the Saturn V rocket was erected, standing nearly twice as tall as the Saturn I. From 1979 to 2023 an unflown Saturn IB rocket owned by MSFC and leased to
14496-427: The lead contractors for construction of the rocket were Boeing , North American Aviation , Douglas Aircraft Company , and IBM . Fifteen flight-capable vehicles were built, not counting three used for ground testing. A total of thirteen missions were launched from Kennedy Space Center , nine of which carried 24 astronauts to the Moon from Apollo 8 (December 1968) to Apollo 17 (December 1972). In September 1945,
14647-480: The most extensive collections of space artifacts and displays more than 1500 pieces. Displays include rockets, engines, spacecraft, simulators, and hands-on exhibits. The Space & Rocket Center introduces visitors to U.S. rocketry efforts via both indoor and outdoor displays, from its predecessor at Peenemünde with the German V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket , through a progression of U.S. military rockets, such as
14798-456: The most fuel-efficient trajectory toward its target orbit. If the instrument unit failed, the crew could switch control of the Saturn to the command module's computer, take manual control, or abort the flight. About 90 seconds before the second stage cutoff, the center engine shut down to reduce longitudinal pogo oscillations. At around this time, the LOX flow rate decreased, changing the mix ratio of
14949-522: The museum in 2010. She has since brought Orion and other post-Shuttle training apparatus to Space Camp and retired the center's line of credit, reducing interest expenditures. The center had about $ 13 million debt in May 2014. Barnhart retired in December 2019. In July 2020, the center put out a plea for donations to help make ends meet since two–thirds of revenue had been lost due to shutdowns and cancellations from
15100-514: The museum opened December 19, 1982. The theater closed October 7, 2018 and was converted into the Intuitive Planetarium, featuring high-definition digital projectors, which opened February 28, 2019. Mike Wing plunged the Center into debt as its executive director from 1998 to 1999. Wing oversaw construction of a full-scale vertical Saturn V replica to be finished at by the 30th anniversary of
15251-693: The museum stood at the Alabama Welcome Center in Ardmore "as a reminder to visitors of Alabama's role in the space program." It was removed and salvaged due to lack of maintenance in September 2023. The dome theater addition opened December 19, 1982, and was updated in early 2019 to be the INTUITIVE Planetarium. The 1986 film SpaceCamp promoted the camp and inspired more than a doubling of camp attendees (from 5,000 in 1986 to 11,000 in 1987), and
15402-475: The museum. Later Moon trips took a Lunar Roving Vehicle (displayed beside the LM). The first few Moon trips ended at a Mobile Quarantine Facility (Apollo 12's is on display) where astronauts stayed to ensure containment of any Moon contamination after that mission. A restored engineering mock-up of Skylab is also on display, showing the Apollo project's post-lunar efforts. Various simulators help visitors understand
15553-500: The noise produced was not able to melt concrete . It took about 12 seconds for the rocket to clear the tower. During this time, it yawed 1.25 degrees away from the tower to ensure adequate clearance despite adverse winds; this yaw, although small, can be seen in launch photos taken from the east or west. At an altitude of 430 feet (130 m) the rocket rolled to the correct flight azimuth and then gradually pitched down until 38 seconds after second stage ignition. This pitch program
15704-491: The opportunity to stay on the grounds to learn more about spaceflight and aviation. U.S. Space Camp gives an in-depth exposure to the space program through participant use of simulators, lectures, and training exercises. Aviation Challenge offers a taste of military fighter pilot training, including simulations, lectures, and survival exercises. Both camps provide residential and day camp educational programs for children and adults. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center has one of
15855-500: The outboard J-2 engines, would fall cleanly without hitting them, as the interstage could have potentially damaged two of the J-2 engines if it was attached to the S-IC. Shortly after interstage separation the Launch Escape System was also jettisoned. About 38 seconds after the second stage ignition, the Saturn V switched from a preprogrammed trajectory to a "closed loop" or Iterative Guidance Mode. The instrument unit now computed in real time
16006-423: The population. Huntsville's main economic influence is derived from aerospace and military technology. Redstone Arsenal, Cummings Research Park (CRP), Jetplex Industrial Park, and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center comprise the main hubs for the area's technology-driven economy. CRP is the second largest research park in the United States and the fourth largest in the world. The University of Alabama in Huntsville
16157-541: The powerful F-1 and J-2 rocket engines ; during testing at Stennis Space Center, the force developed by the engines shattered the windows of nearby houses. Designers decided early on to attempt to use as much technology from the Saturn I program as possible for the Saturn V. Consequently, the S-IVB -500 third stage of the Saturn V was based on the S-IVB-200 second stage of the Saturn IB . The instrument unit that controlled
16308-583: The protests, the Community Service Committee (CSC) was formed to help organize sit-ins and protests, as well as bail out arrested protestors. In April 1962, a committee was formed by the city to "address the concerns of the African American community," and eight lunch counters, as well as a number of other public spaces, were desegregated. On May 11, 1962, Huntsville became the first city in Alabama to be racially integrated. In June 1963,
16459-454: The reason for using a rocket instead of a propeller in the vacuum of space. A wind tunnel offers visitors the opportunity to manipulate a model to see how forces change with its orientation, and The Mind of Saturn exhibit demonstrates gyroscopic force (necessary for rocket navigation). An Apollo trainer offers visitors the opportunity to climb in. Some simulators on exhibit were used for astronaut training. A Project Mercury simulator shows
16610-421: The record for the largest payload capacity to low Earth orbit, 311,152 lb (141,136 kg), which included unburned propellant needed to send the Apollo command and service module and Lunar Module to the Moon. The largest production model of the Saturn family of rockets , the Saturn V was designed under the direction of Wernher von Braun at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama ;
16761-651: The rest of Alabama , Huntsville was involved in the slave trade . Slaves worked in factories and on cotton plantations. Many cotton mills in the area relied on slave labor, most notably the Bell Factory, where slaves ran textile machinery. The factory was known throughout Alabama for its high levels of production. Cotton mills grew Huntsville and the South's economies greatly, becoming 60% of all U.S. exports and connecting Huntsville to major cotton markets in Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans. An 1822 census showed that out of
16912-511: The rocket rapidly lost mass, total acceleration including gravity increased to nearly 4 g at T+135 seconds. At this point, the inboard (center) engine was shut down to prevent acceleration from increasing beyond 4 g . When oxidizer or fuel depletion was sensed in the suction assemblies, the remaining four outboard engines were shut down. First stage separation occurred a little less than one second after this to allow for F-1 thrust tail-off. Eight small solid fuel separation motors backed
17063-462: The rocket would include complete versions of all three stages. By testing all components at once, far fewer test flights would be required before a crewed launch. The C-5 was confirmed as NASA's choice for the Apollo program in early 1962, and was named the Saturn ;V. The C-1 became the Saturn I and C-1B became Saturn IB. Von Braun headed a team at the MSFC to build a vehicle capable of launching
17214-400: The same height and mass and contained the same electrical connections as the actual stages. NASA stacked (assembled) the Saturn V on a Mobile Launcher , which consisted of a Launch Umbilical Tower with nine swing arms (including the crew access arm), a "hammerhead" crane, and a water suppression system which was activated prior to engine ignition during a launch. After assembly was completed,
17365-513: The shaped explosive charges attached to the outer surfaces of the rocket to detonate. These would make cuts in fuel and oxidizer tanks to disperse the fuel quickly and to minimize mixing. The pause between these two actions would give time for the crew to escape via the Launch Escape Tower or (in the later stages of the flight) the propulsion system of the Service module. A third command, "safe",
17516-594: The southern third is located in the unincorporated community of Greenbrier . More than 25 biotechnology firms have developed in Huntsville due to the Huntsville Biotech Initiative. The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is part of the 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) Cummings Research Park. The non-profit HudsonAlpha Institute has contributed genomics and genetics work to the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements ( ENCODE ). For-profit business ventures within
17667-622: The southwest area of the city for building three chemical munitions facilities: the Huntsville Arsenal , the Redstone Ordnance Plant (soon redesignated Redstone Arsenal), and the Gulf Chemical Warfare Depot. These operated throughout World War II , with combined personnel approaching 20,000. Resources in the area were strained as new workers flocked to the area, and the construction of housing could not keep up. At
17818-401: The spaceflight experience. Space Shot lets the rider experience launch-like 4 gs and 2–3 seconds of weightlessness. G-Force Accelerator offers 3 gs of acceleration for an extended period by means of a centrifuge. Several other simulators entertain and educate visitors. Other exhibits offer a hands-on understanding of concepts related to rocketry or space travel. A bell jar demonstrates
17969-535: The state after the Birmingham metropolitan area. The Huntsville metro area, which includes Madison city and the separate Southeast Huntsville urban areas had a combined population of 349,231 people in 2020, which makes it the second largest in Alabama after Birmingham / Hoover . The City of Huntsville was incorporated on November 25, 1811 Due to settlement pressures after the United States gained independence, this area had become largely empty of indigenous peoples by
18120-590: The state of Tennessee . Huntsville was founded within the Mississippi Territory in 1805 and became an incorporated town in 1811. When Alabama was admitted as a state in 1819, Huntsville was designated for a year as the first capital, before the state capitol was moved to more central settlements. The city developed across nearby hills north of the Tennessee River , adding textile mills in the late nineteenth century. Major growth in Huntsville took place in
18271-429: The summer of 2010, the Space and Rocket Center began hosting traveling exhibits. The first was Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination with other exhibits planned. The United States Space Camp hosted at the facility has provided themed camps in conjunction with the exhibits, including a Jedi Experience camp. Other traveling exhibits include: The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is the resting place of Miss Baker ,
18422-455: The top of the LOX tank and bottom of the LH2 tank. It consisted of two aluminum sheets separated by a honeycomb structure made of phenolic resin . This bulkhead had to be able to insulate against the 126 °F (70 °C) temperature difference between the two tanks. The use of a common bulkhead saved 7,900 pounds (3.6 t) by both eliminating one bulkhead and reducing the stage's length. Like
18573-560: The turn of the 19th century. An Indian trader and boatman named Ditto established himself at a landing on the river prior to American settlement. Revolutionary War veteran John Hunt was a pioneer in 1805 on land around the Big Spring . The US negotiated an 1805 treaty with the Chickasaw and an 1806 treaty with the Cherokee who ceded their claims to land to the federal government. The area
18724-460: The two launch pads). From 1964 until 1973, $ 6.417 billion (equivalent to $ 40.9 billion in 2023) was appropriated for the Research and Development and flights of the Saturn V, with the maximum being in 1966 with $ 1.2 billion (equivalent to $ 8.61 billion in 2023). That same year, NASA received its largest total budget of $ 4.5 billion, about 0.5 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) of
18875-439: The two propellants and ensuring that there would be as little propellant as possible left in the tanks at the end of second stage flight. This was done at a predetermined delta-v . Five level sensors in the bottom of each S-II propellant tank were armed during S-II flight, allowing any two to trigger S-II cutoff and staging when they were uncovered. One second after the second stage cut off it separated and several seconds later
19026-543: The type of gigantic engine that produced 1,500,000 pounds-force (6,700,000 N) to push Saturn Vs off the launch pad, J-2 engine that powered second and third stages of the Saturn V, and both Descent and Ascent Propulsion System (DPS/APS) engines for the Lunar Module . Engines from the V-2 engine to NERVA to the Space Shuttle Main Engine are on display as well. The Apollo program gets full coverage in
19177-422: The upper atmosphere with 1,100,000 pounds-force (4,900 kN) of thrust in a vacuum. When loaded with fuel, more than 90 percent of the mass of the stage was propellant; however, the ultra-lightweight design had led to two failures in structural testing. Instead of having an intertank structure to separate the two fuel tanks as was done in the S-IC, the S-II used a common bulkhead that was constructed from both
19328-610: The vehicle (equivalent to $ 1.18 billion–$ 1.2 billion in 2023). The Saturn V carried all Apollo lunar missions, which were launched from Launch Complex 39 at the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida . After the rocket cleared the launch tower, flight control transferred to Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas . An average mission used the rocket for
19479-600: The war were born in or near Huntsville; five fought for the Confederacy and four for the Union. Other Huntsville residents joined the Union Army and helped establish the Union Army's 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment . On the morning of April 11, 1862, Union troops led by General Ormsby M. Mitchel seized Huntsville in order to sever the Confederacy's rail communications and gain access to the Memphis & Charleston Railroad . Huntsville
19630-512: The winter and spring, not summer. The average yearly precipitation is more than 54 inches. On average, the wettest single month is December, but Huntsville has a prolonged wetter season from November to May with, on average, nearly or over 5 or more inches of precipitation most of those months. On average, August to October represent slightly drier months (see climate chart, showing less than 3.6 inches of precipitation these months). Droughts can occur, primarily August through October, but usually there
19781-464: Was a temporary designation for one legislative session only. The capital was moved to more central cities in the state; to Cahaba , then to Tuscaloosa , and finally to Montgomery . In 1855, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad was constructed through Huntsville, becoming the first railway to link the Atlantic seacoast with the lower Mississippi River . Huntsville initially opposed secession from
19932-471: Was also designed with high mass efficiency, though not quite as aggressively as the S-II. The S-IVB had a dry mass of about 23,000 pounds (10,000 kg) and, when fully fueled, weighed about 262,000 pounds (119,000 kg). The S-IVB was the only rocket stage of the Saturn V small enough to be transported by the cargo plane Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy . For lunar missions it was fired twice: first for Earth orbit insertion after second stage cutoff, and
20083-566: Was also required to keep the rocket level as it traveled the 3 miles (4.8 km) to the launch site, especially at the 3 percent grade encountered at the launch pad. The CT also carried the Mobile Service Structure (MSS), which allowed technicians access to the rocket until eight hours before launch, when it was moved to the "halfway" point on the Crawlerway (the junction between the VAB and
20234-456: Was broken further when the first white person enrolled at Alabama A&M University. In August 1963, a court ruling determined that Huntsville must desegregate their schools. Wallace used state troopers to stop four students from entering the first desegregated school. On September 6, the troopers announced that the desegregated schools were closed for three more days, but the Board of Education issued
20385-555: Was built by the Boeing Company at the Michoud Assembly Facility , New Orleans , where the Space Shuttle external tanks would later be built by Lockheed Martin . Most of its mass at launch was propellant: RP-1 fuel with liquid oxygen as the oxidizer . The stage was 138 feet (42 m) tall and 33 feet (10 m) in diameter. It provided 7,750,000 lbf (34,500 kN) of thrust at sea level. The S-IC stage had
20536-544: Was carried by the Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy and Super Guppy , but could also have been carried by barge if warranted. Upon arrival at the Vertical Assembly Building, each stage was inspected in a horizontal position before being oriented vertically. NASA also constructed large spool-shaped structures that could be used in place of stages if a particular stage was delayed. These spools had
20687-515: Was designed to house the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle (listed on the National Register of Historic Places ) and many other space exploration exhibits. The vehicle is elevated above the floor surface with separated stages and engines exposed, so visitors have the opportunity to walk underneath the rocket. The Davidson Center also features a 3D movie theater in addition to the planetarium in the original museum. The U.S. Space & Rocket Center
20838-486: Was formed. In 1950, about 1,000 personnel were transferred from Fort Bliss , Texas, to Redstone Arsenal to form the Ordnance Guided Missile Center (OGMC). Central to this was a group of about 200 German scientists and engineers, led by Wernher von Braun ; they had been brought from Nazi Germany to the United States by Colonel Holger Toftoy under Operation Paperclip following World War II. Assigned to
20989-540: Was in developing the Saturn boosters used by NASA in the Apollo Lunar Landing Program . For this, MSFC greatly increased its employees, and many new companies joined the Huntsville industrial community. The Cummings Research Park was developed just north of Redstone Arsenal to partially accommodate this industrial growth, and has now become the second-largest research park of this type in America. Huntsville
21140-511: Was kept intact as it housed both Union officers and troops. During the Reconstruction era , three delegates from Huntsville attended the 1867 Constitutional Convention including Andrew J. Applegate , originally from Ohio, who went on to serve as Alabama's first Lieutenant Governor. Councill Training School, which eventually became William Hooper Councill High School , was established as the first public school for African American students. It
21291-450: Was named for educator and school founder William Hooper Councill . Huntsville became a center for cotton textile mills , such as Lincoln, Dallas , and Merrimack. Each mill company constructed worker housing outside the city, creating communities that eventually included schools, churches, grocery stores, theaters, and hardware stores, all within walking distance of the mill. In many such company towns, workers were required to buy goods at
21442-480: Was opened in 2008 and provides powertrain components to Navistar's vehicle assembly plants in Springfield, Ohio and Escobedo, Mexico. The plant is located north of Huntsville International Airport. The Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA was constructed in 2021 with a plan to hire 4,000 employees. The facility produces Toyota and Mazda SUVs and pickup trucks . The majority of the plant is located in Huntsville; however,
21593-645: Was selected as the permanent home of the United States Space Operations Command in 2020, but in 2023 the Pentagon announced that the temporary headquarters would be expanded and remain in Colorado. Huntsville was a key location in the Civil Rights Movement . In 1962, students from Alabama A&M University held the city's first lunch counter sit-in . After the mayor refused to address
21744-400: Was selected to head the museum on February 9, 2000, after Stender's interim appointment. He reduced the debt to $ 16 million while also building the Davidson Center for Space Exploration and moving the Saturn V Dynamic Test Vehicle into its custom-built facility. Capps was director through his retirement in 2010. Dr. Deborah Barnhart, who headed Space Camp from 1986 to 1990, was selected to run
21895-400: Was set according to the prevailing winds during the launch month. The four outboard engines also tilted toward the outside so that in the event of a premature outboard engine shutdown the remaining engines would thrust through the rocket's center of mass . The Saturn V reached 400 feet per second (120 m/s) at over 1 mile (1,600 m) in altitude. Much of the early portion of the flight
22046-451: Was spent gaining altitude, with the required velocity coming later. The Saturn V broke the sound barrier at just over 1 minute at an altitude of between 3.45 and 4.6 miles (5.55 and 7.40 km). At this point, shock collars, or condensation clouds, would form around the bottom of the command module and around the top of the second stage. At about 80 seconds, the rocket experienced maximum dynamic pressure (max q). The dynamic pressure on
22197-482: Was subsequently purchased by LeRoy Pope , who named it Twickenham after the home village of his distant kinsman Alexander Pope . Thomas Freeman and Pharoah Roach started government surveys in 1805. Twickenham was carefully planned, with streets laid out in a northeast to southwest direction based on the flow of Big Spring. Given anti-British sentiment during this period after the Revolution and with tensions leading to
22348-626: Was the headquarters for the Eastern Division of the Memphis & Charleston. During the first occupation, Union officers took over many of the larger homes in the city while the enlisted soldiers camped in tents mainly on the outskirts. Union troops searched for Confederate troops hiding in the town and weapons. There was not much resistance, and they treated Huntsville residents in a relatively civil manner. However, residents of nearby towns reported harsher treatment. Union troops were forced to retreat
22499-434: Was then assigned as the special assistant to the director of MSFC in May 1968 and subsequently retired from NASA on January 1, 1969. On July 16, 1969, the Saturn V launched Apollo 11 , putting the first men on the Moon. The size and payload capacity of the Saturn V dwarfed those of all other previous rockets successfully flown at that time. With the Apollo spacecraft on top, it stood 363 feet (111 m) tall, and, ignoring
22650-427: Was turned off about 26 seconds earlier than the outboard engines to limit acceleration. During launch, the S-IC fired its engines for 168 seconds (ignition occurred about 8.9 seconds before liftoff) and at engine cutoff, the vehicle was at an altitude of about 42 miles (67 km), was downrange about 58 miles (93 km), and was moving around 7,500 feet per second (2,300 m/s). While not put into production,
22801-453: Was used after the S-IVB stage reached orbit to irreversibly deactivate the self-destruct system. The system was also held inactive as long as the rocket was still on the launch pad. The first stage burned for about 2 minutes and 41 seconds, lifting the rocket to an altitude of 42 miles (68 km) and a speed of 6,164 miles per hour (2,756 m/s) and burning 4,700,000 pounds (2,100,000 kg) of propellant. At 8.9 seconds before launch,
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