Saturn V INT-20

[MartG]

During the mid-1960s NASA commissioned research into a range of Saturn derived launch vehicles to fill the payload gap between the Saturn 1B ( payload 18 tonnes ) and the Saturn V ( earth orbit payload 118 tonnes ). Each of the variants was described as an INT-xx , where INT stood for Intermediate.

The INT-20 was a proposed 2-stage version, omitting the Saturn V’s S-II second stage. Staying within the 4.68G limit for Apollo manned flights, the INT-20 could place 60 tonnes into Earth orbit using just 4 F-1 engines on the 1st stage ( leaving the 5th engine in place added very little to the payload but a lot to the price ). For unmanned flights with a 6G limit ( and 5 engines ) 72 tonnes could be placed in orbit.

More info here http://www.astronautix.com/data/satvint.pdf

The model uses the Airfix Saturn V as a basis, with my own resin parts for the F-1 engines, S-IVB thrust structure, S-1C/S-IVB interstage, and Apollo CM and SPS nozzle.






Three Saturn Vs – INT-21 Skylab ( with the Skylab 2 Saturn 1B behind ), INT-20, and Apollo 11

[Eric Mc]

Great line up of Saturns. Increasingly, the decision to abandon the Satrurn family of rockets looks like the worse decision NASA ever made - and possibly the decision that ultimatley cost the US its pre-eminence in space.

[MartG]

I definitely agree Eric - if they'd kept the Saturn in production, with the various configurations for intermediate payloads ( the smallest of which easily exceeds the Shuttle's capacity ), who knows where we'd be now, especially if you factor in the various upgrades that would have happened during the last 40 years in terms of improved engines ( F-1A and J-2S were just the start ), lighter structures, lighter electronics etc.

[Eric Mc]

Not to mention recoverability of major components.

It's all very, very sad.

[perdu]

The models

very blinking impressive

Brilliantly made


And quite right about abandoning Saturn far too early