I thought that the Apollo 4 unmanned / automated shakedown launch was the only one to carry performance monitor cameras. It's also interesting to note that some of the cameras were not recovered either because they failed to eject, burnt up on re-entry or were lost at sea; just imagine the images they would have contained.
The camera ejection moment is caught in the last few frames of the film. Inside its own small capsule it re-entered the atmosphere and parachuted back into the Atlantic Ocean where it was recovered and the film developed.
This is the view from onboard the top of the second stage (S-II) of Apollo 3's Saturn 1B rocket watching the third stage S-IVB J-2 engine burn to carry the third stage and the unmanned Apollo Command and Service Modules into high Earth orbit for subsequent re-entry tests.
The Apollo 15 mission reports contain no references to cameras on the launch vehicle, where as the reports for the earlier unmanned test missions do. Which as the purpose of them was to capture data from the test launches makes sense.
@ytmoog "The Apollo 15 mission reports contain no references to cameras on the launch vehicle" , with this said it appears you have references at all to back up your statement either, just that the information was omitted.
Perhaps this was a 1B. The S-IVBs on A4 and 6 had only two ullage rockets, and the only S-II cameras mentioned are those looking down at S-IC separation. AS-201, AS-202 and AS-203 all had 3 ullage rockets on the S-IVB and forward-looking cameras on the S-IB to view staging.
It's not clear which of the three this footage is from; maybe the launch times and sun angles could be clues.
AIUI, this is actually footage from one of the Saturn Ib shots, not Apollo 6. It is the S-IVB taking off in both cases, but the stage the camera is in would in this case be the S-IB.
The Saturn IB version had 3 solid rockets as opposed to 2 solids on the Saturn V version. The Saturn V S-IVB *also* had two APS thrusters that were used to provide ullage prior to J-2 *restart*. Ullage for first start was provided by the solids in both cases, which also served to separate the stage from the previous stage.
The video above clearly shows three solids firing, suggesting this is in fact a Saturn IB version of the S-IVB and hence not showing a Saturn V launch.
I will note I'm not 100% positive about the difference in the number of solids. I have read it on a couple of sites and heard this might be Saturn IB footage before, but haven't seen a really authoritative source on this.
I thought that the Apollo 4 unmanned / automated shakedown launch was the only one to carry performance monitor cameras. It's also interesting to note that some of the cameras were not recovered either because they failed to eject, burnt up on re-entry or were lost at sea; just imagine the images they would have contained.
BuzbyWuzby 1 year ago
The camera ejection moment is caught in the last few frames of the film. Inside its own small capsule it re-entered the atmosphere and parachuted back into the Atlantic Ocean where it was recovered and the film developed.
Synthetrix 1 year ago
This is the view from onboard the top of the second stage (S-II) of Apollo 3's Saturn 1B rocket watching the third stage S-IVB J-2 engine burn to carry the third stage and the unmanned Apollo Command and Service Modules into high Earth orbit for subsequent re-entry tests.
Synthetrix 1 year ago
this is from apollo 15 notice how both continue to circle the earth?
rasorclips 1 year ago
@rasorclips
This is from a saturn IB... not a saturn 5.
Although many tv programs seem to mis attribute it.
ytmoog 1 year ago
@ytmoog well actually in your description it says you dont know what its from so i thought id fill you in.
rasorclips 1 year ago
@rasorclips
That is correct. it is howver known that this is not a saturn 5 and cannot possibly be from Apollo 15.
ytmoog 1 year ago
@ytmoog "known that this is not a saturn 5" , you better have evidence to bak up your argument.
rasorclips 1 year ago
@rasorclips
It has the wrong number of ullage engines for a Satturn 5. And Apollo 15 had no cameras to capture the seperations.
ytmoog 1 year ago
@ytmoog "Apollo 15 had no cameras to capture" what references?
rasorclips 1 year ago
@rasorclips
The Apollo 15 mission reports contain no references to cameras on the launch vehicle, where as the reports for the earlier unmanned test missions do. Which as the purpose of them was to capture data from the test launches makes sense.
ytmoog 1 year ago
@ytmoog "The Apollo 15 mission reports contain no references to cameras on the launch vehicle" , with this said it appears you have references at all to back up your statement either, just that the information was omitted.
rasorclips 1 year ago
Perhaps this was a 1B. The S-IVBs on A4 and 6 had only two ullage rockets, and the only S-II cameras mentioned are those looking down at S-IC separation. AS-201, AS-202 and AS-203 all had 3 ullage rockets on the S-IVB and forward-looking cameras on the S-IB to view staging.
It's not clear which of the three this footage is from; maybe the launch times and sun angles could be clues.
ApolloHappened 1 year ago
Comment removed
ApolloHappened 1 year ago
Comment removed
ApolloHappened 1 year ago
AIUI, this is actually footage from one of the Saturn Ib shots, not Apollo 6. It is the S-IVB taking off in both cases, but the stage the camera is in would in this case be the S-IB.
ugowar 2 years ago
Really?
That is odd as this sequence appears in with a lot of test footage from Apollo 6.
ytmoog 2 years ago
@ugowar I disagree I think people mistake the 3 ullage motors for the 2 solid rocket motors they expect on the Saturn 5 version of the S-IVB
mercatormac 2 years ago
The Saturn IB version had 3 solid rockets as opposed to 2 solids on the Saturn V version. The Saturn V S-IVB *also* had two APS thrusters that were used to provide ullage prior to J-2 *restart*. Ullage for first start was provided by the solids in both cases, which also served to separate the stage from the previous stage.
The video above clearly shows three solids firing, suggesting this is in fact a Saturn IB version of the S-IVB and hence not showing a Saturn V launch.
ugowar 2 years ago
Ah,
Cheers for that info ugowar.
I will relabel the video.
ytmoog 2 years ago
I will note I'm not 100% positive about the difference in the number of solids. I have read it on a couple of sites and heard this might be Saturn IB footage before, but haven't seen a really authoritative source on this.
ugowar 2 years ago
Right at the end, is that the camera being ejected for retrieval?
mercatormac 2 years ago
Hold your fire. There are no life forms. It must have been short-circuited.
Link10893 2 years ago
Very good. It does look like that scence with 3P0 and R2 though... thanks for the upload moog.
LukeQuixoteofSanJose 2 years ago