Saturn MLV

Background

The Saturn Modified Launch Vehicle programme proposed a number of post-Apollo Saturn V derived concepts, intended to create uprated intermediate and heavy launch vehicles based on Saturn V hardware.

Saturn V INT-20 uses the S-IC and S-IVB, skipping the S-II altogether and optionally reducing the number of first stage engines to compensate for the lower overall mass. INT-21 uses the S-IC and S-II second stage with no S-IVB upper stage. A similar design launched Skylab, given that the orbital workshop was a converted S-IVB stage.

Saturn MLV features upgraded F-1A engines (or alternatively a sixth F1), stretched liquid fuel tanks and improved upper stage engines such as the J-2T-400K or HG-3 (both available via an optional patch in BDB Extras). Unrestricted by VAB height, Saturn ELV is the ultimate stretched Saturn and has UA1207 strap on solid rocket boosters from the Titan programme.

Saturn V/4-260 works around load bearing challenges by adding liquid fuel tanks on top of massive AJ-260X solid rocket boosters. An alternate approach employed by the Saturn V-24(L) uses strap on liquid rocket boosters with 2x F1A engines each.

Saturn V-B/C/D concepts are a stage and a half designs, similar to Atlas. The first stage consists of five F-1 engines, of which four are jettisoned leaving the single sustainer engine to carry the payload into orbit. S-IVB is added to the V-C for achieving higher orbits and an optional Centaur upper stage for deep space missions. The V-D is essentially a fully upgraded Saturn V with the addition of 4 large SRBs. Truly a bonkers rocket.

Various post-Apollo optimised and stretched tankage is available in the BDB Extras folder, as well as a patch for the S-IC engine mounting plate to allow fitting fewer than 4 engines. Experimentation is encouraged!

Tags: Sarnus

Variants

Launch Vehicle	First Stage	Boosters	Second Stage	Third Stage	Fourth Stage
Saturn V INT-20	Sarnus S-IC (3-5x F-1)		S-IVB
Saturn V INT-21	Sarnus S-IC (5x F-1)		S-II
Saturn MLV-V-1	Sarnus MS-IC-1 (5x F-1A)		MS-II-1 (5x J-2)	MS-IVB-1 (1x J2)
Saturn MLV-V-3	Sarnus MS-IC-1		MS-II-2 (5x HG-3)	MS-IVB-2 (1x HG-3)
Saturn V ELV	Sarnus MS-IC-4(S)B (5x F1)	4x UA1207	MS-II-1A (7x J2)	MS-IVB-1A (1x J2)
Saturn V-D	Sarnus S-ID (4+1x F1)	4x UA1207	S-II	MS-IVB-1	S-V (Centaur)
Saturn V/4-260	Sarnus S-IC	4x AJ-260X	MS-II-2
Saturn V-24(L)	Sarnus MS-IC-1	4x MS-LRB-24(L) (2x F1A)	S-II	MS-IVB-1A

Basic Build Guide

From top to bottom

Upper Stages

• S-V (Centaur D)
• S-IVB
• MS-IVB-1 (same size as S-IVB; J-2 Engine)
• MS-IVB-1A (add S-IVC-6240 Liquid fuel tank; J-2 Engine)
• MS-IVB-2 (add S-IVC-6240 Liquid fuel tank; HG-3 Engine)

Second Stages

• MS-II (same size as S-II; 5x J-2 Engines)
• MS-II-1 (0.625m stretch; 5x J-2 or J-2T Engines)
• MS-II-1A (MSIIA Liquid fuel tank; 7x J-2 Engines)
• MS-II-2 (MSIIA Liquid fuel tank; 5x HG-3 Engines)

First Stages

• MS-IC-1 (MS1C-25 Liquid fuel tank; 5x F-1A Engines)
• MS-IC-1A (MS1C-25 Liquid fuel tank; 6x F-1 Engines)
• MS-IC-4(S)B (5m stretch; 5x F1 Engines)

Boosters

• Prometheus SRB1207
• Sarnus BR-375-XA "Kilauea" SRB with S-IVC-6240 and a liquid fuel nose cone tank (recommend the NR-T-A from NFLV)

Saturn V INT-20, INT-21

Kerbal Koncepts: Saturn V ELV with an S-V fourth stage

Kerbal Koncepts: Jarvis