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Was all the fuel expended in each stage of a Saturn V launch?

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6

$begingroup$

Particularly the first and second stages into earth orbit - were the stages run dry before separation? On first thoughts, It would seem to be safer to do so, but I realised the engines required liquid fuel to act as a coolant prior to ignition in the combustion chamber. Also, the final orbit might not be so precise if there's variation to the launch profile.

So, the question becomes: how much fuel was left in each stage?

I'd expect any excess fuel to be kept to a minimum since it is expensive (fuelwise) to lift unburnt fuel.

If answers can include the third stages and supply modules, that'd be great.

apollo-program saturn-v

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

HorusKol

asked 9 hours ago

HorusKolHorusKol

24511 silver badge88 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  No. There are questions on the site about this already. 10s of thousands of lbs were left in the first stage. It's more expensive to blow up your rocket by running the engines dry.
  $endgroup$
  – Organic Marble
  9 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @OrganicMarble couldn't find such a question when searching - happy to be closed as a duplicate if you can find one
  $endgroup$
  – HorusKol
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I'm not sure it's really a duplicate - and I can't find it yet either! Will report back.
  $endgroup$
  – Organic Marble
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Related but not quite duplicate IMO: space.stackexchange.com/q/21704/195
  $endgroup$
  – Russell Borogove
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


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  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  A good source is Apollo by the numbers, see 1, 2, 3. You may write an answer yourself by using these tables.
  $endgroup$
  – Uwe
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

6

$begingroup$

Particularly the first and second stages into earth orbit - were the stages run dry before separation? On first thoughts, It would seem to be safer to do so, but I realised the engines required liquid fuel to act as a coolant prior to ignition in the combustion chamber. Also, the final orbit might not be so precise if there's variation to the launch profile.

So, the question becomes: how much fuel was left in each stage?

I'd expect any excess fuel to be kept to a minimum since it is expensive (fuelwise) to lift unburnt fuel.

If answers can include the third stages and supply modules, that'd be great.

apollo-program saturn-v

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

HorusKol

asked 9 hours ago

HorusKolHorusKol

24511 silver badge88 bronze badges

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  No. There are questions on the site about this already. 10s of thousands of lbs were left in the first stage. It's more expensive to blow up your rocket by running the engines dry.
  $endgroup$
  – Organic Marble
  9 hours ago
  
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  @OrganicMarble couldn't find such a question when searching - happy to be closed as a duplicate if you can find one
  $endgroup$
  – HorusKol
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  I'm not sure it's really a duplicate - and I can't find it yet either! Will report back.
  $endgroup$
  – Organic Marble
  9 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Related but not quite duplicate IMO: space.stackexchange.com/q/21704/195
  $endgroup$
  – Russell Borogove
  8 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  A good source is Apollo by the numbers, see 1, 2, 3. You may write an answer yourself by using these tables.
  $endgroup$
  – Uwe
  7 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 1 more comment

$begingroup$

Particularly the first and second stages into earth orbit - were the stages run dry before separation? On first thoughts, It would seem to be safer to do so, but I realised the engines required liquid fuel to act as a coolant prior to ignition in the combustion chamber. Also, the final orbit might not be so precise if there's variation to the launch profile.

So, the question becomes: how much fuel was left in each stage?

I'd expect any excess fuel to be kept to a minimum since it is expensive (fuelwise) to lift unburnt fuel.

If answers can include the third stages and supply modules, that'd be great.

apollo-program saturn-v

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

HorusKol

asked 9 hours ago

HorusKolHorusKol

24511 silver badge88 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

HorusKol

asked 9 hours ago

HorusKolHorusKol

24511 silver badge88 bronze badges

share|improve this question

edited 7 hours ago

HorusKol

asked 9 hours ago

HorusKolHorusKol

24511 silver badge88 bronze badges

asked 9 hours ago

HorusKolHorusKol

24511 silver badge88 bronze badges

asked 9 hours ago

HorusKolHorusKol

24511 silver badge88 bronze badges

2 Answers
2

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4

$begingroup$

For the Saturn V, the first and second stages both cut off when a low-propellant-level sensor tripped in the tanks. Most launchers' booster stages do something similar -- burning to total depletion would be dangerous for a number of reasons noted here.

For the S-IC first stage, it wasn't unusual to leave 30 tons of propellant unconsumed, as Apollo By The Numbers notes. This is a little more than 1% of the total stage tankage, and represents about 2 seconds of burn time.

For the S-II second stage, the residual propellant was usually 3-4 tons -- less than 1% of the initial amount, and again representing 2-3 seconds of burn time.

The orbital insertion burn on the S-IVB third stage, as with most orbital launchers, was cut off when the desired target velocity was reached. This allowed the stage to correct for off-nominal performance of the first and second stages -- it would do whatever it needed to do to get to the right altitude and speed.

Most of the fuel in the third stage was saved for the translunar burn, which was likewise stopped when the desired change in velocity was accomplished, again typically with 3-4 tons of fuel remaining, though that represents 10-15 seconds of burn time for the smaller, single-engine stage.

I believe all the other major burns on Apollo missions (course correction, lunar orbit insertion, etc) used velocity-based cutoffs as well.

share|improve this answer

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

97.3k33 gold badges334334 silver badges420420 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

2

$begingroup$

I took the numbers from 'Apollo by the Numbers' and entered them into a spread sheet.

Still a lot of work to do with Apollo 9 to 17.

Any suggestions?

The left fuel is less than 3 % for stage 1 and 2 but less than 10 % for stage 3 final burn.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

UweUwe

12.5k22 gold badges3434 silver badges6060 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

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4

$begingroup$

For the Saturn V, the first and second stages both cut off when a low-propellant-level sensor tripped in the tanks. Most launchers' booster stages do something similar -- burning to total depletion would be dangerous for a number of reasons noted here.

For the S-IC first stage, it wasn't unusual to leave 30 tons of propellant unconsumed, as Apollo By The Numbers notes. This is a little more than 1% of the total stage tankage, and represents about 2 seconds of burn time.

For the S-II second stage, the residual propellant was usually 3-4 tons -- less than 1% of the initial amount, and again representing 2-3 seconds of burn time.

The orbital insertion burn on the S-IVB third stage, as with most orbital launchers, was cut off when the desired target velocity was reached. This allowed the stage to correct for off-nominal performance of the first and second stages -- it would do whatever it needed to do to get to the right altitude and speed.

Most of the fuel in the third stage was saved for the translunar burn, which was likewise stopped when the desired change in velocity was accomplished, again typically with 3-4 tons of fuel remaining, though that represents 10-15 seconds of burn time for the smaller, single-engine stage.

I believe all the other major burns on Apollo missions (course correction, lunar orbit insertion, etc) used velocity-based cutoffs as well.

share|improve this answer

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

97.3k33 gold badges334334 silver badges420420 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

4

$begingroup$

For the Saturn V, the first and second stages both cut off when a low-propellant-level sensor tripped in the tanks. Most launchers' booster stages do something similar -- burning to total depletion would be dangerous for a number of reasons noted here.

For the S-IC first stage, it wasn't unusual to leave 30 tons of propellant unconsumed, as Apollo By The Numbers notes. This is a little more than 1% of the total stage tankage, and represents about 2 seconds of burn time.

For the S-II second stage, the residual propellant was usually 3-4 tons -- less than 1% of the initial amount, and again representing 2-3 seconds of burn time.

The orbital insertion burn on the S-IVB third stage, as with most orbital launchers, was cut off when the desired target velocity was reached. This allowed the stage to correct for off-nominal performance of the first and second stages -- it would do whatever it needed to do to get to the right altitude and speed.

Most of the fuel in the third stage was saved for the translunar burn, which was likewise stopped when the desired change in velocity was accomplished, again typically with 3-4 tons of fuel remaining, though that represents 10-15 seconds of burn time for the smaller, single-engine stage.

I believe all the other major burns on Apollo missions (course correction, lunar orbit insertion, etc) used velocity-based cutoffs as well.

share|improve this answer

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

97.3k33 gold badges334334 silver badges420420 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

For the Saturn V, the first and second stages both cut off when a low-propellant-level sensor tripped in the tanks. Most launchers' booster stages do something similar -- burning to total depletion would be dangerous for a number of reasons noted here.

For the S-IC first stage, it wasn't unusual to leave 30 tons of propellant unconsumed, as Apollo By The Numbers notes. This is a little more than 1% of the total stage tankage, and represents about 2 seconds of burn time.

For the S-II second stage, the residual propellant was usually 3-4 tons -- less than 1% of the initial amount, and again representing 2-3 seconds of burn time.

The orbital insertion burn on the S-IVB third stage, as with most orbital launchers, was cut off when the desired target velocity was reached. This allowed the stage to correct for off-nominal performance of the first and second stages -- it would do whatever it needed to do to get to the right altitude and speed.

Most of the fuel in the third stage was saved for the translunar burn, which was likewise stopped when the desired change in velocity was accomplished, again typically with 3-4 tons of fuel remaining, though that represents 10-15 seconds of burn time for the smaller, single-engine stage.

I believe all the other major burns on Apollo missions (course correction, lunar orbit insertion, etc) used velocity-based cutoffs as well.

share|improve this answer

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

97.3k33 gold badges334334 silver badges420420 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 4 hours ago

answered 4 hours ago

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

97.3k33 gold badges334334 silver badges420420 bronze badges

answered 4 hours ago

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

97.3k33 gold badges334334 silver badges420420 bronze badges

answered 4 hours ago

Russell BorogoveRussell Borogove

97.3k33 gold badges334334 silver badges420420 bronze badges

2

$begingroup$

I took the numbers from 'Apollo by the Numbers' and entered them into a spread sheet.

Still a lot of work to do with Apollo 9 to 17.

Any suggestions?

The left fuel is less than 3 % for stage 1 and 2 but less than 10 % for stage 3 final burn.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

UweUwe

12.5k22 gold badges3434 silver badges6060 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

2

$begingroup$

I took the numbers from 'Apollo by the Numbers' and entered them into a spread sheet.

Still a lot of work to do with Apollo 9 to 17.

Any suggestions?

The left fuel is less than 3 % for stage 1 and 2 but less than 10 % for stage 3 final burn.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

UweUwe

12.5k22 gold badges3434 silver badges6060 bronze badges

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

I took the numbers from 'Apollo by the Numbers' and entered them into a spread sheet.

Still a lot of work to do with Apollo 9 to 17.

Any suggestions?

The left fuel is less than 3 % for stage 1 and 2 but less than 10 % for stage 3 final burn.

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

UweUwe

12.5k22 gold badges3434 silver badges6060 bronze badges

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

answered 1 hour ago

UweUwe

12.5k22 gold badges3434 silver badges6060 bronze badges

answered 1 hour ago

UweUwe

12.5k22 gold badges3434 silver badges6060 bronze badges

answered 1 hour ago

UweUwe

12.5k22 gold badges3434 silver badges6060 bronze badges