Editing AS-102

{{Short description|1964 Saturn I failure}}
{{use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name                  = AS-102 
| image                 = Saturn SA7 launch.jpg
| image_caption         = Launch of AS-102
| insignia              =

| mission_type          = Spacecraft aerodynamics
| operator              = [[NASA]]
| COSPAR_ID             = 1964-057A 
| SATCAT                = 883
| mission_duration      = ~7&nbsp;hours, 30&nbsp;minutes

| orbits_completed      = 59
| distance_travelled    =

| spacecraft            = [[Apollo (spacecraft)|Apollo]] BP-15
| manufacturer          = 
| launch_mass           = {{convert|16700|kg|lb}}
| landing_mass          =

| launch_date           = {{start date text|September 18, 1964, 16:22:43|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC 
| launch_rocket         = [[Saturn I]] SA-7
| launch_site           = [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Kennedy]] [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 37|LC-37B]]

| disposal_type         = Uncontrolled reentry
| last_contact          = {{end date text|September 18, 1964|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC
| decay_date            = {{end date text|September 22, 1964|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC

| orbit_epoch           = September 20, 1964<ref name="satcat">{{cite web|url=http://planet4589.org/space/log/satcat.txt|title=Satellite Catalog|first=Jonathan|last=McDowell|work=Jonathan's Space Page|access-date=31 October 2013}}</ref>
| orbit_reference       = [[geocentric orbit|Geocentric]]
| orbit_regime          = [[Low Earth orbit]]
| orbit_periapsis       = {{convert|177|km|nmi|sp=us}}
| orbit_apoapsis        = {{convert|206|km|nmi|sp=us}}
| orbit_inclination     = 31.7&nbsp;degrees 
| orbit_period          = 88.32&nbsp;minutes 
| apsis                 = gee

| previous_mission      = [[AS-101]]
| next_mission          = [[AS-103]]
| programme             = [[Apollo program]]
}}

'''AS-102''' (also designated '''SA-7''') was the seventh flight of the [[Saturn I]] launch vehicle, which carried the [[Boilerplate (spaceflight)|boilerplate]] [[Apollo spacecraft]] BP-15 into [[low Earth orbit]].<ref>[https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1964-057A NSSDC: ''SA-7'']</ref> The test took place on September 18, 1964, lasting for five orbits (about seven and a half hours). The spacecraft and its upper stage completed 59 orbits before reentering the atmosphere and crashing in the Indian Ocean on September 22, 1964.

==Objectives==
AS-102 was designed to repeat the flight of [[AS-101]]. It would once again carry a boilerplate Apollo [[command and service module]]. The only difference from Boilerplate 13 carried on AS-101 was that on Boilerplate 15, one of the simulated reaction control system thruster quads (attitude control thrusters) was instrumented to record launch temperatures and vibrations.<ref name="SA7results"/>{{rp|103}} Another major difference on AS-102 was that the [[launch escape system]] (LES) tower would be jettisoned using the launch escape and pitch control motors.<ref name="SA7results"/>{{rp|3}}

AS-102 was the first time a Saturn rocket carried the ST-124 [[computer programming|programmable]] [[Saturn I#Saturn I Instrument Unit|guidance computer]]. Previous launches had used an onboard "black box" that was preprogrammed.<ref name="SA7results">{{cite report|title=Results of The Seventh Saturn I Launch Vehicle Test Flight SA-7
|date=December 30, 1964|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/59673352/Results-of-the-Seventh-Saturn-I-Launch-Vehicle-Test-Flight-SA-7#|publisher=NASA|access-date=May 7, 2023}}</ref>{{rp|2}} On AS-102 it would be possible to reprogram the computer during flight so that any anomalous behavior could potentially be corrected.

[[File:Apollo sa-7.jpg|thumb|left|Apollo Command Module boiler plate #15 checked out prior to SA-7 launch on September 18, 1964]]

==Flight==
In early July, a small crack in engine number six was found. This meant removing the engine, the first time that the ground crew had to do this with a Saturn rocket. It was then decided to return all eight engines to the manufacturer, which meant a job that would take about ten hours because of the large number of tubes, hoses and wires that connected each engine to the rocket. The replacement delayed the launch by about two weeks, followed by another delay of several days because of Hurricanes [[Hurricane Cleo|Cleo]] and [[Hurricane Dora (1964)|Dora]].<ref name="SA7results"/>{{rp|6}}

Launch was on 18 September from [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station|Cape Kennedy]], Florida just before noon local time. The first stage burned for 147.7 seconds, with separation 0.8 seconds later. The second stage ignited 1.7 seconds later, and the [[Launch escape system|LES]] jettisoned at 160.2 seconds after launch. It burned until +621.1 seconds with the stage and boilerplate in a 212.66 by 226.50&nbsp;km orbit.

The flight met all its objectives.  The spacecraft continued to transmit telemetry for five orbits and was tracked until re-entry on its 59th orbit over the [[Indian Ocean]].<ref name="SA7results"/>{{rp|103}}

The only anomalous event on the flight was the failure to recover the eight film-camera pods. They had landed downrange of the expected area, where [[Hurricane Gladys (1964)|Hurricane Gladys]] forestalled a continued search. However, two of the pods did wash ashore two months later. The pods were covered with [[barnacle]]s, but the film inside was undamaged.<ref name="SA7results"/>{{rp|3}}

==References==
{{Include-NASA}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
*[http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4009/cover.htm The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209084600/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4009/cover.htm |date=December 9, 2017 }}
*[https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1964-057A NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive]
*[http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4204/cover.html Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110318012712/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4204/cover.html |date=March 18, 2011 }}
*http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/sa-7/sa-7.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514001102/http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/history/apollo/sa-7/sa-7.html |date=May 14, 2011 }}
*[https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4206/sp4206.htm Stages to Saturn]

{{Apollo program| before=[[AS-101]]| after=[[AS-103]] <br/> [[A-002]]}}
{{Orbital launches in 1964}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}

[[Category:Apollo program]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched in 1964]]
[[Category:Spacecraft which reentered in 1964]]
[[Category:Test spaceflights]]
[[Category:Spacecraft launched by Saturn rockets]]
[[Category:Saturn I]]