Saturn V vs. Saturn IB Rocket Engine Deflection Panels

On the left is the panel for the big Saturn V booster, and the similar panel on the right is for the Saturn IB booster. The Saturn V is a pull-out chassis, and the Saturn IB is hinged.

Left: The Saturn V was powered by five massive F-1 engines, producing 7.5M lbs of thrust. The center engine was fixed, and the outer four could tilt (pitch and yaw) to control flight direction and stability. It flew from Apollo 4 in 1967 to Skylab 1 in 1973. In addition to the pitch/yaw deflection indicators for each steerable engine seen on both panels, the Saturn V panel added a row of indicator lights for whenever an engine was gimbaled out of center position. Silver NASA Property sticker on top.

Right: a rare complete Apollo-era S-IB Output control panel used at Kennedy Space Center / Mission Control. From RR, “it’s an important ground control panel used to monitor first stage trajectory.” Panel measures 24″ x 17.5″ x 5.5″ with a silver “Property of NASA, Contract NAS-8-14000” label affixed to top left (that contract numbers was also used for Saturn IB GNC (e.g., the LVDC)).. The Saturn IB booster produced 1.6M lbs of thrust.

Board is divided into four equal sections for the four outboard H-1 engines on the Saturn IB first stage, each with an ‘X’ and ‘Y’ hydraulic actuator, as well as switches to monitor each engine’s pitch and yaw. This panel was used to indicate gimbaling (the change in angle of orientation) of the four outer engines on the Saturn first stage. S-IB carried four fixed inboard and four steerable outboard H1 engines.

Gimbaling was used to apply directional thrust to keep the rocket on its proper trajectory. The four cathode ray tubes (CRT) displayed the affiliated ‘X’ and ‘Y’ hydraulic actuator deflection for each of the engines to report their health and status to the ground controller.

The Saturn IB launched two unmanned CSM suborbital flights, one unmanned LM orbital flight, and the first manned CSM orbital mission (first planned as Apollo 1, later flown as Apollo 7). It was used between 1973 and 1975 for three manned Skylab flights, and one Apollo-Soyuz Test Project flight.

An artifact from the Future Ventures’ 🚀 Space Collection, soon to been on loan to SETI for their new HQ.