Friday, June 17, 2016

Saturn V stage takes off

NEW ORLEANS -- The last assembled Saturn V first stage is on its way to Infinity Science Center in Mississippi, where it will be on permanent display and visible to travelers on heavily-traveled Interstate 10. The S-IC first stage was the last of its type and completed in 1970. It was intended for the Apollo 19 lunar landing mission in 1973, but instead has remained at Michoud Assembly Facility, where it was built. It was at one point tested at Stennis Space Center (SSC). Complete with its five F-1 rocket engines, the stage was placed on a barge where it will go from the Intercoastal Waterway to Pearl River to be off-loaded at SSC. From there it will be transported by truck to Infinity, south of the Interstate 10. Because it can’t go under the I-10 overpass, it will have to head west on I-10 and turn around past the bridge over the Pearl River. It will then come back east and exit to Infinity. It will arrive early Tuesday. (Source: multiple, including collectSPACE, 06/16/16, Clarion-Ledger, 06/17/16)