Object Details
Manufacturer
Aerojet General Corp.
Summary
This is a cutaway of the combustion chamber of the Apollo Service Module Propulsion System (SPS), a liquid-fuel rocket engine used on Apollo spacecraft. It is not shown with its larger adjoining nozzle. Apollo astronauts used the SPS to steer the spacecraft toward the Moon, place it into lunar orbit, and propel it back toward Earth.
Using storable propellants, the SPS produced a thrust of 21,900 pounds for a minimum of 0.4 seconds or up to 12.5 minutes, as required. The SPS engine served successfully on all Apollo missions, including the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. This object was donated to the Smithsonian in 1986 by the NASA Johnson Space Flight Center.
Alternate Name
Apollo Service Module Propulsion System
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Inventory Number
A19860252000
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
PROPULSION-Rocket Engines
Materials
Combustion chamber, rubberized, phenolic refrasil inner liner, an ablative or heat-resistant material. Aluminum flange bonded to inner liner. Propellant lines, 304L stainless steel. Valves, cast aluminum. Injector, Type 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. Other parts, stainless steel; fixture brackets, steel.
Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Paint, Plastic, Paper, Adhesive, Ink, Synthetic Fabric
Dimensions
Overall: 5 ft. 3 in. tall x 4 ft. 5 in. wide, 3850 lb. (160.02 x 134.62cm, 1746.3kg)
Country of Origin
United States of America
See more items in
National Air and Space Museum Collection
Location
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA
Exhibit Station
Human Spaceflight
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nasm_A19860252000