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Nova
#1 · September 6, 2020, 1:08 am
A forgotten part of the Apollo program history is the pre-Saturn V vision for a giant booster, the Nova. Interestingly, it was shaped a bit like the Soviet moon rocket, the N1, or perhaps more appropriately, the later arriving N1 was more like the Nova. The Saturn V had five F-1 engines, the Nova would have had 8-10 F-1s in its first stage. That would have been a sight to see. Certainly, a more complex design, as was the N1. Complexity doomed the N1, it had 30 engines in its first stage. Fortunately, NASA decided on the Saturn V configuration. It ended up being the right choice, and got America to the moon.