Saturn A-1

{{Short description|Rocket}}

{{More citations needed|date=May 2023}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}

{{Infobox rocket

|name = Saturn A-1

|country-origin = United States

|function = Uncrewed launch vehicle

|manufacturer = Von Braun

|height = 49.62 m

|alt-height = 162.29 ft

|diameter = 6.52 m

|alt-diameter = 21.39 ft

|mass = 524,484 kg

|stages = 3 (all used on various vehicles, now retired)

|status = Never flown

|sites = N/A

|capacities={{infobox rocket/payload|location=low Earth orbit|mass={{cvt|13600|kg}}}} for LEO

|stage1name = S-I

|stage1engines = 8 H-1

|stage1thrust = 7,582 kN

|stage1time = 150 seconds

|stage1fuel = RP-1/LOX

|stage2name = Titan I

|stage2engines = 2 LR-87-3

|stage2thrust = 1,467 kN

|stage2time = 138 seconds

|stage2fuel = RP-1/LOX

|stage3name = Centaur C

|stage3engines = 2 RL-10A-1

|stage3thrust = 133 kN

|stage3time = 430 seconds

|stage3fuel = LH₂ / LOX

|image=100px}}

Saturn A-1, studied in 1959, was projected to be the first version of Saturn I and was to be used if necessary before the S-IV liquid hydrogen second stage became available.{{Cite web |date=2016-11-14 |title=Saturn A-1 |url=http://www.astronautix.com/s/saturna-1.html |access-date=2024-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114102233/http://www.astronautix.com/s/saturna-1.html |archive-date=November 14, 2016 }}

It was designed as a three stage vehicle. The S-I first stage (initially proposed for the Juno V rocket and eventually used on Saturn I) would propel the Saturn A-1 into space, continuing the flight with a Titan I{{r|abma-19591001|pp=3-6}} missile based second stage. Finally a Centaur{{r|abma-19591001|pp=3-6}} C high-energy double-engine third stage could send a payload into its final Earth orbit or to other planets.

The Saturn A-1 never flew, but all proposed stages were used on different launch vehicles. Today, they are all retired.