SA-T (Static Test) Stage

The SA-T stage (sometimes also referred to as the S-I-T stage) was the static test stage. Pre-dating the NASA's stewardship of the Saturn program, this first of all Saturn stages was built by the the ABMA, in response to ARPA Order No. 14-59; it was also the first Saturn stage to be test fired.

This stage was reconfigured and test fired to simulate each of the four Block I Saturn stages which followed it, and was even fitted with Block II (188,000 pound thrust) engines to simulate the first Block II Saturn stage, SA-5.

All told, this stage was fired a total of 31 times between 28 March 1960 and 9 November 1962.

In July 2019, NASA offered this booster stage to qualified entities (basically, museums or academic institutions) through the federal government's General Services Administration with an anticipated shipping cost of $250,000. Unfortunately, no suitable recipient could be identified and NASA destroyed the stage in April 2022.

Aerial view.

For additional pictures of Saturn I Block I hardware, see my page on the SA-D (Dynamic Test Vehicle) or my page containing the Block I profile.