Arcturus

From The Space Library

Arcturus was a 1960 proposition for a large scale launch vehicle from the Martin advanced projects division. It was designed to fill the gap between smaller boosters and the proposed Nova large scale moon rocket.

The main concept was devised by engineer Dandridge Cole and consisted of seven Martin Titan missiles tank assemblies strapped together to power two F-1 engines. The first configuration proposed would use liquid oxygen and kerosene but a later version might have used storable propellants. First stage would have developed 2,000,000 lbs of thrust.

The second stage of Arcturus would be three Titan tanks modified to feed a single engine of 500,000 lbs thrust.

The advanced Arcturus II would have a third stage using a single Titan with 200,000 lbs thrust. The entire assembly of Arcturus II would weigh 2.4 million pounds and would have been capable of putting one man on the moon and bringing him home.

Cole also suggested an air-breathing JATO system for Arcturus II which would increase the payload capacity to 4.8 million pounds.