On This Day

Test flight of heavy Saturn S-1C-rocket

The Saturn C-3 was the third rocket in the Saturn C series studied from 1959 to 1962.

The Saturn C-3 was the third rocket in the Saturn C series studied from 1959 to 1962. The design was for a three-stage launch vehicle that could launch 45,000 kilograms (99,000 lb) to low Earth orbit and send 18,000 kilograms (40,000 lb) to the Moon via trans-lunar injection.

U.S. President Kennedy's proposal on May 25, 1961, of an explicit crewed lunar landing goal spurred NASA to solidify its launch vehicle requirements for a lunar landing. A week earlier, William Fleming (Office of Space Flight Programs, NASA Headquarters) chaired an ad hoc committee to conduct a six-week study of the requirements for a lunar landing.

Historical Significance

The Saturn C-3 was the third rocket in the Saturn C series studied from 1959 to 1962.

Events Before

  1. First government report by US Surgeon General Luther Terry warning that smoking may be hazardous

    First government report by US Surgeon General Luther Terry warning that smoking may be hazardous

  2. American MLB baseball player Pete Rose (22) weds first wife Karolyn Englehardt; divorce in 1980

    American MLB baseball player Pete Rose (22) weds first wife Karolyn Englehardt; divorce in 1980

  3. "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb", political satire film directed by Stanley Kubric

    "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb", political satire film directed by Stanley Kubrick, and starring Peter Sellers and George C. Scott, premieres

  4. First appearance of the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show", live from New York; broadcast draws 73.7 million television v

    First appearance of the Beatles on "The Ed Sullivan Show", live from New York; broadcast draws 73.7 million television viewers

  5. Billy Rose and Joyce Mathews divorce again

    Billy Rose (born William Samuel Rosenberg; September 6, 1899 – February 10, 1966) was an American impresario, theatrical showman, lyricist and columnist.

Events After

  1. 12-day New York City transit worker strike halts subway and bus services

    A 1980 transit strike in New York City halted service on the New York City Transit Authority (a subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority) for the first time since 1966.

  2. The Beatles' album "Rubber Soul" goes to #1 and stays there for six weeks, while the single "We Can Work It Out" also ch

    The Beatles' album "Rubber Soul" goes to #1 and stays there for six weeks, while the single "We Can Work It Out" also charts at #1 for three weeks

  3. "Batman", starring Adam West as Batman, Burt Ward as Robin, and Cesar Romero as the Joker, debuts on ABC

    Batman is an American comedy television series based on the DC Comics character of the same name.

  4. Indira Gandhi is elected India's first female prime minister

    Indira Gandhi was an Indian stateswoman who served as the prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.

  5. Quiet Beatle George Harrison (22) weds British model Pattie Boyd (21) at the registry office in Epsom, Surrey, England,

    Quiet Beatle George Harrison (22) weds British model Pattie Boyd (21) at the registry office in Epsom, Surrey, England, Paul serves as best man; divorce in 1977

More from the 1960s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 16, 1965?
The Saturn C-3 was the third rocket in the Saturn C series studied from 1959 to 1962. The design was for a three-stage launch vehicle that could launch 45,000 kilograms (99,000 lb) to low Earth orbit and send 18,000 kilograms (40,000 lb) to the Moon via trans-lunar injection. U.S.
Why is Test flight of heavy Saturn S-1C-rocket significant?
The Saturn C-3 was the third rocket in the Saturn C series studied from 1959 to 1962.

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