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This is a core plane, unflown, from a Launch Vehicle Digital Computer, which was part of the guidance system for the Saturn V rocket. The computer was mounted on the inside of the Saturn V Instrument Unit (IU), above the Third Stage and below the payload. It processed information from the IU's Inertial Measurement Unit and from other inputs, to give commands to keep the rocket on a desired course. Data was stored in the computer's memory in an arrray of magnetic cores--small doughnut-shaped pieces of magnetic material. The direction of magnetism in a core stored a binary one or zero.

Saturn rockets were used to launch Apollo payloads and the Skylab space station between 1968 and 1973. The core plane was manufactured by the IBM Corporation. NASA tranferred it to the Museum in 2011.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type INSTRUMENTS-Computers, General Purpose Manufacturer IBM Corporation
 Dimensions 3-D: 14.3 × 8.6 × 1.6cm (5 5/8 × 3 3/8 × 5/8 in.)
 Materials Copper
Resin
Ferrite
Foam
 Inventory Number A20210581000 Credit Line Gift of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.