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The "Saturn 5 Audio Archive Project" is a research endeavor to accurately resurrect the sound field of a Saturn V launch
from LC-39A. Two audio CDs are available (Standard and Real Time editions) which illustrate the work of phase 1 of this project.
To my knowledge, these CDs are the most accurate audio recordings known of a Saturn V launch.
On July 16th, 1969 as
Apollo 11 (AS-506) began its epic journey to land the first men on the moon with the ignition of the Saturn V first stage,
the stack generated sound pressure levels beyond the threshold of feeling (in excess of 130 dB SPL below 50 Hertz). Those
present literally participated in the event as their bones resonated with the awesome power of the five F-1 rocket engines.
The recording I made that day turned out to be excellent. Quite by accident, I had placed the microphone to achieve
an exquisite balance between the Saturn S-IC, the PA announcements and the excitement of the press site. This audio archive
of that event is the only accurate recording that I know of that now, over 35 years later, captures the excitement of the
day with the fidelity witnessed by those standing at the press site (see the technical page for an explanation of how this
was done).
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