SA-3, launched on November 16, 1962, was the third flight of the Saturn I launch vehicle, the second flight of Project Highwater, and part of the American Apollo program. The main objectives of SA-3 were much the same as the previous two Saturn I flights in that it was primarily a test of the first-stage booster (S-I) and its H-1 engines. SA-3 aimed to test four areas: the booster, the ground support equipment, the vehicle in flight, and Project Highwater.
The fourth objective, Project Highwater, was an experiment previously flown on SA-2. This involved the intentional release of ballast water from the second and third stages which allowed scientists to investigate the nature of Earth's ionosphere, as well as noctilucent clouds and the behavior of ice in space.
