Apollo 11 Saturn V Launch Camera E-8

You could protect it in the same way they shielded the pad cameras during apollo (such as the E-8 camera ▶ this video ), with a quartz shield

Here is 500 fps film of the Saturn V launch for Apollo 11, narrated by Mark Gray. It explains the sequence of events over the course of 8+ minutes (30 seconds real time). ▶ this video

The F1 engine [1] (Saturn V, first stage) used another interesting way to improve efficiency with a gas generator cycle: using the turbopump exhaust gas as a cooling film in the engine nozzle. The fuel-rich exhaust was relatively cool compared to the flame generated by the rocket engine itself, and thus protected the nozzle from the most intense heat. This is why, close up, the flame looks almost black close to the nozzle [2]. [1] link [2] link Edit: Hopefully clarified a little, and changed the link in [2] (from ▶ this video ).

This version of the same video includes informative narration of what are the first 30 seconds after Apollo 11 liftoff: ▶ this video

Unlikely, it wouldn't be much of a launch pad if it couldn't handle failure modes for rockets (aka bombs with a hole in one end). Compare to this Saturn V launch. ▶ this video