Saturn V

Saturn V
Saturn V launching Apollo 15.
Stages		2 or 3
1 - S-IC	Engines	5 * F-1
Thrust		7,500,000 lbs (later 7,610,000)
Burn time		~165 sec
Fuels		RP-1/LOX
2 - S-II	Engines	5 * J-2
Thrust		1,125,000 lbs (later 1,150,000)
Burn time		~380 sec
Fuels		LH2/LOX
3 - S-IVB	Engines	1 * J-2
Thrust		200,000 lbs (later 230,000)
Burn time		~475 sec (usually 2 burns)
Fuels		LH2/LOX
Two stage version
Payload to LEO		75,000 kg
Three stage version
Payload to LEO		118,000 kg
Payload to TLI		47,000 kg

The Saturn V (popularly known as the Moon Rocket) is a multistage liquid-fuel expendable rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programs.

Over 110 m high and 10 m in diameter, with a total mass of 3,038,500 kg and a payload capacity of 118,000 kg to LEO, the Saturn V is the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built. (The Soviet Energiya heavy-lift booster was designed to orbit 120-150 tons, but was never flown at this capacity.)

Saturn V is composed of three-stages: ; First Stage : S-IC, five F-1 RP-1/LOX engines, Boeing ; Second Stage : S-II, five J-2 LH2/LOX engines, North American Aviation ; Third Stage : S-IVB, one J-2 LH2/LOX engine, Douglas Aircraft Company

Saturn V is the vehicle that carried the Apollo astronauts to the Moon.

A two-stage version placed the Skylab space station in earth orbit.

Fifteen Saturn Vs were produced, thirteen were launched, all from LC-39 at the John F. Kennedy Space Center.

The Space Shuttle was initially conceived of as a cargo transport to be used in concert with the Saturn V. The Shuttle would handle Space Station logistics, while Saturn V would launch components. Lack of funding for a second Saturn V production run killed this plan and left the US without a heavy-lift booster for the next 30 years (and counting).

Saturn V Vehicles and Launches

SA-501	Apollo 4	11-9-67	First test flight
SA-502	Apollo 6	4-4-68	Second test flight
SA-503	Apollo 8	12-21-68	First manned flight
SA-504	Apollo 9	3-3-69
SA-505	Apollo 10	5-18-69
SA-506	Apollo 11	7-16-69
SA-507	Apollo 12	11-14-69
SA-508	Apollo 13	4-11-70
SA-509	Apollo 14	1-31-71
SA-510	Apollo 15	7-26-71
SA-511	Apollo 16	4-16-72
SA-512	Apollo 17	12-6-72
SA-513	Skylab 1	5-14-73	Two-stage version lofts Skylab space station
SA-514	Unused
SA-515	Unused

Suggested Reading

• Bilstein, Roger E. (1980). Stages to Saturn: A Technological History of the Apollo/Saturn Launch Vehicles. NASA SP-4206. ISBN 0-16-048909-1.
  • Available for reading on-line: http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4206/sp4206.htm
  • and in softcover through the U.S. Government Printing Office: http://history.nasa.gov/gpo/order.html