Apollo's heavy-lift rocket
NASA developed the Saturn V to launch Apollo missions toward the Moon. In its lunar-mission configuration, the rocket used three stages, shedding spent structures as it climbed and accelerated. With the Apollo spacecraft above it, the complete vehicle stood about 111 meters tall.
The Saturn V's role continued beyond lunar exploration when a modified version launched the Skylab space station. Its history illustrates a fundamental feature of spaceflight: reaching a destination requires a launch system as well as a spacecraft. Comparing Saturn V with Apollo 11 helps separate the rocket's task from the work of the vehicles it carried.
What to look for
- Stages arranged vertically beneath the spacecraft
- A broad lower stage and narrower upper sections
- An expendable launch system used for Apollo and Skylab