
The Saturn V rocket was a retired American super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by NASA under the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon. The rocket was flown from 1967 to 1973 and was used for nine crewed flights to the Moon. The Saturn V rocket burned 20 tons of fuel per second, which is 40,000 pounds of fuel. The first stage of the Saturn V rocket carries 203,400 gallons of kerosene fuel and 318,000 gallons of liquid oxygen, while the second stage carries 260,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen fuel and 80,000 gallons of liquid oxygen. The third stage carries 66,700 gallons of liquid hydrogen fuel and 19,359 gallons of liquid oxygen.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel burned per second | 20 tons (40,000 pounds) |
| First stage fuel | 203,400 gallons (770,000 liters) of kerosene |
| First stage oxidizer | 318,000 gallons (1.2 million liters) of liquid oxygen |
| Second stage fuel | 260,000 gallons (984,000 liters) of liquid hydrogen |
| Second stage oxidizer | 80,000 gallons (303,000 liters) of liquid oxygen |
| Third stage fuel | 66,700 gallons (252,750 liters) of liquid hydrogen |
| Third stage oxidizer | 19,359 gallons (73,280 liters) of liquid oxygen |
| S-II dry mass | 43,000 kilograms (95,000 pounds) |
| S-II fueled mass | 470,000 kilograms (1,037,000 pounds) |
| S-IVB dry mass | 33,600 pounds (15,200 kilograms) |
| S-IVB fueled mass | 265,600 pounds (120,500 kilograms) |
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What You'll Learn

The Saturn V rocket burned 20 tons of fuel per second
The Saturn V rocket, developed by NASA under the Apollo program, burned an incredible 20 tons of fuel per second. This equates to 40,000 pounds of fuel consumed every second of operation. The rocket was in use from 1967 to 1973 and was instrumental in sending humans beyond low Earth orbit to explore the Moon.
The Saturn V rocket's first stage held a massive amount of fuel, with 203,400 gallons (770,000 liters) of kerosene and 318,000 gallons (1.2 million liters) of liquid oxygen. This combination of fuels was necessary for the rocket's powerful combustion process. At liftoff, the five F-1 rocket engines of the first stage ignited, generating an astonishing 7.5 million pounds of thrust.
The second stage of the Saturn V rocket was no less impressive. It carried 260,000 gallons (984,000 liters) of liquid hydrogen fuel and 80,000 gallons (303,000 liters) of liquid oxygen. The second stage played a crucial role in accelerating the rocket through the upper atmosphere, providing additional thrust to propel the spacecraft further into space.
The Saturn V rocket's massive fuel consumption and incredible engine power enabled it to carry out its missions successfully. With each launch costing about $1.5 billion in today's dollars, the Saturn V rocket played a pivotal role in space exploration, paving the way for future missions to the Moon and beyond.
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The first stage used kerosene and liquid oxygen
The Saturn V rocket was a retired American super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by NASA under the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon. It was flown from 1967 to 1973 and was used for nine crewed flights to the Moon, as well as to launch Skylab, the first American space station. The Saturn V rocket had three stages and was powered by liquid fuel.
The first stage's fuel consumption was staggering, burning an incredible 20 tons (40,000 pounds) of fuel per second. To put this into perspective, Charles Lindbergh's aircraft used 450 pounds of fuel to cross the Atlantic, and the Saturn V rocket burned ten times that amount in just a tenth of a second. This remarkable fuel consumption contributed to the rocket's ability to propel humans towards the Moon.
The first stage played a critical role in the Saturn V rocket's success, providing the initial boost and propulsion needed to lift the massive spacecraft off the ground and towards its intended destination. The combination of kerosene and liquid oxygen fuelled the powerful F-1 engines, enabling the Saturn V rocket to carry out its historic missions.
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The second stage used liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen
The Saturn V rocket was a retired American super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by NASA under the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon. It was flown from 1967 to 1973 and was used for nine crewed flights to the Moon, as well as to launch Skylab, the first American space station. The Saturn V rocket had three stages and was powered by liquid fuel.
The second stage of the Saturn V rocket used liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as propellants. This stage carried 260,000 gallons (984,000 litres) of liquid hydrogen fuel and 80,000 gallons (303,000 litres) of liquid oxygen. The liquid hydrogen fuel was stored in the propellant tanks of the S-II stage, which had a dry mass of about 43,000 kilograms (95,000 pounds). When fully fuelled, the S-II stage weighed 470,000 kilograms (1,037,000 pounds).
The second stage of the Saturn V rocket was responsible for accelerating the vehicle through the upper atmosphere. It generated 4,400 kilonewtons (1,000,000 lbf) of thrust in a vacuum and had a burn time of 395 seconds. The stage consisted of five Rocketdyne J-2 engines, with the four outer engines being used for control.
The Saturn V rocket consumed a significant amount of fuel, burning approximately 20 tons (40,000 pounds) of fuel per second during the first stage of its operation. This massive fuel consumption was necessary to generate the enormous thrust required to lift the rocket off the ground and propel it through the Earth's atmosphere.
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The third stage also used liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen
The Saturn V rocket was a retired American super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by NASA under the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon. It was flown from 1967 to 1973 and was used for nine crewed flights to the Moon, as well as to launch Skylab, the first American space station.
The Saturn V rocket had three stages and was powered by liquid fuel. The third stage of the Saturn V rocket carried 66,700 gallons (252,750 litres) of liquid hydrogen fuel and 19,359 gallons (73,280 litres) of liquid oxygen. The third stage used a single rocket engine, which was fired until 11 minutes and 39 seconds after launch, at which point the vehicle had attained sufficient speed to reach Earth orbit.
The Saturn V rocket's third stage was an important part of the spacecraft's journey to the Moon. About two and a half hours after the third stage's initial burn, it was restarted to send the Apollo spacecraft out of Earth orbit and towards the Moon. This final burn lasted 312 seconds. After the astronauts in Apollo docked with the lunar landing module and pulled away from the now-useless third stage, this last remaining part of the Saturn V would either coast away into deep space or be commanded to crash land on the Moon.
The Saturn V rocket burned an enormous amount of fuel, estimated to be 20 tons (40,000 pounds) of fuel per second. This is in stark contrast to the aircraft used by Charles Lindbergh, which used only 450 lbs. of fuel to cross the Atlantic. In just a tenth of a second, the Saturn V would burn ten times the amount of fuel Lindbergh used for his entire trip.
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The S-II stage used more than 90% of its mass as propellant
The Saturn V rocket was a retired American super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by NASA under the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon. It was flown from 1967 to 1973 and was used for nine crewed flights to the Moon, as well as to launch Skylab, the first American space station.
The Saturn V rocket had three stages and was powered by liquid fuel. The second stage, known as the S-II, was built by North American Aviation at Seal Beach, California. It used liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as propellants and had five Rocketdyne J-2 engines. The S-II stage had a dry mass of about 43,000 kilograms (95,000 lb), but when fully fueled, it weighed 470,000 kilograms (1,037,000 lb).
The second stage accelerated the Saturn V rocket through the upper atmosphere with 4,400 kilonewtons (1,000,000 lbf) of thrust in a vacuum. The S-II stage had a burn time of 395 seconds. When loaded with fuel, more than 90% of its mass was propellant. This high propellant mass fraction was due to the stage's efficient design, which allowed it to accelerate the rocket with minimal structural weight.
The S-II stage played a critical role in the Saturn V rocket's overall performance. By providing a significant amount of thrust in the upper atmosphere, it helped build up the necessary speed and momentum for the rocket to continue its journey beyond low Earth orbit. The efficient use of propellant in the S-II stage also contributed to the Saturn V rocket's impressive payload capacity, enabling it to carry a combination of the Apollo command and service module and the Lunar Module to the Moon.
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Frequently asked questions
The Saturn V rocket burned 20 tons (40,000 pounds) of fuel per second.
The first stage of the Saturn V rocket carries 203,400 gallons (770,000 liters) of kerosene fuel and 318,000 gallons (1.2 million liters) of liquid oxygen.
The S-II stage of the Saturn V rocket weighed 470,000 kilograms (1,037,000 lb) when fully fueled.





























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