The Atlas Rocket was a big step towards the super-rockets that we have utilized in the US Space Programs. It lifted Gemini capsules as well and other payloads. This rocket was able to lift off at an incredible rate of ascent. The Atlas was probably the second fastest climbing vehicle that NASA has flown, after THE SHUTTLE that is. It however, did not have the payload or fuel capacity to reach the moon. The NASA Engineers could tell that they would need even a bigger spacecraft to reach and land on the moon. The scientists all geared up for a huge task. The task ahead of the engineers was to build space vehicle(s) that could travel to, and land on the moon's surface. Thus the birth of the Saturn 1 and the Saturn V rocket series. This 330 ft. tall Monster of a rocket was the biggest rocket built to date. Capable of producing 7.5 million pounds of thrust, the Saturn V was the largest and heaviest ship ever launched into space to date. It is said that when this monster lifted off, one could here the roar of the engines for nearly 50 miles. It shook the ground for a 10 mile radius. The Saturn I-B lifted all Apollo earth orbit flights including the lifting of Skylab. The Saturn V lifted all Apollo moon flights, the Apollo that met with RUSSIAN SPACESHIP SOYUZ for the first International space flight, and transported astronauts to Skylab II, III and IV.
The Saturn Rockets were retired when the Space Shuttle was developed and put into service. Many of the capsules are in Museums or are on public display. Sadly, many of the pieces of the Apollo Missions are either sitting in a huge space junk yard near Canaveral in Florida, or they were left in space (SEE SPACEJUNK)
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Last Updated by TeamQuest '96 c/o hotshots@ix.netcom.com on August 15th 1996 at 20:59:59 PDT