A sign accompanying the engine. It reads
F-1 Engine
When NASA began its search for an engine capable of boosting the Apollo program
to the moon, North American Rockwell provided a piece of the puzzle with the
F-1 engine. Developed by the Rocketdyne division of North American Rockwell,
the F-1 was chosen to power the first stage of the three-stage
Saturn V rocket. It took five
F-1 engines to provide the desired thrust for the first stage. The engines
burn 348,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and 215,700 gallons of kerosene at a rate
of 15 tons per second and produce a thrust of 3,350 tons - the equivalent of
20,000 locomotives or 200 aircraft carriers. By the time the propellants are
used up, the rocket is 36 miles high and traveling 6,000 mph. Four of the
engines, arranged peripherally, are maneuverable and control the rocket's
attitude. The fifth engine is mounted centrally with a fixed nozzle.
Specifications |
Length: |
19ft |
Weight: |
18,500lbs |
Thrust: |
1,522,000lbs |
Burning Time: |
150 seconds |
Thrust Chamber Temperature: |
5,970° F |
Fuel: |
Kerosene |
Oxidizer: |
Liquid Oxygen |
[Photo caption] Five F-1 engines mounted together lie in wait for their turn to
be taken to the pad to launch an Apollo mission into space. Look at the F-1 in
front of you, then look at this photo again, and try to picture four other F-1
engines surrounding this one. This will give you a small glimpse into how
massive the Saturn V rocket truly was.