All About Space

Anatomy of the Saturn V Moon rocket

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1 Launch Escape System

Thankfully it wasn’t needed, but this was there to whisk the Command Module to safety if the rocket failed on launch.

2 Command Module

The main crew compartmen­t, where Collins remained while the others descended to the surface.

3 Service Module

An essential part of the Apollo spacecraft, it provided power, communicat­ions and life support, as well as propulsion.

4 Apollo spacecraft

The Saturn V’s all-important payload, this was the part that actually travelled to the Moon.

5 Lunar Module

This consisted of the crewcarryi­ng ascent stage on top of the four-legged descent stage, which remained on the Moon.

6 Instrument unit

It may look small and insignific­ant, but this was the brain of the Saturn V – its guidance computer.

7 Third stage

The third stage was fired twice: once to enter Earth orbit and then again to push onwards to the Moon.

8 Second stage

Using liquid-hydrogen fuel, the second stage took over for another six minutes, getting close to orbital velocity.

9 First stage

The Saturn V’s kerosenefu­elled first stage lifted it to an altitude of 68 kilometres (42 miles) in 165 seconds before falling away.

10 Main engines

A cluster of five rocket engines, each over five metres (16.4 feet) tall, was needed to lift the near-3,000-tonne giant rocket off the ground.

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