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This is a cutaway of the RL-10 rocket engine, the world's first operational liquid-hydrogen/liquid oxygen high energy rocket engine that was re-startable in space. Two RL-10 engines, each producing 15,000 pounds of thrust, made up the Centaur upper stage used with the Atlas and Titan launch vehicles.

A cluster of six RL-10 engines also powered the second stage of the Saturn 1 vehicle, a precursor to the Saturn V that sent the first astronauts to the Moon under Project Apollo. The first successful operational flight of the Atlas-Centaur took place in 1966 and this was also the first time the RL-10 made a full-thrust re-start in space. The engine was donated to the Smithsonian in 1976 by the NASA Lewis Research Center.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type PROPULSION-Rocket Engines Manufacturer Pratt & Whitney
 Dimensions Overall: 5ft 9in. x 2ft 9in. x 2ft 7in. (175.26 x 83.82 x 78.74cm)
Storage (Artex Crate): 121 × 214 × 121cm, 367.4kg (47 5/8 × 84 1/4 × 47 5/8 in., 810lb.)
 Materials Chamber, 347 stainless steel brazed with silver; piping, polished stainless steel; aluminum casting pump; heat exchanger of nickel alloy
Pump, aluminum casting
Nozzle ring, upper, plastic
 Inventory Number A19761286000 Credit Line Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.