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This is a 1/4 cutaway of an F-1 liquid fuel rocket engine. The F-1 engine produced 1.5 million pounds of thrust and was the powerplant for the first stage of the giant 363-foot long Saturn V launch vehicle that took the first astronauts to the Moon for six successful landing missions from 1969 to 1972 in the Project Apollo program.

The full engine is 18 feet high and 12 feet wide. The combustion chamber itself is 9.5 feet in diameter. The full-sized engine weighs 18,616 lbs.

The first stage of the Saturn V was fitted with five F-1's for a total lift-off thrust of 7.5 million pounds. The fully-fueled Saturn V weighed 6.5 million pounds. The F-1 used RP-1, a type of kerosene, and liquid oxygen as the propellants.

This engine was donated to the Smithsonian in 1975 by Rocketdyne.

 Display Status

This object is on display in Destination Moon at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

Destination Moon
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type PROPULSION-Rocket Engines Manufacturer Rocketdyne Division, Rockwell International
 Dimensions Overall: 6 ft. wide x 17 ft. 6 in. long (182.88 x 533.4cm)
 Materials Cooling tubes, Inconel X; injector, stainless steel and copper; propellant lines, aluminum; valves, aluminum and stainless steel
 Inventory Number A19751437000 Credit Line Rocketdyne Division, Rockwell International Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.