Page 271 - Inventions - A Visual Encyclopedia (DK - Smithsonian)

Apollo 11 SATURN V
spacecraft at The most powerful rocket ever built, the Saturn V, was masterminded
top weighs
97,000 lb by the German scientist Werner von Braun in the United States and was
(44,000 kg)
used to launch the Apollo astronauts on eight missions to the moon between
1967 and 1972. Later versions of the rocket were used to launch Skylab—
the first American space station—and the American part of the
Apollo-Soyuz joint mission.

▼ FALCON 9 LANDING
The first stage of a SpaceX rocket makes a vertical
Third stage, with touchdown after completing its role in a satellite launch.
single engine burning
liquid hydrogen
and liquid oxygen SPACE

Second stage, with
five engines burning
liquid hydrogen REUSABLE ROCKETS
with liquid oxygen The enormous cost of rocket stages destroyed or lost during
launch is a major barrier to space exploration. NASA’s Space
Shuttle (see p.273) had some reusable elements. Since
2016, the SpaceX company has made huge advances in
Tower holds rocket recovering the stages of its Falcon rocket for future missions.
upright before launch

MULTISTAGE ROCKET

Firing multiple rockets in sequence is the most efficient way to get heavy
loads into space. As each rocket stage uses up its fuel supply, it detaches
and falls back to Earth, reducing the amount of empty weight the rest of the
rocket has to push forward. The cargo that eventually reaches orbit is known
as the rocket’s payload.
First stage,
with five Payload
engines 5. Third stage places the payload
burning (a satellite) in its final orbit
kerosene with
liquid oxygen
3. Second stage now has
less mass to push into orbit 6. Payload’s
protective
casing
Total launch falls away
vehicle with
three separate 4. Second stage
rocket stages falls away
is 363 ft
(110.6 m) high
2. First stage falls away
once its fuel is exhausted
1. Booster rockets help get the first
stage moving, then fall away

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