The Saturn V Rocket is a magnificent piece of engineering. I drove to nearby Rocket Park this morning just to get out and stretch my legs. The Rocket Park is located beside the main entrance to NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Inside the massive enclosure is a Saturn V rocket, the vehicle that allowed NASA to send men to the moon. During actual launch the first stage burned for about 2 minutes and 41 seconds and burned about 4,700,000 pounds of fuel. Outside the building, are several more displays including a Little Joe II and Mercury-Redstone.
The final Saturn V launch was in 1973. The vehicle carried Skylab space station to orbit.
The Saturn V at Johnson Space Center was on display at an outside location for more than 20 years. During this period humid Gulf Coast weather had caused a significant amount of corrosion. In 1999, the National Air and Space Museum was granted public funds to restore and applied for a grant to preserve the rocket through the Save America’s Treasures Program. In addition private funds were received to complete the project.
The vehicle is now housed in a climate controlled building. It has been restored and stabilized.
