If you're interested in space missions and all things NASA, you need to know the facts about some of the most important launch systems and missions that shaped space exploration: the Saturn V, STS-133, and heavy-lift launch vehicles in general, which are powerful rockets that can carry very large payloads to space.
We hope to answer some of the questions you have about space exploration and encourage you to keep learning more.
What Was the Saturn 5?
The Saturn V is one of the most well-known rockets that NASA developed in the 1960s to support its space exploration efforts. If there is a rocket that basically everyone in the world has heard of at least once, it's the Saturn V.
It was designed for the Apollo program and, as you might already know, made the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969 possible. The Saturn V rocket is classified as a super heavy-lift launch vehicle, but it's a retired rocket, so it's no longer in active use.
How Big Was the Saturn V?
Why is the Saturn V considered a super heavy-lift launch vehicle? How much did the Saturn V weigh? Different countries have their own classifications for heavy-lift vs. super heavy-lift launch vehicles. According to NASA, to be considered a super heavy-lift launch vehicle (SHLLV), a rocket must be able to lift a payload of at least 50 metric tons, or 110,000 lb.
The Saturn V met this criterion. When fully fueled, it weighed over 3,000 metric tons (roughly 6.2 million lb). It was also about 363 feet tall, so taller than a 30-story building! Such a massive size was necessary for the Saturn V to carry astronauts, spacecraft modules, and supplies needed for the Moon missions.
What Is the History of the Saturn V?
NASA developed the Saturn V rocket in the 1960s as part of the U.S. efforts to land humans on the Moon. The Apollo program needed an extremely powerful launch system, and the Saturn V was developed to satisfy that need.
One of the driving forces behind the Apollo program, as well as the development of the Saturn V, was the Cold War space race between the U.S. and the USSR.
There would be no Apollo program without the Saturn V. It was one of the key components of Apollo's success in each of the missions:
- 1967 - Apollo 4, or the First Launch, was a no-crew mission aimed at testing the design of the rocket.
- 1968 - Apollo 8 was the first crewed mission to the Moon, but only its orbit, not the Moon itself.
- 1969 - Apollo 11 was the best-known Apollo mission, with the first humans ever landing on the Moon.
- 1971 - Apollo 15 allowed the astronauts David Scott and James Irwin to bring the Lunar Roving Vehicle to the Moon, which made exploring the Moon easier.
- 1973 - Skylab Launch was the beginning of the first space station in orbit, which, again, was only possible thanks to the Saturn V's ability to carry massive weight.
How Did the Saturn V Work?
As a multi-stage rocket, the Saturn V had three main sections, otherwise referred to as stages. Each of the stages had its own engines and fuel, and the main intention of the design was to maximize thrust (and therefore, the rocket's power).
The Saturn V's three stages were designed to fire one after another to lift the spacecraft into space. The first stage was supposed to lift the rocket off the launch pad, the second carried it through the Earth's atmosphere, and the last stage had to propel the spacecraft toward the Moon.
This three-stage design is universally considered the key to the Saturn V's success because it allows for maximum efficiency when the goal is to be able to carry heavy payloads and equipment.
What Is a Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle?
Simply put, "a heavy-lift launch vehicle," or HLLV, is a technical term for particularly powerful rockets designed to carry large payloads into space.
If standard launch vehicles are primarily designed for loads such as satellites or small spacecraft, HLLVs can accommodate crewed spacecraft, space station modules, and interplanetary missions. They have more stages compared to standard launch vehicles, which makes them more efficient.
Beyond the Saturn V, some of the well-known HLLVs and SHLLs (extra-powerful HLLVs) are the Space Shuttle, Proton-5, Delta IV Heavy, and Falcon Heavy.
What Are Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicles Used For?
As discussed, the main purpose of a heavy lift launch vehicle is to be able to perform tasks that a standard launch vehicle can't, primarily when it comes to carrying loads. That's why the most common use cases for HLLVs are these:
- Crewed Moon and Mars missions. A more recent example than the Saturn V is the Space Launch System (SLS) used for the Artemis I mission in 2022. That one was uncrewed, but future Artemis missions are expected to involve a crew.
- Space station construction
- Satellite deployment
- Cargo transport for orbiting missions
This list will likely grow, as new, even more powerful models of HLLVs and SHLLVs are developed.
What Does the Future Hold for Heavy-Lift Launch Vehicles?
Interestingly, until recently, Apollo and Energia (the Soviet Union program in the 1980s) remained the only programs that involved a super heavy-lift launch vehicle. Between the 1980s and 2022, the use of SHLLVs was basically put on pause.
However, this changed in 2022, when NASA's Artemis I mission took place. Just like the early Apollo missions, it was uncrewed, but this is likely just temporary.
Artemis II, which is planned for 2026, is expected to be the first crewed test flight. Then, Artemis III in 2027 will hopefully become the first lunar landing since Apollo.
The STS-133 Cosmic Corridor
The STS-133 Cosmic Corridor was the final flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery, NASA's most-flown orbiter. As you might have guessed from the unofficial name of STS-133 ("Cosmic Corridor"), its main goal was to deliver supplies and components to the International Space Station (ISS). STS-133 launched on February 24, 2011, and landed on March 9, 2011.
Who Was on the STS 133 Crew?
The crew of STS-133 consisted of seven people:
- Commander Steve Lindsey
- Pilot Eric Boe
- Mission Specialist Alvin Drew
- Mission Specialist Nicole Stott
- Mission Specialist Michael Barratt
- Mission Specialist Steve Bowen
The Highlights of STS 133
During the course of STS-133, the crew, led by Commander Steve Lindsey, performed several important tasks, despite the mission lasting only about two weeks. The most important things STS-133 was able to deliver to the ISS included:
- The Permanent Multipurpose Module. It was a large storage unit attached to the ISS that allowed astronauts to store equipment, spare parts, and scientific experiments. Thanks to the delivery, space was freed up in other modules.
- The Express Logistics Carrier-4. This was a large platform that held external equipment, such as spare parts, batteries, and scientific instruments. The Carrier-4 simplified logistics and helped improve organization at the ISS.
- Supplies that support experiments. STS-133 brought supplies for experiments that helped conduct research in microgravity, biology, and materials science. One of the tasks of the ISS is to function as a floating laboratory for cutting-edge studies, so this was an important part of the mission.
- Equipment for the ISS construction and maintenance. Finally, during the mission, STS-133 not only delivered equipment but also completed important assembly tasks and supported the long-term functionality of the ISS.
Once all the work was done, the space shuttle safely landed back on Earth at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Key STS-133 Mission Facts
Most just want to know the STS-133 fly date and highlights, but if you're interested in more technical information, too, here are some of the key facts:
- Space shuttle: Discovery
- Launch pad: 39A
- Launch weight: 262,309 pounds
- Mission duration: 12 days, 19 hours, 4 minutes, 50 seconds
- Inclination/Altitude: 51.6 degrees/122 nautical miles
- Miles traveled: 5.3 million.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now know a little bit more about NASA's missions, including its use of heavy and super heavy-lift launch vehicles akin to the Saturn V and important missions, like Apollo and STS-133.
Everything NASA does is fascinating, but, sadly, there aren't enough publications from NASA for students and the general public. The details of NASA's missions are often lost because they are simply too technical to explain, which we hoped to change in this article.
Another milestone in NASA's history, Artemis, is currently in progress. So, if you are interested in space missions, you might want to follow that one.