The First meets the Future every day at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center

Here, students feel the spirit of early space pioneers through the towering rockets and hardware gracing Rocket Park, Shuttle Park and the Apollo Courtyard. Exposure to the elements has taken a toll on these marvels of engineering but you can restore their shine and ensure they continue to inspire the next generation of dreamers and doers. Your donation makes a difference and identifies you as a member of the Rocket Protector team. Donate now

Thanks to your donations, the Saturn V in the Apollo Courtyard greets the world with refreshed and shiny protective coatings. Crews are now working to make sure the Saturn I receives the same care and refurbishment. The Saturn I first arrived on the Space & Rocket Center campus in 1969. The U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency (ABMA), under the direction of Wernher von Braun, began developing the Saturn I rocket in 1957. The unique first stage was composed of clustered tanks. This clustering of smaller tanks, rather than manufacturing larger tanks, allowed the use of tooling from the Redstone and Jupiter missile programs. Contractors:

  • Rocketdyne Div., North American Aviation, Inc
  • Chrysler Corporation
  • Pratt & Whitney
  • Douglas Aircraft Corporation
Vehicle Designation: SA-D5 History:
  • Built as Saturn I Block II dynamic test vehicle
  • The first stage was modified to be a test stage for the Saturn IB rockets and sent to Michoud for testing in 1965.
  • In 1966 the first stage was returned to MSFC
  • The S-IV (second) stage was a hydrostatic (checking for pressure holding and leaks) and dynamics test stage
  • The payload on top is the Apollo Boilerplate No. 27, often referred to as BP-27/LES 015, which were also dynamic test articles. In June of 1969, the first stage along with the rest of the rocket and Saturn V stages were moved to the Alabama Space & Rocket Center

It was built, tested and put on display here in Huntsville!

Donations of all sizes are welcome. Click here to become a Rocket Protector.

The Mercury-Redstone, U.S. Army Redstone, Jupiter, Jupiter C and Juno II artifacts were carefully taken down from the supports that have held them for more than 50 years. A course of treatment and preservation of the rockets is ongoing. The Saturn I, which stands directly behind the original museum, was not taken down and will be cared for in place with work beginning in September. Your donations make a difference! The Mercury-Redstone is the first of the Rocket Center’s Rocket Row artifacts to undergo special care through the Rocket Protector program.

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