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Space · launch vehicle

Saturn IB

NASA RETIRED
At a glance
Launches
10
Success rate
90%
9 ok · 1 failed
Payload to LEO
21,000 kg
Payload to GTO
—
Status
Retired
First flight
26 Feb 1966
Reusable
No
Height
43.2 m
Diameter
6.61 m
Launch mass
590 t
Liftoff thrust
7,100 kN
Stages
2
Launch cost
—
Booster landings
—
About

The Saturn IB (pronounced "one B", also known as the Uprated Saturn I) was an American launch vehicle commissioned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the Apollo program. It replaced the S-IV second stage of the Saturn I with the much more powerful S-IVB, able to launch a partially fueled Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM) or a fully fueled Lunar Module (LM) into low Earth orbit for early flight tests before the larger Saturn V needed for lunar flight was ready.