Photos of Rocket Engines
F-1 Engine
Developed by Rocketdyne, the F-1 engine generated nearly 1.5 million pounds of thrust. F-1 engines were clustered in groups of five in the first stage (S-IC stage) of Saturn V rockets. As a group, the five engines gulped 15 tons of kerosene and Liquid oxygen per second.
F-1 at the Michigan Space and Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2002)
F-1 engine on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
F-1 engine on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
F-1 engine on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
H-1 Engine
The H-1 was developed by Rocketdyne and used kerosene and liquid oxygen as propellents. Eight H-1 engines were used on the first stage of Saturn I and IB rockets.
H-1 engine on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
H-1 engine on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
H-1 engine on display at the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
J-2 Engine
The J-2 was developed by Rocketdyne and used liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as propellents. The Saturn 5 second stage (S-II) used five J-2 engines, while the third stage (SIV-B) used a single J-2.
J-2 photos were taken at the Michigan Space and Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2002)
A J-2 engine on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
LR-87 Engine
The LR-87 rocket was used on Titan missiles and space launchers.
LR-87 engine on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
LR-87 engine on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
LR-87 thrust chamber in storage at the Michigan Space Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Navaho Rocket Engine
Navaho Rocket Engine on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Redstone Engine
Redstone engine on display at the Michigan Space and Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2002)
Redstone engine on display at the Michigan Space Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Redstone engine on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center.
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Redstone engine on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
RL-10 Engine
RL-10 on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
RL-10 Rocket Motor on Display at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
S-3 (LR-79) Rocket Engine
The S-3 rocket was used on the Thor and Jupiter rockets. The military designation for the S-3 was LR-79.
S-3 engine on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
S-3 on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center.
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME)
The Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) was developed in Huntsville, Alabama at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The SSME uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as propellents. The Space Shuttle uses three SSME.
Photos of an SSME on display at the Launch Complex 39 Observation Gantry, Kennedy Space Center
(Photos: Kevin Reynolds, 2000)
SSME on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
SSME Powerhead on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
SSME engine on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
V-2 Engine
V-2 engine on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
V-2 engine on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
V-2 engine on display at the Air Force Space and Missile Museum
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2009)
V-2 Thrust Chamber on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
V-2 Thrust Chamber on display at the Michigan Space Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
XLR-11 Engine
The XLR-11 was developed to propel manned rocketplanes. This four-chambered rocket engine used alcohol and liquid oxygen as propellent.
XLR-11 displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
XLR-99 Engine
The XLR-99 was used in the X-15 hypersonic rocketplane. The XLR-99 used ammonia and liquid oxygen as propellent.
XLR-99 rocket engine displayed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
Apollo Lunar Module Descent Engine
Lunar Module Descent Engine on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
Apollo Lunar Module Ascent Engine
Lunar Module Ascent Engine on display at the United States Space and Rocket Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
Lunar Module Ascent Engine in Storage at the Michigan Space Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Apollo Service Module Engine
Apollo Service Module Engine (without nozzle extension) on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Agena Engine
Bell Model 8048 Rocket Engine on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2007)
NERVA Engine
Photos of a NERVA rocket nozzle on display at the Michigan Space and Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2002)
Atlas Sustainer Rocket Motor
Photos of an Atlas Sustainer Motor currently being restored at the Michigan Space Science Center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Viking Engine
Photos of a Viking rocket engine on display at the Udvar-Hazy center
(Photos: Richard Kruse, 2008)
Images by Richard Kruse are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.