Saturn V rocket launch, illustration. The Saturn V launch vehicle was used by NASA to launch the Apollo missions to the Moon, and later the Skylab missions. Five F-1 engines were used in the first stage of the Saturn V rockets during take-off. These engines burnt liquid oxygen (LOX) and rocket fuel (RP-1) for less than three minutes, lifting the 3000-tonne rocket to an altitude of 68 kilometres. J-2 engines were used to power the second and third stages. The bulk of the launch vehicle housed tanks of rocket propellant, liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen oxidizer to fuel the engines. The 100 metre-tall Saturn V was a disposable design, each rocket being used only once.