NASA
Saturn V and Apollo 4 Legacy
NASA launched the mighty Saturn V moon rocket for the very first time on the Apollo 4 mission.
On November 9, 1967, NASA marked a monumental turning point in space exploration history with the maiden voyage of the Saturn V rocket. Standing at 363 feet tall—taller than the Statue of Liberty—it was the largest and most powerful rocket built at that time.
The initial launch, designated as Apollo 4, was an uncrewed test flight that carried no astronauts. Triggering massive shockwaves and rattling buildings at the Kennedy Space Center, the 8-hour and 36-minute mission successfully concluded with the command module splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, laying the vital groundwork for crewed lunar missions.