Who made engines for Saturn?
The engines behind the Saturn rockets were built by Rocketdyne, a division of North American Aviation, which later became part of Boeing and is today part of Aerojet Rocketdyne. The Saturn program relied on three main engine types: F-1, H-1, and J-2.
From the early Saturn I flights through the Apollo-era Saturn V missions, Rocketdyne provided the powerplants that propelled the vehicles through liftoff and into orbit. The F-1 powered the Saturn V’s first stage, the H-1 powered the Saturn I’s first stage, and the J-2 powered the upper stages of both Saturn V and early Saturn programs. Rocketdyne’s work on these engines remains a cornerstone of the era’s propulsion history.
Key Saturn engines and their builder
Below is a concise breakdown of the principal engines used on Saturn rockets and the company that built them.
- F-1 engine — manufactured by Rocketdyne for the Saturn V's first stage (S-IC). A cluster of five F-1 engines provided the initial thrust to lift the vehicle off the pad.
- H-1 engine — manufactured by Rocketdyne for the Saturn I's first stage. The S-I stage employed eight H-1 engines in a clustered arrangement.
- J-2 engine — manufactured by Rocketdyne for the Saturn V's upper stages (S-II and S-IVB). The S-II used five J-2 engines, and the S-IVB used a single J-2 engine for orbital maneuvers and translunar injection stages.
These engines together powered the Apollo-era Saturn program, enabling missions from Earth orbit to lunar trajectories. Rocketdyne’s propulsion work remained central to NASA’s moon-landing efforts.
If you meant Saturn the car brand
Note: If you were asking about engines used in Saturn automobiles (the GM brand that operated from 1985 to 2010), those were developed and produced within General Motors’ powertrain network, with engines sourced and built across GM facilities and suppliers. This article focuses on the Saturn rockets used by NASA and the Apollo program.
Summary
Rocketdyne, ultimately part of Aerojet Rocketdyne through corporate mergers, built the three core engine types for the Saturn rockets: the H-1 for Saturn I, the F-1 for the Saturn V first stage, and the J-2 for the Saturn V upper stages. These engines powered the ascent and orbital missions that defined NASA’s Apollo era.
What motor company makes Saturn?
Saturn cars were made by the Saturn Corporation, a former subsidiary of General Motors (GM). The brand operated from 1985 to 2010 before it was discontinued, but GM continues to honor maintenance claims for existing Saturn vehicles.
- Ownership: Saturn was established by General Motors to compete with Japanese imports.
- Operations: For most of its existence, Saturn operated somewhat independently with its own engineering and marketing, including a distinctive "no-haggle" pricing model.
- Discontinuation: The brand was officially shut down on October 31, 2010, after GM's bankruptcy restructuring.
- Legacy: While you can no longer buy a new Saturn, used models are available, and GM has stated it will continue to support maintenance on existing vehicles. Some of the technologies and platforms developed for Saturn were later integrated into other GM brands, like Chevrolet and GMC.
Who made Saturn engines?
The powerplant used in Saturn S-Series automobiles was a straight-4 aluminum piston engine produced by Saturn, a subsidiary of General Motors.
Do Saturns have Honda engines?
2005 Saturn Vue, fun fact that you may not know. 2004 to 2007 V6 Vue's have a 3.5 Honda V6.
What engines did Saturn use?
The Saturn V was primarily designed by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The rocket used the powerful F-1 and J-2 rocket engines.
