On This Day In Space: Feb. On Feb. 26, 1966, NASA launched its new Saturn IB rocket on its first test flight.

by | Feb 26, 2023 | News


On Feb. 26, 1966, NASA launched its new Saturn 1B rocket on its first test flight. 

Also known as the Uprated Saturn I, the Saturn 1B was built for the Apollo program. With a more powerful upper stage, it was designed to carry the Apollo Command/Service Module and Lunar Module into low-Earth orbit. 

NASA used the Saturn 1B for flight tests early on in the Apollo program, but this type of rocket never actually launched astronauts to the moon. For that, they used an even more powerful rocket, the Saturn V

NASA’s first Saturn 1B rocket launches into space carrying the first Apollo spacecraft on Feb. 26, 1966. (Image credit: NASA)

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