George W.S. Abbey Rocket Park
George W.S. Abbey Rocket Park, formerly known as Rocket Park, is located at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC). In December 2021, JSC renamed Rocket Park after its former director, George Abbey, who began his four-decade-long NASA career during the Apollo Program.
At George W.S. Abbey Rocket Park, visitors have the pleasure of viewing four rockets that were used in NASA missions during the 1960s and 70s, including Little Joe II, Mercury-Redstone, the Gemini-Titan, and Saturn V, the tallest, heaviest and most powerful rocket ever flown.
Mighty and massive, the 30-story tall Saturn V is perhaps the most accomplished of the four with 9 trips into outer space (six of which landed on the Moon) carrying 27 Apollo astronauts. Saturn V also launched Skylab, America’s first space station, into orbit in its final mission. In total, 13 Saturn V rockets were launched into space. When fueled and ready for launch, the rocket can weigh 6.2 million pounds. That is almost the same weight as 39 space shuttle orbiters.
There are only three Saturn V rockets on display in the world. The rocket at NASA Johnson Space Center is the only one comprised of all flight-certified hardware. The other two rockets are made of flight hardware, mock-ups and test components.
George W.S. Abbey Rocket Park can be visited on a tram tour to NASA Johnson Space Center facilities offered by Space Center Houston to all visitors. Tram tours are included in the general admission to Space Center Houston (1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058).
Photos: courtesy NASA. Photo 3: George Abbey at Rocket Park at the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission celebrations (2019)
