Apollo 11 launch rocket. Assembly of the Saturn V rocket used to launch the Apollo 11 mission, the first manned mission to land on the Moon. The rocket's third (S-IVB) stage is shown here being hoisted onto the second (S-II) stage. The second and third stages are used to continue a Saturn V's journey to the Moon after the first stage has burned out and separated from the rest of the rocket. The astronauts aboard the Apollo 12 mission (16-24 July 1969) were Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins. March 5, 1969.