Building a machine that can escape the pull of Earth's gravity is one of the greatest challenges humans have ever faced. To reach the distant planetary bodies, engineers must create rockets that generate millions of pounds of force.
Over the decades, the space race has led to the creation of towering giants like the Saturn V and modern marvels like the SpaceX Starship. These massive machines have come to symbolize human creativity and ingenuity.
This gallery explores 15 of the most powerful rockets ever launched, highlighting the technology powering space exploration. Click to get started.