The Saturn C-3 was the third rocket in the Saturn C series studied from 1959 to 1962. The design was for a three-stage launch vehicle that could launch 45,000 kg (100,000 lb) to low Earth orbit and send 18,000 kg (39,000 lb) to the Moon via Trans-Lunar Injection.President Kennedy's proposal on May 25, 1961 of an explicit manned lunar landing goal spurred NASA to concretize its launch vehicle requirements for a lunar landing.