Diagram of Saturn I, Saturn V and Nova 8L rockets.

The Nova rocket was a rocket proposed as a successor to the Saturn V, intended for missions to the Moon and Mars. From the late 1950s through the early 1980s, "Nova" was a generic name generally meaning a rocket larger than the Saturn V.

The name "Nova" was used in over 30 large rocket proposals/studies from the late 1950s through the 1980s. Some specific names given to the proposals were, "Nova", "Nova 4L", "Nova 4S", "Nova 5S", "Nova 7S", "Nova 8L", "Nova 8L Mod", "Nova 9L", "Nova A", "Nova B", "Nova C", "Nova D", "Nova DAC ISI", "Nova GD-B", "Nova GD-E", "Nova GD-F", "Nova GD-H", "Nova GD-J", "Nova MM 14A", "Nova MM 14B", "Nova MM 1B", "Nova MM 1C", "Nova MM 24G", "Nova MM 33", "Nova MM 34", "Nova MM R10E-2", "Nova MM R10R-2", Nova MM S10E-1", "Nova MM S10E-2", "Nova MM S10R-1", "Nova MM S10R-2", Nova MM T10EE-1", "Nova MM T10RE-1", "Nova MM T10RR-2", "Nova MM T10RR-3", "Nova NASA", "Nova-1 DAC", "Nova-2 DAC".

Thus, "Nova" does not refer to a specific rocket design, just a rocket larger than the Saturn V in most cases. To add more confusion, the final Saturn V design was larger than some of the early "Nova" proposals. The "Nova" depicted in the above right illustration is the "Nova C8" design.

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Specifications for Nova C8

First Stage

Length: 48.8 m
Diameter: 12.2 m
Full Mass: 3,627,500 kg
Empty Mass: 181,400 kg
Number of engines: 8 F-1
Thrust <vac> 61,925 kN
ISP 304 lbf.s/lb (2.98 kNs/kg)
Burn time: 157 s
Propellants: Lox/Kerosene

Second Stage

Length: 42.7 m
Diameter: 10.1 m
Full Mass: 770,835 kg
Empty Mass: 63,480 kg
Number of engines: 8 J-2
Thrust<vac>: 8,265 kN
ISP: 425 lbf.s/lb (4.17 kNs/kg)
Burn time: 338 s
Propellants: Lox/LH2

Third Stage

Length: 17.8 m
Diameter: 6.6 m
Full Mass: 119,920 kg
Empty Mass: 13,311 kg
Number of engines: 1 J-2
Thrust: 1,032 kN
ISP <vac>:425 lbf.s/lb (4.17 kNs/kg)
Burn time: 475 s
Propellants: Lox/LH2