Posted on 01/27/2022 7:03:18 AM PST by Kaslin
A pure oxygen atmosphere can make items that are not normally flammable, flammable. Plus what will burn in normal atmosphere oxygen levels will burn faster. A wire that had a malfunction sometime earlier smoldered until it caught fire under the center seat, I believe. Sad day for America. I remember it well. But they made changes that made the mission safer down the road, such as using a normal atmosphere, and quick release bolts for the door of the capsule.
A pure oxygen atmosphere can make items that are not normally flammable, flammable. Plus what will burn in normal atmosphere oxygen levels will burn faster. A wire that had a malfunction sometime earlier smoldered until it caught fire under the center seat, I believe. Sad day for America. I remember it well. But they made changes that made the mission safer down the road, such as using a normal atmosphere, and quick release bolts for the door of the capsule.
The fire resulted in changing the hazardous area classification of the spacecraft which required all electrical and electronics to be re-designed and re-packaged. As the article says, this was the right thing to do and is why no similar fires have occurred.
How times have changed. Now $5 billion is an accounting error; or it goes into Nancy's pocket.
Of course there were problems! Every new technology runs into new problems. That's why you have engineering to overcome the problems!
It’s hard to believe that they managed to do such a redesign and still get to the moon in time before the end of the 60s.
The capsule not only contained air that was 100% oxygen, it was also under higher than earth normal pressure. Not just a bit stupid in retrospect. Human flesh itself becomes flammable in that condition. Astronauts today still use 100% oxygen in space suits, but only at 1/4 pressure. Apollo 1’s hatch was also bolted on from the outside, and took several minutes to remove.
Back when men were men and America had purpose.
“Americans can be proud of their space program and the ultimate success of Apollo 11 in 1969. But it was because of the sacrifice of Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee that made the moon landing possible. Their loss was not in vain.”
Too many people today would look at Apollo 11 and focus on there not being enough diversity in the crew. Everything is viewed through an identity lens.
“Now $5 billion is an accounting error; or it goes into Nancy’s pocket.”
Or about what the NASA lunchroom budget is.
A fine article. Thanks for posting.
I remember that day, it being the date my family left Denver for a move to AZ. I was a teen, really into the Space Program, and shocked to see the news the next morning on TV, probably the Today show.
A sad day. Still hurts.
I have an photo autographed by Gus and John Young. I’ve chosen my heroes well.
That’s at one atmosphere, 14.7 psi.
The Apollo capsule was over-pressured, to simulate the differential pressure with respect to the vacuum of space.
Everything you said on steroids.
First, I was a total science nut at the age of 12, loved the space program, and followed its every move as closely as I could. The fire and the deaths of the astronauts really horrified me, almost like it had happened to family members.
Second, I was very interested in electronics, loved to build things out of the junk parts my father brought me from work.
Not too long after the fire — like three months — all the bits of wire he brought me were Teflon-insulated. I had gotten in the (bad) habit of stripping the insulation of wire with my teeth as I built things. I couldn't strip the Teflon insulation with my teeth though, it just slipped through, my front teeth leaving grooves in it, but not penetrating.
I the wake of the Apollo 1 fire, plastic- or rubber-insulated wire became a big no-no, and non-flammable Teflon-insulated wire became available everywhere very quickly.
I do not recall why they used pure oxygen?
As a scuba diver in those days, I recall that we were taught never to use pure oxygen while diving because of a physiological issue, which I also cannot specifically recall.
Perhaps my brain needs more oxygen to recover those deep memories?
This happened one year, to the day, before I was born!
But, I have read extensively on the details and issues. The fact the hatch was only operable from the outside had to be one of the biggest design failures in world history!
See post # 4, or 5 for the explanation
Yes, I remember when Gus Grissom and John Young were in the Gemini spacecraft, nicknamed the Molly Brown.
I remember at the time NASA was publicly saying the astronauts died “instantly”. But the father of a friend of mine, we were in junior high, was on the BF Goodrich team that designed the space suits for the Apollo program. He told me that his father attended a meeting where a capsule audio recording of the accident was played. It was horrific and far from instantaneous. All three men were the best of the best pilots, and a cockpit fire is always the worst nightmare any pilot can have. Space flight, even before anyone leaves the ground, is a dangerous business.
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