Apollo 1 Fire - 42 Years Ago

NASA ^ | updated 2007 | n/a

[Pyro7480]

[the long march]

A tragedy of immense significance —— almost ended the Apollo program. A sad loss of life all too young.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Shouldn’t that be 42 years ago?

[Badeye]

Worth noting Walter Mondale tried to use this to end the space program.

[TornadoAlley3]

Thanks for posting

[Charles Martel]

Ad Astra Per Aspera

[relictele]

It may have saved many lives and accidents down the line but what a price to pay.

RIP Gus, Ed and Roger.

[Pyro7480]

See post #3. Please fix the title. Thanks!

[Mr. Jazzy]

Not that I am glad this sad event occurred, but this event caused a COMPLETE overhaul of the vehicle and the “go fever” that infected the program.

Yes, heroes were lost, but more lives were saved because a more critical examination was made and efforts to ensure the survivability of future Astronauts and safety of the landings on the moon.

[ANGGAPO]

I seem to remember that the culprit was determined to be a wire bundle on the floor of the module that had been damaged and shorted to the metal floor. Unfortunately the test also required a 100% oxygen environment inside. The escape hatch was secured by a threaded device that took way to long to open.

[Yossarian]

And we learned the risks of having lots of “fun, innocent” velcro in a 100% oxygen environment - it’s incredibly flammable.

[BluH2o]

Remember that day ... I was a young Marine on a training exercise on the island of Vieques, PR when we heard the news. Had a crusty old E-6 that was in in charge of our FDC team ... he was unaware of the news until we told him. He cried ...

[Philo-Junius]

“Take a trip with me in 1967
With Grissom, White, and Chaffee on a rocket ride to heaven
A dead-end date aboard AS-204
It was American made
Only the best for our boys
And we were rockin’ at the T-Dance...”

“Rockin’ at the T-Dance”
The Rainmakers

[Star Traveler]

Yes, I remember the shocking and sad day...

[rlmorel]

I remember watching the television news. I was nine.

[InkYouBuss_007]

A relative of mine was part of the investigation team. I saw the 8x10 glossy B&W pics from inside.

A wrench,left behind by a tec got across the battery terminals under the floor plates. Most internal safety shielding had been stripped because they were trying to get more “science” per launch via congressional mandated cost cuts.

Also,contrary to claims, the fire was NOT over in an instant. They had gotten out of their seat and were fighting with that inane door bolt system trying to get out.

Another example of pin head bureaucrat trying to “manage” something they know nothing about.

[Philo-Junius]

The legend of the crew’s instanteous death was damage control by NASA’s public affairs team. Everyone in the program knew the crew had been fighting to get out—they redesigned the hatches afterwards; you can’t issue those sorts of redesign directives just on a whim.

[shredderman]

Fair Winds and Following Seas Gentlemen............

You are not forgotten

[the long march]

Roger that

[SunkenCiv]

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