Posted on 01/27/2009 9:16:24 AM PST by Pyro7480
On January 27, 1967, tragedy struck the Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first space flight, died in this tragic accident.
A seven-member board, under the direction of the NASA Langley Research Center Director, Dr. Floyd L. Thompson, conducted a comprehensive investigation to pinpoint the cause of the fire. The final report, completed in April 1967 was subsequently submitted to the NASA Administrator. The report presented the results of the investigation and made specific recommendations that led to major design and engineering modifications, and revisions to test planning, test discipline, manufacturing processes and procedures, and quality control. With these changes, the overall safety of the command and service module and the lunar module was increased substantially. The AS-204 mission was redesignated Apollo I in honor of the crew....
A tragedy of immense significance —— almost ended the Apollo program. A sad loss of life all too young.
Shouldn’t that be 42 years ago?
Worth noting Walter Mondale tried to use this to end the space program.
Thanks for posting
Ad Astra Per Aspera
It may have saved many lives and accidents down the line but what a price to pay.
RIP Gus, Ed and Roger.
See post #3. Please fix the title. Thanks!
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.
And we learned the risks of having lots of “fun, innocent” velcro in a 100% oxygen environment - it’s incredibly flammable.
“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
Yes, I remember the shocking and sad day...
I remember watching the television news. I was nine.
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.
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.
Fair Winds and Following Seas Gentlemen............
You are not forgotten
Roger that
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This isn't really GGG, but it is history. I won't ping GGG, but there's an obvious Michigan connection (Chaffee was from Grand Rapids). |
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