1967 Apollo 1 fire kills astronauts Grissom, White & Chaffee

Apolo 1.org ^

[RadioAstronomer]

You had mentioned the Kennedy Space Center, which I believe is in Florida, and was wondering if they had a museum there, too.

The have two of them. One for Kennedy and one for Canaveral.

That's where they launch, I think

Yes. Also there are launch centers at VAFB, Poker Flats, Kodiak Island, and Wallops Island.

[NCC-1701]

Painful memories, indeed. There was footage taken by a NASA photographer during 51-L's launch. After the explosion, a shot of the flight director said it all. He looked as though he was gut-shot. The others off-camera no doubt had the same reaction.

In a sad case of dejavu, the look on (Leroy?) Cain, entry flight director for STS-107, was the same. After Ellen Ochoa and the controller she was with told him that they've gotten calls telling them of the Columbia's destruction, he, too, looked gut-shot. I hope and pray that no similar events ever takes place again.

[Ready4Freddy]

Thanks for the info, RA.

[RadioAstronomer]

I rememr that shot of his look. :-(

I was asleep when Columbia burned in. (thank God for me)

I was involved with the first launch of Columbia. What a proud day that was. Fond memories there.

Believe it, every NASA malfuction hits me square in the gut. :-(

I have been on console for three major launch mishaps. Two unmanned, and one manned (Challenger).

[SuziQ]

I can't remember which of these men it was, but my brother had one of them as an instructor when he was at the AF Academy. Gerry entered the Academy in the summer of 1965, so it could have only been during his freshman year, or the first semester of his sophomore year. He said he was a good teacher.

[NCC-1701]

My interest in NASA came about after I found out about JIm Lovell, we share the same last name. Since then, I've been an admitted space junkie. I relish the successes and take the losses hard. I got up to watch Columbia come in shortly after it crossed California. Even being an outsider, I could tell there were problems. I've followed just about every shuttle reentry so the commentary was far from the norm. After seeing the tracking light freeze over Texas, I KNEW something serious had happened. I went and woke my wife up and told her something major had taken place before it hit the networks. I knew it hit those in mission control hard, as well as those who worked there in the past. After having watched the Challenger and Columbia disasters play out, the one thing I noticed is a supreme example of professionalism by those involved. My hat's off to all you that has been in those positions. It was no doubt the same during the Apollo's 1 & 13 events. As close as those in MCC may have been to each of those crew, the ability to push the personal feelings aside and "work the problem" is truly astonishing. All of you have my respect for that.

[RadioAstronomer]

Thank you for your kind words! I too am a "space junkie" (go figure).

I had the privilege of meeting the Apollo 13 crew (many moons ago). I am getting old. Sigh.

I got to work with the astronauts on the missions I was involved in. I have the deepest respect for them and the effort it took to become one. My hat is off to each and every one of them.

[KevinDavis]

Since I was born in October of 1970 the only space disasters that I knew of is the Challenger and the Columbia. I'm not minimizing the loss at all of Grissom, White & Chaffee. However, what would be real tragic is that if we quit sending humans into space. There will always be accidents. We can't stop just because of a few bumps.

[Wilhelm Tell]

Although I was a child at the time, I clearly remember being told about the problem on Apollo 13. I was glued to the radio and T.V., anxious to hear the latest news. I remember thinking how terrible it would be to be out in space, unable to get back to Earth and the life support is running out...

I can't imagine the work that went into getting the astronauts safely back home. I enjoyed the movie that came out 10 years ago that depicted how people had to be creative and very quick at solving problems to save Apollo 13.

It seems so frustrating and ironic that the Apollo 1 astronauts died so close to safety and the vehicle that was to sustain their lives bacame an instrument of death.

[SAMWolf]

Astronaut Bump

[FreedomCalls]

This site has photographs:

http://www.geocities.com/rocket_man_2020/A1_fire.html

[BradyLS]

the more Ihear about these vehicle the less like you cvould get me inside any one of them- I am very clumsy and would probably poke a hole in it

The older I get, the more I marvel at the vehicle known as the Lunar Module. It was designed to set two humans down on the surface of the Moon, provide them with a stable shelter and sustainance against the hard vaccum outside, house and deploy instruments and vehicles, like the Lunar Rover, and still serve as a launch pad and vehicle for sending the men back to the Command module.

I have no idea what sort of psyhological training went into preparing yourself for all that time cooped up in a hut like the module and still have faith that everything in it would work exactly as planned and return you safe and sound to an awaiting spaceship.

And they made it look easy!

[Paul_Denton]

God bless their memory, and thanks for posting it

I was not alive when that happened but that was a sad event. God bless them.

[BJungNan]

You sure are blowing a hole in the theory that FR is days ahead with the news with this thread.

[MeekOneGOP]

Yep, this was terrible. I remember when it happened. I was 13 years old.

[RadioAstronomer]

It seems so frustrating and ironic that the Apollo 1 astronauts died so close to safety and the vehicle that was to sustain their lives bacame an instrument of death.

To me as well. Even after all this time I feel a sadness when I think of this.

[RadioAstronomer]

We can't stop just because of a few bumps.

I agree 100%

[MeekOneGOP]

bump!

[Mr. K]

and did you see the take-off from the moon? POP and they were up and away. The G forces must have nearly snapped them in 2.

I suppose it is a lot easier to take off from the moon- 1/6th the gravity and no atmosphere friction- but DAMM!! you just made me think long and hard about that vehicle- lander, shelter, and launch pad all-in-one.