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Apollo
Flight Details
Apollo 1Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: The crew of Apollo 1 (also known as Apollo 207, the serial number of the spacecraft) died in a fire in the Apollo command module during ground tests for the upcoming maiden flight of the new spacecraft. The crew was in full pressure suits, running through a practice launch for the flight. At 6:30:55 PM (EST) a voltage surge was recorded in the spacecraft. Less than ten second later, the crew frantically reported a fire in the cabin. By the time ground personnel could open the hatch, the crew was already dead. Later investigations suggest that an electrical short ignited the pure oxygen atmosphere inside the spacecraft, causing an intense flash fire.
Apollo 7Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: The first flight of the Apollo spacecraft did not take place until some 8 months after the Apollo 1 fire. The Apollo was launched by a Saturn 1B rocket. The crew performed rendezvous maneuvers with the spent S-4B stage in practice for later lunar flights. The most serious problem on the mission was that the crew developed head colds and became irritable when pressed for live TV pictures from the spacecraft. The command module landed in the Atlantic and was recovered by the carrier USS Essex.
Apollo 8Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: The first manned flight of the Saturn V rocket was also the first manned flight to the Moon. After lift-off, the Apollo spacecraft, with the S-4B stage still attached, made two orbits of the Earth. The S-4B engines were then fired to propel Apollo 8 and its crew toward the Moon. The coasting flight to the Moon took 66 hours. When the spacecraft passed behind the Moon, the Apollo main engine was fired to slow it down and into lunar orbit. The crew completed 10 orbits of the Moon before firing the Apollo main engine again for their return to Earth. The mission ended successfully with recovery in the Pacific by the carrier USS Yorktown.
Apollo 9 (Gumdrop)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: This mission represented the first flight of the Apollo lunar module. During the 10-day flight, the crew made system checks of the LM and conducted several rendezvous and docking maneuvers between the LM and Apollo command module. These tests were intended as practice for the rendezvous and docking maneuvers needed on a flight to the Moon. During the tests, the LM moved to more than 100 miles away from the Apollo. New EVA suits with self-contained life-support units were also tested during stand-up EVA's by Schweickart and Scott. The crew was recovered in the Atlantic by the carrier USS Guadalcanal.
Apollo 10 (Charlie Brown)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: This flight was the final rehearsal for the first manned landing on the Moon. After making two Earth orbits, the Apollo spacecraft, with LM attached, was propelled toward the Moon. Once in lunar orbit, Stafford and Cernen entered the LM and separated from the Apollo command module. In the LM, they performed all the maneuvers necessary for a lunar landing, except for firing the descent engines, and dropped to within 8 miles of the lunar surface. The LM was later jettisoned to crash into the Moon. The Apollo command module was recovered by the carrier USS Princeton.
Apollo 11 (Columbia)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: With this flight, the United States achieved the goal set by President Kennedy in 1961 of landing a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. After an uneventful trip to the Moon, Armstrong and Aldrin separated the LM from the Apollo command module and began the descent process. The LM touched down in the Sea of Tranquility at 3:17 PM (ET) on 7/20/69. About 6 hours later, Armstrong and Aldrin stepped out of the LM and onto the lunar surface. During their almost 3-hour moon walk, the astronauts collected 21 kg. of soil samples and placed several experiment packages on the Moon. The LM lifted off from the Moon after a stay of 21 hours 36 minutes, and docked with Collins in the Apollo. The crew was recovered in the Pacific by the carrier USS Hornet.
Apollo 12 (Yankee Clipper)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: The LM landed in the Ocean of Storms, within visual range of the unmanned Surveyor 3, which landed on the Moon several years earlier. Conrad and Bean performed two moon walks and collected 34 kg. of soil, retrieved pieces from Surveyor, and deployed several experiment packages. After a total of 31 hours 31 minutes on the Moon, the LM rejoined Gordon in the Apollo command module for the return to Earth. The carrier USS Hornet recovered the crew.
Apollo 13 (Odyssey)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: This flight almost resulted in the second mission-related fatalities of the Apollo program. While on the flight from the Earth to the Moon, oxygen tanks in the Apollo service module exploded. The crew was forced to rely on the systems of the LM for life support and to propel them around the Moon and back to Earth. The craft intended to take two of the crew to the lunar surface functioned, instead, like a lifeboat in space. The crew was recovered safely from the Pacific by the carrier USS Hornet.
Apollo 14 (Kitty Hawk)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: This lunar landing mission touched down in the hilly Fra Mauro area of the Moon. During two moon walks, using a small hand-cart, Shephard and Mitchell travelled almost a mile away from the LM, collecting 43 kg. of soil samples. Roosa conducted lunar science experiments from orbit in the Apollo command module. The crew was recovered by the carrier USS New Orleans.
Apollo 15 (Endeavour)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: The LM landed near the Hadley Rile and Lunar Appenine Mountains. Scott and Irwin used a lunar rover to travel almost 30 miles on the surface and collect 77 kg. of soil samples. They were on the surface a total of 66 hours 55 minutes. During the return flight, Worden performed a space walk to recover film canisters from the Apollo service module, while Irwin did a stand-up EVA to assist him. The recovery ship was the carrier USS Okinawa.
Apollo 16 (Casper)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: The LM landed in the plains of the Descartes region of the Moon. During three moon walks, using a lunar rover, Young and Duke covered about 25 miles and collected 94 kg. of soil samples. They used an ultraviolet camera to conduct stellar photography experiments. Mattingly performed a space walk during the return flight to retrieve film from the Apollo service module, while Duke assisted him from the hatch of the Apollo. They were recovered by the carrier USS Ticonderoga.
Apollo 17 (America)Mission Statistics:
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Mission Highlights: The last Apollo lunar mission landed in the Taurus-Littrow highlands. With a lunar rover, Cernen and Schmitt collected 110 kg. of soil samples and travelled a total of about 50 miles. During the return flight, Evans performed a space walk to retrieve film canisters. He was assisted by Schmitt. After splashdown, the crew was recovered by the carrier USS Ticonderoga.
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