The Manned Apollo Missions

[Ottawan]

On 21 March 1966, Dr. Robert R. Gilruth, Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in Houston, Texas (now the JSC) introduced the prime crew for the first manned Apollo mission, at a press conference. They were; CDR, Virgil I. "Gus" Grissom, an "Original 7" astronaut. He was the second American in space aboard MR-4 (Liberty Bell 7) in July 1961, and the Command Pilot (CP) of Gemini 3, the first mission in the two man Gemini program in March 1965. Gus Grissom was the first man chosen to fly three spaceflights. Edward H. White II, from the second NASA group of astronauts and a veteran of the 4 day Gemini 4 mission. He was the first American to walk in space. Roger B. Chaffee, a member of the third group of NASA astronauts, Apollo 1 was to be his first space mission.

Sadly, the crew of Apollo 1 perished on the evening of 27 January 1967 due to a fire in the Command Module during a "plugs-out" test on the launch pad weeks before their scheduled launch.

Following the investigation into the loss of the crew of America's first manned Apollo mission many redesigns were made to the Apollo Command Module spacecraft, and the crew that was their back-up for the first mission eventually made the flight 21 months later.



The 11 manned missions of the Apollo program;

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo7_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo7crew.gif[/img]


Mission : Apollo 7
L/C : 34
L/V : Saturn 1B (AS-205)
S/C : CSM-101
Crew : Walter M. Schirra CDR, R. Walter Cunningham LMP, Donn F. Eisele CMP
Back-up : Tom Stafford, Gene Cernan, John Young
Support : Ron Evans, Jack Swigert, Bill Pogue
Launch : 11 October 1968
GET : 10:20:09:03
EO : 163
Altitude : 183 miles (Orbital range 140 x 183 miles)
Splashdown : 22 October 1968
Recovery : USS Essex
Capcom : Stafford, Evans, Pogue, Swigert, Young, Cernan
Flight Director:
Shift # 1 : Glynn S. Lunney
Shift # 2 : Eugene F. Kranz
Shift # 3: Gerald D. Griffin

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo8_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo8crew.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 8
L/C : 39A
L/V : Saturn V (AS-503)
S/C : CSM-103
Crew : Frank Borman CDR, William A. Anders LMP, James A. Lovell Jr. CMP
Back-up : Neil Armstrong, Fred Haize, Buzz Aldrin
Support : Vance Brand, Ken Mattingly, Gerry Carr
Launch : 21 December 1968
GET : 6:03:00:42
EO : 2 (190 x 180 kilometres)
LO : 10 (312 x 111 kilometres)
Altitude : Maximum distance from Earth, 376745 km.
Splashdown : 27 December 1968
Recovery : USS Yorktown
Capcoms: Mike Collins, Mattingly, Carr, Armstrong, Brand, Haise
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : Clifford E. Charlesworth
Shift # 2 : Glynn S. Lunney
Shift # 3 : Milton L. Windler

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo9_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo9crew.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 9
L/C : 39A
L/V : Saturn V (AS-504)
S/C : CSM-104(Gumdrop), LM-3(Spider)
Crew : James A. McDivitt CDR, Russell L. Schweickart LMP, David R. Scott CMP
Back-up : Pete Conrad, Al Bean, Dick Gordon
Support : Jack Lousma, Ed Mitchell, Al Worden
Launch : 3 March 1969
GET : 10:01:00:54
EO : 151 (192 x 190 kilometres)
EVA : Schweickart & Scott, 1 hr. 7 min.
Splashdown : 13 March 1969
Recovery : USS Guadalcanal
Capcoms: Stu Roosa, Ron Evans, Worden, Conrad, Bean, Gordon
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : Eugene F. Kranz
Shift # 2 : Gerald D. Griffin
Shift # 3 : M.P. "Pete" Frank III

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo10_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo10crew.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 10
L/C : 39B
L/V : Saturn 5 (AS-505)
S/C :CSM-106(Charlie Brown), LM-4(Snoopy)
Crew : Thomas P. Stafford CDR, Eugene A. Cernan LMP, John W. Young CMP
Back-up : Gordo Cooper,Ed Mitchell,Donn Eisele
Support : Joe Engle, Jim Irwin, Charlie Duke
Launch : 18 May 1969
GET : 8:00:03:23
EO : 2 (190 x 184 km)
LO : 31
Altitude : Maximum distance from Earth 399194 km
Splashdown : 26 May 1969
Recovery : USS Princeton
Capcoms : Duke, Engle, Jack Lousma, Bruce McCandless
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : Glynn S. Lunney
Shift # 2 : Gerald D. Griffin
Shift # 3 : Milton L. Windler & M.P. "Pete" Frank III

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo11_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo11crew.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 11
L/C : 39A
L/V : Saturn V (AS-506)
S/C : CSM-107(Columbia), LM-5(Eagle)
Crew : Neil A. Armstrong CDR, Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. LMP, Michael Collins CMP
Back-up : Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, Bill Anders
Support : Ken Mattingly,Ron Evans,Bill Pogue,Jack Swigert
Launch : 16 July 1969
GET : 8:03:18:35
EO : 2 (100.4 x 98.9 nautical miles)
LO : CSM-30, LM-19 (169.7 x 60 nautical miles)
Landing Site : Sea of Tranquility
Stay Time : 0:21:36:21
EVA(Lunar) : 2 hrs. 31 min. 40 sec.
Samples : 47.7 pounds
Splashdown : 24 July 1969
Recovery : USS Hornet
Capcoms : Duke,Evans,McCandless,Lovell,Anders,Mattingly,Haise,Lind,Garriott,Schmitt
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : Clifford E. Charlesworth & Gerald D. Griffin
Shift # 2 : Eugene F. Kranz
Shift # 3 : Glynn S. Lunney

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/apollo11/med/as11_40_5903.jpg[/img]
Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo12_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo12intro.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 12
L/C : 39A
L/V : Saturn V(AS-507)
S/C : CSM-108(Yankee Clipper), LM-6(Intrepid)
Crew : Charles Conrad Jr. CDR, Alan L. Bean LMP, Richard F. Gordon CMP
Back-up : Dave Scott, Jim Irwin, Al Worden
Support : Gerry Carr, Paul Weitz, Ed Gibson
Launch : 14 November 1969
GET : 10:04:36:24
EO : 2
LO : CSM-45, LM-29
Landing Site : Ocean of Storms near Surveyor 3
Stay Time : 1:07:31:42
EVA(Lunar) : 1st; 3 hrs. 56 min. 03 sec., 2nd; 3hrs. 49 min. 15 sec.
Total : 7 hrs. 45 min. 18 sec.
Samples : 75.7 pounds
Splashdown : 24 November 1969
Recovery : USS Hornet
Capcoms : Carr, Gibson,Weitz,Lind,Scott,Irwin,Worden
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : Gerald D. Griffin
Shift # 2 : M.P. "Pete" Frank III
Shift # 3 : Clifford E. Charlesworth
Shift # 4 : Milton L. Windler

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo13_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo13intro.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 13
L/C : 39A
L/V : Saturn V AS 508 
S/C : CSM-109(Odyssey), LM-7(Aquarius)
Crew : James A. Lovell Jr. CDR, Fred W. Haise Jr. LMP, T. Ken Mattingly II CMP(grounded)
Back-up : John Young, Charlie Duke, John L. Swigert Jr.(flew)
Support : Jack Lousma, Vance Brand, Bill Pogue
Launch : 11 April 1970
GET : 5:22:54:41
EO : 2
LO : Flyby
Splashdown : 17 April 1970
Recovery : USS Iwo Jima
Capcoms : Joe Kerwin, Brand, Lousma, Young, Mattingly
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : Milton L. Windler
Shift # 2 : Gerald D. Griffin
Shift # 3 : Eugene F. Kranz
Shift # 4 : Glynn S. Lunney

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo14_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo14intro.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 14
L/C : 39A
L/V : Saturn V (AS-509)
S/C : CSM-110(Kitty Hawk), LM-8(Antares)
Crew : Alan B. Shepard Jr. CDR, Edgar D. Mitchell LMP, Stuart A. Roosa CMP
Back-up : Gene Cernan, Joe Engle, Ron Evans
Support : Bruce McCandless,Bill Pogue,Gord Fullerton,Phil Chapman
Launch : 31 January 1971
GET : 9:00:01:58
EO : 2
LO : CSM-34, LM-17
Landing Site : Fra Mauro Highlands
Stay time : 1:09:31:31
EVA(Lunar) : 1st; 4 hrs. 47 min. 50 sec., 2nd; 4 hrs. 34 min. 44 sec.
Total : 9 hrs 22 min. 31 sec.
Samples : 94.4 pounds
Splashdown : 9 February 1971
Recovery : USS New Orleans
Capcoms : Fullerton, McCandless, Haise, Evans
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : M.P. "Pete" Frank III & Glynn S. Lunney
Shift # 2 : Milton L. Windler
Shift # 3 : Gerald D. Griffin
Shift # 4 : Glynn S. Lunney

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo15_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo15intro.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 15
L/C : 39 A
L/V : Saturn 5 (AS-510
S/C : CM-112(Endeavour), LM-10(Falcon), LRV-1
Crew : David R. Scott CDR, James B. Irwin LMP, Alfred M. Worden CMP
Back-up : Dick Gordon, Jack Schmitt, Vance Brand
Support : Karl Henize, Joe Allen, Bob Parker
Launch : 26 July 1971
GET : 12:17:11:53
EO : 2
LO : CSM-74, LM-40
Landing Site : Hadley Rille-Apennine Mountains
Stay time : 2:18:54:53
EVA(Lunar) : Site survey 33 min. 07 sec. (from top hatch of LM)
EVA(Lunar) : 1st; 6 hrs 32 min 42 sec, 2nd; 7 hrs 12 min 14 sec, 3rd;4 hrs 49 min. 50 sec.
Total : 18 hrs 34 min. 46 sec
LRV Distance : 17.4 miles
Samples : 169 pounds
EVA(Deep Space) : 39 min. 07 sec.(Film retrieval from SM)
Splashdown : 7 August 1971
Recovery : USS Okinawa
Capcoms : Allen,Parker,Henize,Mitchell,Schmitt,Shepard,Gordon,Brand
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : Gerald D. Griffin
Shift # 2 : Milton L. Windler
Shift # 3 : Glynn S. Lunney & Eugene F. Kranz

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo16_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo16intro.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 16
L/C : 39A
L/V : Saturn V (AS-511)
S/C : CSM-113(Casper), LM-11(Orion), LRV-2
Crew : John W. Young CDR, Charles M. Duke Jr. LMP T. Ken Mattingly II CMP
Back-up : Fred Haise,Ed Mitchell, Stu Roosa
Support : Don Peterson,Tony England,Hank Hartsfield,Phil Chapman
Launch : 16 April 1972
GET : 11:01:51:05
EO : 2
LO : CSM-64, LM-28
Landing Site : Cayley Plains in the Descartes Highlands
Stay time : 2:22:03:13
EVA(Lunar) : 1st; 7 hrs 11 min 02 sec, 2nd; 7 hrs 23 min 09 sec, 3rd; 5 hrs 40 min 03 sec
Total : 20 hrs. 14 min 14 sec
LRV Distance : 16 miles
Samples : 208.3 pounds
EVA(Deep Space) : 1 hr 23 min 42 sec
Splashdown : 27 April 1972
Recovery : USS Ticonderoga
Capcoms : Peterson,Fullerton,Irwin,Haise,Roosa,Mitchell,Hartsfield,England,Overmyer
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : M.P."Pete" Frank III & Philip C. Shaffer
Shift # 2 : Eugene F. Kranz & Donald R. Puddy
Shift # 3 : Gerald D. Griffin, Neil B. Hutchinon & Charles R. Lewis

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo17_patch.gif[/img][img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/history/apollo/images/apollo17intro.gif[/img]

Mission : Apollo 17
L/C : 39A
L/V : Saturn V (AS-512)
S/C : CSM-114(America), LM-12(Challenger), LRV-3
Crew : Eugene A. Cernan Jr. CDR, Harison H. Schmitt LMP, Ronald E. Evans CMP
Back-up : John Young, Charlie Duke, Stu Roosa
Support : Bob Overmyer, Bob Parker, Gord Fullerton
Launch : 7 December 1972
GET : 12:13:51:59
EO : 2
LO : CSM-75, LM-37
Landing Site : Taurus-Littrow Valley
Stay time : 3:02:59:40
EVA(Lunar) : 1st; 7 hrs 11 min 53 sec, 2nd; 7 hrs 36 min 56 sec, 3rd; 7 hrs 15 min. 08 sec.
Total : 22 hrs 3 min. 57 sec.
LRV Traverse : 22.2 miles
Samples : 243.1 pounds
EVA(Deep Space) : 1 hr 5 min. 44 sec.
Splashdown : 19 December 1972
Recovery : USS Ticonderoga
Capcoms : Fullerton,Overmyer,Parker,Allen,Shepard,Mattingly,Duke,Roosa,Young
Flight Directors:
Shift # 1 : Gerald D. Griffin
Shift # 2 : Eugene F. Kranz & Neil B. Hutchinson
Shift # 3 : M.P."Pete" Frank III & Charles R. Lewis

[img width= height=]http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/apollo17/med/as17-134-20384.jpg[/img]
Jack Schmitt, the flag and Earth








Credit : Mission patches and images from NASA

[Ottawan]

From October of 1968 to December of 1972, thirty-three men were launched into space during the Apollo program(four of them twice; Lovell, Scott, Young & Cernan). Twenty-four men flew to the moon(three of THEM twice; Lovell, Young & Cernan). Twelve men walked upon the surface of the moon. The last, a geologist!

Apollo missions were in flight for 104 days 16 hours and 12 minutes. During that time they orbited the moon 363 times.
LM's and their two-man crews lived on the surface for 12 days 11 hours and 36 minutes. Twelve men walked or drove on the moon for 4 days 4 hours and 38 minutes. On the last three missions they drove LRV's a total of 55.6 miles across the surface and in the end, they returned 838.2 pounds of lunar material to Earth. This was in addition to the added bonus of several pounds of the Surveyor 3 spacecraft that had been on the moon for 16 months prior to the arrival of the Apollo 12 crew. Three astronauts performed deep-space EVA's totalling 3 hours and 9 minutes to retrieve film canisters from the Scientific Instrument Module Bay (SimBay) on the sides of their Service Modules.

Every individual, including the twelve who walked on the surface were returned, safely, to the Earth. The National Goal had been fulfilled.

[Ottawan]

[img width= height=]http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/i8-2b.jpg[/img]
Walt Cunningham, Wally Schirra & Donn Eisele


The primary objectives of the Apollo 7 mission were simple.

Prove that the spacecraft worked!

In concert with the Apollo launch team and Mission Control in Houston, Apollo 7 was tasked with the objectives of demonstrating CSM/Crew performance and also demonstrating rendezvous capability of the CSM with the spent SIV-B stage of the Saturn 1B booster.

The crew consisted of Walter M. "Wally" Schirra Jr., R.Walter Cunningham & Donn F. Eislele. Wally Schirra was a member of the "Original 7" astronauts, and the first person to make three spaceflights(following his Mercury-Atlas 8 and Gemini 6A missions). Walt Cunningham and Donn Eisele were space "rookies" and were both members of NASA's third group of astronauts, chosen in 1963.


Apollo 7 lifted off at 11:02:45 am on October 11, 1968. The Saturn 1B booster and S-IVB second stage performed flawlessly and inserted the Command/Service Module into an orbit of 140 by 183 miles after about 11 minutes of powered flight. The CSM remained docked to the S-IVB for one and a half orbits and then separated. Schirra fired the small Reaction Control System (RCS) rockets on the sides of the service module to pull 50 feet away from the second stage and then turned around to approach, simulating the manouvers that would be need to dock with a lunar module on future missions.

On day two of the mission, with Apollo 7 sitting 80 miles away from the S-IVB the crew began another series of manouvers to bring the two craft within 70 feet of each other, demonstrating the CSM's ability to perform complex rendezvous manouvers in earth orbit.

Next came the first test firing of the large SPS engine at the rear end of the service module. This engine would, on future missions be used to decelerate into and accelerate out of lunar orbit and had to work perfectly every time. It did so on this first test and on seven subsequent firings during the 11 day mission.

Down in Mission Control at the Johnson Spaceflight Center in Houston, Texas, a three-shift mission control team was leading the crew through their paces. The three flight directors for the mission were Glynn Lunney, Gene Kranz and Gerry Griffin.

The only mechanical glitch in the flight occurred when both AC buses dropped out of the spacecraft's electrical system when the cryogenic oxygen tank heaters and fans in the service module were activated, but the problem was solved by resetting the AC bus breakers.

A minor annoyance was that three of the five windows fogged over. This was later determined to have been caused by an improperly cured sealant compound, and was rectified for future flights. The remaining windows proved adequate for rendezvous operations andearth observations.

Live television was broadcast from the spacecraft, a first in spaceflight history, several times by the crew, as they gave earthbound observers a tour of the spacecraft and views of the earth far below. Also included were prepared cards with messages such as "From the lovely Apollo room, high atop everything . . "

All was not perfect with the crew however, as about 15 hours into the mission Schirra developed a bad cold. Eisele & Cunningham were soon similarly afflicted. Coupled with the difficulties of a head cold was the use of the waste management system. The urine collection devices worked well, but the process involved in solid waste took from 45 minutes to an hour and did not always contain the inevitable odours.

The crew grumped along for the duration of the mission and Schirra had several run-ins with flight controllers over extra tasks being assigned to the flight plan, but in the end Deke Slayton spoke to the crew and fences were mended.

After more than 10 days and 20 hours, Apollo 7 splashed down successfully near the recovery ship USS Essex on October 22nd. The Command Module flipped upside down in the water shortly after landing, but was righted by the inflation of three three ballast bags in the nose. A rescue helicopter deposited the crew aboard the Essex at 8:20 am, and the Apollo spacecraft at 9:03 am.

The highly successful Apollo 7 mission was to be the last for each of the astronauts. Schirra had already planned to retire after the flight but Eisele & Cunningham appear to have suffered the wrath of NASA management in that they never flew in space again though Eisele was assigned as Back-up CMP for Apollo 10.

With the CSM a proven spaceworthy vehicle NASA decided to make a bold leap. The next mission in December was to have been a test of the lunar module in earth orbit. The lunar module was having some techical difficulties and would not be ready to fly until the spring. Instead of waiting five months for the next Apollo flight, NASA decided to send Apollo 8, with just the CSM into lunar orbit on the first manned mission aboard the giant Saturn V rocket.



Credit : Image from NASA