NASA unveils Apollo 1 capsule 50 years after tragic fire

We know all about the Apollo 1 mission and its consequences. On January 27, 2019, 50 years after the test launch fire that killed Gus Grissom, Edward H. White, and Roger B. Chaffee, NASA recognized the historic significance of this tragedy and exhibited The capsule was installed at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Veteran astronaut Virgil Grissom, America’s first astronaut Ed White, and newcomer Roger Chaffee pose for a photo at Cape Kennedy, Florida (NASA via Associated Press)

January 27, 1967 events: It was intended for “shutdown” and “testing”. Ensure that the spacecraft operates on internal power while disconnected from the cable. If all had gone according to plan, the space shuttle would have launched on February 21st of this year.

When Grissom entered his pod that day and took his seat, I quickly realized that something was wrong. He smelled the scent circulating in the container and likened it to “sour buttermilk.” It was later speculated that the smell had no effect on the fire, but the countdown was interrupted for several minutes anyway.

One hour and 42 minutes after the initial countdown began, the countdown resumed. Three minutes later, the installation of the hatch began. Once the hatch was sealed, the cabin air was replaced with pure oxygen to simulate what happens when the capsule leaves Earth’s atmosphere.

Things seemed perfectly normal until the voltage on AC Bus 2 spiked momentarily. A moment later, a cry was heard: “Fire!” …Open it!” shouted over the communication system. The fire quickly grew into an uncontrollable hell as pure oxygen levels rose too high. The inner wall of the command module was then destroyed and a sudden blast of air continued to engulf the entire cabin.

Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin attend memorial service

First view of hatch holding men in fire.

Despite playing a role in NASA’s first space tragedy, this hatch, like the Command Module, has remained hidden from the public for the past half century. This is the Kennedy Space Center, on display next to the safer hatch that was replaced.

The two remaining crew members of Apollo 11, which sent Americans to the Moon, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin were among those present at the ceremony.

In this June 1966 photo, the crew of Apollo 1 practice the drain procedure on a scale model of the spacecraft at Ellington Air Force Base, near what was then the Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. increase. Astronauts Ed White and Roger Chaffee are seen on the raft in the foreground right. Astronaut Virgil Grissom is on a raft near the spacecraft. (NASA via AP)

The aftermath of the catastrophe was ubiquitous among political authorities, commissions, and even NASA itself. The Apollo program was canceled, requiring a complete overhaul and redesign of the Command Module. The original Block I spacecraft was intended for Saturn V unmanned test flights only. The Block II spacecraft was used for manned missions, which included several major design changes, such as adjusting the cabin atmosphere and replacing the nylon flight suit with Beta fabric. It is flammable and uses a pressurized nitrogen cartridge to stimulate the trigger mechanism in an emergency.

The anniversary also highlights the fact that NASA’s space program has long since become obsolete. Luckily, last June NASA announced plans to build a series of new X-planes over the next decade. We hope this will rekindle the next generation’s interest in our extra-atmospheric life.

Related Books:
Apollo 1 Disaster: The History and Legacy of the Fire That Caused His One of NASA’s Greatest Tragedies.
Apollo 1 and Space Shuttle Challenger: A Tale of NASA’s Two Most Infamous Disasters