Remember Apollo 1

Forty-two years ago today, America’s first big space tragedy took place. Three astronauts, Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee died on the launchpad during a ground test of their Apollo 1 spacecraft.

The Crew

Grissom was a veteran of 2 flights. He’d been the second American in space, flying solo in his Liberty Bell 7 Mercury spacecraft. And he commanded the first manned Gemini mission in 1965. Then, in 1967, he prepared to take the new Apollo moonship through its paces.

Ed White, also a veteran, was the first American to walk in space. He understood how important (and fun!) his space walk was. He called the moment that he was ordered to go back inside the spacecraft “the saddest moment of my life.”

Roger Chaffee was a space rookie, but clearly a talented and well-respected person to be selected for such a plum assignment.

The Fire

The new Apollo spacecraft was, perhaps, the most complicated vehicle ever constructed. There were miles of wires which, as it turns out, were not properly insulated. During the ground test, all 3 astronauts were inside and the hatch was closed. A spark quickly became a roaring fire. Many materials were flammable, and the atmosphere was highly pressurized pure oxygen. The hatch could not be opened quickly. The crew died in minutes.

Aftermath

NASA, and the nation, was shocked and saddened. Not only was it a terrible tragedy…it was also completely unexpected. Everyone know that spaceflight was dangerous; but most expected the problems to take place in space, not on the ground.

After a review, the Apollo spacecraft was redesigned as a better, and safer vehicle. And, as we all remember, Apollo completed its primary mission with the first moonlanding in 1969.

Thanks, in large part, to the crew that gave their lives.