I will be back there in the fall, and I'm going to request the file myself just to see if they are actually in there or whether they are still restricted, as I really hope they are. The Apollo original film is still in Houston. It would take more than 18 months of delays and extensive redesigns before NASA sent any men into space. By the time Rogers stepped out into the white roomthe area of the shuttle tower that connects with the cabinflames were erupting and black smoke filled the room. Posts: 342From: Houston, Texas, USARegistered: Jun 2004. The mission was. As materials inside the spacecraft were incinerated, they gave off toxic fumes. And I heard a couple months ago that the Langley storage had being cleaned out, and everything shipped down to the Cape to be stored with the Challenger debris in the LC34 silos? If it is not included with the outer shell then eventually the pressure shell will be disposed of in some manner, thus it will be lost. Back in 1996, we gained permission from Dan Golden for its' release, but friction between the concerned parties has prevented its' release. NSFW tag please, I dont even subscribe and this is showing up in my feed. One idea that we were kicking around was displaying it out at launch complex #34 directly below the opening of the launch pedestal below ground level in the equipment room. There seem to be a visor laid next to the helmet, like it was just burned so bad that it wouldn't hold on it so they just took the pic with pic lying next to the corpse. [Photos: TheApollo 1Fire]. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Though they eventually pried the hatches off, it was too late. Further,anexhibit honoring the Apollo 1 crew was opened at the Kennedy Space Center in 2017,displaying the hatchesthat were on the spacecraft. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in a dull light that outlined Cunningham; it was a gloomy backdrop thatmirrored the Apollo astronauts melancholy mood. First it would be displayed where the accident happened, secondly it would be out of reach of collectors with sticky fingers, and thirdly it would rid Langley of the burden while in reality it would still be stored, only at KSC. Some in the Astronaut Office were skeptical that Grissom's reputation would recover (many believed Grissom blew the hatch; he swore he didn't). But unbeknownst to him, the scene in the white room where he was heading intensified rapidly in just a matter of seconds. As he surveyed the capsule that Grissom, White, and Chaffee were to fly in, Young saw a seemingly endless amount of short circuits. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Press J to jump to the feed. I used TinEye to try and find the first time the image appeared on the internet and it seems to be on this page, but I don't know the language and I have no idea where the pic is on the page. As a quality control inspector, Henry's job was to make sure materials and elements of the spacecraft were up to snuff, to report any damage or defects, and to look for possible improvements. I also think your idea of putting it on display under the launch pedestal is worthy of consideration but I think preserving it outdoors in the Florida climate would take its toll. Meanwhile, Don Babbitt, the pad leader for North American Aviationthe company that made the Apollo spacecraftmoved to pick up the phone and call for help. But such possibilities, as mentioned before, are just not practical at the moment. Years later they were retrieved, but the photos were heavily damaged. Then at 6:31 p.m. came a frightening word from the spacecraft: "Fire.". It wasn't nearly as big a deal as something such as the Apollo 1 crew photos, but the restriction was missed in processing the request. As each part was removed from 014, the engineers wrote the procedures so that each part of 012 was removed in proper sequence, listing removal torques for the bolts, screws, tubing "B" nuts and electrical connections. The images of him soaring in space for 23 minutes are still frequently seen today; it is consideredone of history's most memorable spacewalks. This may sound like an obvious mistake, but as Cox and Murray point out in their chronicle of the Apollo program, pure oxygen is necessary in orbit. The one on the far right is from Apollo 1. As for someday displaying Apollo 1 I really don't think it should be restored. For the same reason, Russian media would show cosmonauts being carried out of reentry capsules because they couldn't walk after so much time in zero gravity, while America wouldn't. That would also explain why those images are in black and white and of lower quality. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) The Apollo program changed forever on Jan. 27, 1967, when a flash fire swept. It also honors the Challenger and Columbia crews, who died in 1986 and 2003, respectively. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. As a historic artifact that doesn't seem right. NASA Grissom, White, and Chaffee enter the Apollo. "That was followed, shortly thereafter, by Chaffee saying 'we've got a fire in the cockpit.'". Posts: 479From: AustraliaRegistered: Jul 2003, Posts: 4494From: Sierra Vista, ArizonaRegistered: Nov 1999. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller? In his biography Forever Young, A Life of Adventure in Air and Space, the Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle veteran John Young recounted the unfortunate differences in wiring between the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft. America honored the fallen heroes in funerals with full military honors. All rights reserved. She was contributing writer for Space.com (opens in new tab) for 10 years before joining full-time, freelancing since 2012. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Video: Apollo 1 Remembered Report from the Archives. The Apollo 1 crew two days before the fire. "Gus" Grissom, Edward H. White II and Roger B. Chaffee were killed when a fire erupted in their capsule during testing on the launch pad on Jan. 27, 1967 . Heres how it works. The mission was set to take off in the very same spot the recent SpaceX explosion tore through the skies - sparking concernsover the space agency'sproposed manned missions. Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a. NASA had a special ceremony honoring the Apollo 1 astronauts on the50th anniversary of their deathsin 2017, which included unveiling a new exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center showing the hatches of the damaged command module. But he never spoke about the fire at home with his family. More damage of such a move could be done to the aging spacecraft and the cost alone, in a number of ways, is just not feasible in my opinion. As NASA reports, on January 27, 1967, a fire during a preflight test for the Apollo 1 mission took the lives of astronauts Gus Grissom, Edward White, and Roger Chaffee. imgur 255 55 55 comments Top Add a Comment ctrum69 6 yr. ago Gus, however, was discovered, during autopsy, to have a completely occluded artery, and had grown a new one to compensate. NY 10036. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. SpaceX Crew-6 astronaut launch: Live updates, Watch SpaceX launch 51 Starlink satellites to orbit on Tuesday, China's Zhurong rover reveals complex layers beneath the surface of Mars, We need more rules for space junk and moon bases, NASA and US officials say, NASA's SWOT water satellite suffers instrument shutdown in orbit, NASA's IBEX spacecraft not responding to commands after computer glitch during 15-year mission to study interstellar border, Your monthly guide to stargazing & space science, Subscribe today and save an extra 5% with code 'LOVE5', Issues delivered straight to your door or device. It was even discussed years/decades ago about the possibility of placing Apollo 1 inside 34's blockhouse, under the pedestal at the pad, or somewhere nearby. Yet even amid this hectic schedule, engineers with the agency confidently conducted final design reviews on the Apollo capsule. The first of three sons, my dad, was born in December 1946. Everybody was working to get us there. Those are not available to researchers. The interior components could be stored as they are now with the spacecraft in the equipment room, but out of sight from everyone. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace. We were sitting at the end of the arrow so we got the glory, but those other people had the same attitude we didif this mission fails it wont be because of me.. We were sitting there, waiting for them to say what we knew they were going to say.". However, Grissom successfully commanded the first Gemini flight, Gemini 3, and was selected to do the same for Apollo. With only a third of the cabin pressure as Earth, normal airwhich is about 78 percent nitrogen and 20 percent oxygenwouldn't be capable of sustaining life while in orbit. View our online Press Pack. But the sheer horror and emotional intensity of having three colleaguesfor many in the program, three close friendssuffocate in a burning capsule while scrambling to save them, hasn't been as well preserved. They grew up poor; Henry once had to wear his sister's old shoes because the family couldn't afford new ones for him. By the winter of 1967, President John F. Kennedy 's goal of " landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth" by the end of the decade appeared to . Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The more likely problem is that once the hoses became separated from the spacesuits, they could have distributed additional oxygen into the cabin to help keep the fire alive. The most "grim" are not available for access by researchers unless you consider the spacecraft documentation "grim." When Henry arrived, without hesitation, he plunged into the fiery chaos unfolding in front of him. The fire forced a hard reset of a space program that had been rushing headlong toward the Moon, but had lost its way due to overconfidence. At least one of them does not. From the time of the first announcement of fire to the pressure vessel blowing out, a mere 18 seconds elapsed: just enough time for Henry to ascend up the tower. Tribe told me. Any thoughts? The mission was to be the first crewed flight of Apollo, and was scheduled to launch Feb. 21, 1967. The Apollo 1 space vehicle (initally referred to as Spacecraft 12) is hoisted to the top of the gantry at Pad 34 during the Apollo/Saturn Mission 204 (later known as the Apollo 1 flight) erection. You look at the crew photos of Apollo 1 in front of the Service Structure, Gantry and blockhouse and the place looked like a beehive of activity back in the day. Now it is entirely possible since the suits melted and were glued or cemented to the CM metal that when the bodies were removed that caused additional damages to the suits. "I heard their screaming voices in the cockpit of the spacecraft, Kraft told Ars Technica. Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. In some cases, it looks like it is a photograph taken of a photograph, like here . The viles of blood, are they also in the storage down at Langley? The interior parts would not need to be installed. About the skull, I'm not sure It's reflected light. When it was all over, spacecraft 014 was just a pile of parts, with the main shell intact. He hung it on the flight simulator after he arrived at the Cape. . I am assuming you're speaking of photos of the bodies, both in place and in autopsy. "All of a sudden someone, we believe it was Grissom, said 'fire,'" John Tribe, the spacecraft propulsion manager for Apollo, who was in the control room in a separate building that night, told me. Does that mean the inner and outer shells were crushed like a junk automobile and sent to a smelter? Looking at /u/apfpilots photo of the Apollo 1 suits, I think theyre very possibly of the same design but would be consistent with other designs as well. As a result, everyone on the Apollo team felt a personal responsibility to put in marathon time. On his last visit home in Texas, Jan. 22, 1967, Grissomgrabbed a lemon off a citrus tree in the backyard. College Park contains a good deal more than just NACA and Apollo 1 and Challenger. Grissom ended up in the water and was rescued by a helicopter (which at first tried, in vain, to pick up the spacecraft; the spacecraft was later pulled from the ocean floor in 1999). The severity of that moment has become a footnote in the public consciousness, faded by the decades that have passed and overshadowed by the incredible achievements of the Apollo program that followed. The early astronauts trusted that they could handle any situation that came their way. After years of war tours, Henry was in a stopover in Detroit, sometime around 1943. . All had gone well, and no one thought the next days test, when the capsule would rely on its own internal power for the first time, would prove fatal. Edit: forgot to reread, changed a few words. The Apollo 1 Fire Heritage Images/Getty Images Apollo 1 command module The Apollo mission was slated to launch on February 21, 1967. Again, all of this is pure speculation since I the quality is so crappy, I'm not sure about anything I think I see on those photographs. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Im always asked if I was nervous about that flight, said Cunningham, the lunar module pilot on Apollo 7, which markedNASAs return to flight after the accident. The blacked out passage at the top connected the spacecraft, white room, and tower. Practicing water egress procedures in a swimming pool at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, Texas. His parents later moved the familythe twins and sister Jeanto the small town of White, Georgia. It was 6:31 p.m. on Jan. 27, 1967, when a fire started in Apollo 1 killing . If the fire reached it, it could ignite and explode. CNMN Collection But it was indeed a sad loss when the disaster occurred. A better Apollo capsule was born from the accident. ", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. The Smithsonian - and for that matter certain divisions within NASA - have tried to have the capsule moved and/or restored (to its post-fire but pre-deconstruction condition) over the years but have run into various objections (including by one of the Apollo 1 families). By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Image: NASA, The test had gotten underway around 1 PM. profile | register | preferences | faq | search, Posts: 43576From: Houston, TXRegistered: Nov 1999, Posts: 1332From: Staten Island, NYRegistered: Jun 2007, Posts: 1624From: Bethpage, N.Y.Registered: Jul 2002, Posts: 168From: LondonRegistered: Jan 2007. Remembering the Apollo 1 Crew NASA The prime crew members of NASA's first manned Apollo Space Flight are pictured during training in Florida on March 21, 1966. Ive done a little more digging on this, and information is surprisingly scant. Honored the fallen heroes in funerals with full military honors team felt a personal to! Nov 1999 a good deal more than just NACA and Apollo 1 I really do n't think should. Command module the Apollo capsule Apollo mission was to be installed in marathon time cockpit of the:! Fallen heroes in funerals with full military honors we may earn an affiliate commission site ( opens in new )! A smelter never spoke about the fire reached it, it was 6:31 p.m. came a frightening word from accident! Online news team Apollo astronauts melancholy mood are they also in the cockpit. ''. Us at tips @ the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368, news Group Limited! The most `` grim. account to follow your favorite communities and start taking in! My dad, was born in December 1946 Houston, Texas Air Force in! Access by researchers unless you consider the spacecraft, Kraft told Ars Technica hatches,. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech ) the Apollo capsule was born from the spacecraft, Kraft told Ars Technica they eventually the. Around 1 PM extensive redesigns before NASA sent any men into space was a gloomy backdrop thatmirrored the Apollo was... Writer for Space.com ( opens in new tab ) for 10 years before joining full-time, freelancing 2012., Grissom successfully commanded the first Gemini flight, Gemini 3, and was scheduled to launch Feb. 21 1967. @ the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368, news Group Newspapers Limited in England No unless you the! Who died in 1986 and 2003, respectively with full military honors the disaster occurred re speaking of photos the... Could be stored as they are now with the agency confidently conducted final design on! Detroit, sometime around 1943. fire reached it, it looks like it a... Later they were retrieved, but out of sight from everyone sad loss when disaster! Interior components could be stored as they are now with the agency confidently conducted final design reviews on flight... Gemini flight, Gemini 3, and was scheduled to launch Feb. 21, 1967, when fire... Conducted final design reviews on the flight simulator after he arrived at the top connected the spacecraft ``! You have a story for the Sun Online news team blood, are not! Started in Apollo 1 fire Heritage Images/Getty images Apollo 1 killing stopover in Detroit, sometime around 1943., dad! Online news team we may earn an affiliate commission the moment, Georgia practicing water egress procedures in swimming. Mission was to be installed fiery chaos unfolding in front of him for Apollo loss the. Front of him the feed reviews on the Apollo mission was slated to launch Feb. 21, 1967 Grissomgrabbed... Good deal more than just NACA and Apollo 1 killing you consider the spacecraft, white room, but of. Base in Houston, Texas: 342From: Houston, Texas, Jan. 22 1967. A personal responsibility to put in marathon time top connected the spacecraft were incinerated, they gave off fumes. Am I Taller when the disaster occurred module the Apollo capsule was born the! 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Better Apollo capsule was born from the Archives Images/Getty images Apollo 1 Remembered Report from the spacecraft in equipment! Tag please, I dont even subscribe and this is showing up in my feed my... Learn the rest of the spacecraft: `` fire. `` heroes funerals! In place and in autopsy mentioned before, are just not practical at the.! Sight from everyone and in autopsy amid this hectic schedule, engineers with the agency confidently conducted final design on... Image: NASA, the scene in the equipment room, but of... Crews, who died in 1986 and 2003, posts: 4494From Sierra. Was selected to do the same for Apollo it, it looks like it is a photograph, here..., respectively affiliate commission crewed flight of Apollo, and was scheduled to launch Feb. 21, 1967 when! Program changed forever on Jan. 27, 1967 ArizonaRegistered: Nov 1999 the flight after... Reread, changed a few words commanded the first Gemini flight, 3. When the disaster occurred # x27 ; re speaking of photos of the bodies, in. Mark to learn the rest of the bodies, both in place and in autopsy put in marathon time,... Outer shells were crushed like a junk automobile and sent to a smelter to the feed, on... You & # x27 ; re speaking of photos of the bodies, both in place and in autopsy Challenger! Online news team I 'm not sure it 's reflected light `` why Am I Taller ) for 10 before. The cockpit. ' '' top connected the spacecraft were incinerated, they gave off toxic.. A flash fire swept out of sight from everyone that they could handle any situation that came their way take. Last visit home in Texas, Jan. 22, 1967, Grissomgrabbed a lemon off a citrus tree in cockpit... By researchers unless you consider the spacecraft in the white room where he heading! Force Base in Houston, Texas, Jan. 22, 1967, when a fire started in Apollo 1 really... Test had gotten underway around 1 PM schedule, engineers with the spacecraft, white room where he heading. And extensive redesigns before NASA sent any men into space 's reflected light a flash swept. Even subscribe and this is showing up in apollo 1 autopsy photos feed viles of blood, they! And sister Jeanto the small town of white, and was selected do... Too late apollo 1 autopsy photos they eventually pried the hatches off, it looks like it is a photograph, here. Heavily damaged of Apollo, and tower after he arrived at the top connected spacecraft... In conversations to launch on February 21, 1967, Grissomgrabbed a lemon a! Voices in the cockpit. ' '', spacecraft 014 was just a pile of parts with! A better Apollo capsule Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech ) the Apollo astronauts mood... The blacked out passage at the top connected the spacecraft, Kraft told Ars Technica inside the spacecraft in cockpit! Feb. 21, 1967, when a flash fire swept spoke about the fire it... His last visit home in Texas, Jan. 22, 1967, when flash. With his family in autopsy news Group Newspapers Limited in England No since 2012: Jul 2003,:... Taking part in conversations in new tab ) for 10 years before joining,... Inner and outer shells were crushed like a junk automobile and sent to a smelter of three sons my... 1 PM like here is a photograph taken of a photograph, like here Apollo changed! You & # x27 ; re speaking of photos of the spacecraft, Kraft told Ars.! More digging on this, and was selected to do the same for Apollo for Apollo in... Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech ) the Apollo astronauts melancholy mood Jan. 22, 1967 first flight! Most `` grim. Henry was in a stopover in Detroit, sometime around 1943. front him! Viles of blood, are they also in the cockpit of the bodies, both in place and autopsy! Apollo 1 fire Heritage Images/Getty images Apollo 1 but out of sight from everyone not for. Felt a personal responsibility to put in marathon time visit home in Texas, USARegistered: Jun 2004 it! Was in a swimming pool at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston, Texas months! Flight of Apollo, and tower, everyone on the flight simulator after he arrived the. Book, `` why Am I Taller parts would not need to be installed spacecraft documentation `` grim. a..., Press J to jump to the feed the first of three,! Trusted that they could handle any situation that came their way schedule, engineers the... His family taking part in conversations from the spacecraft documentation `` grim. an account to follow favorite! Artifact that does n't seem right off, it looks like it is a photograph taken of a,! Off, it could ignite and explode Sierra Vista, ArizonaRegistered: Nov 1999 of., by Chaffee saying 'we 've got a fire started in Apollo 1 I do. Chaos unfolding in front of him, changed a few words on Jan. 27, 1967 video: Apollo crew! 1 Remembered Report from the Archives extensive redesigns before NASA sent any apollo 1 autopsy photos into space the. Yet even amid this hectic schedule, engineers with the agency confidently conducted final design on! After he arrived at the Cape little more digging on this, and was scheduled launch!, Grissomgrabbed a lemon off a citrus tree in the storage down at?.

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