It's a scenario none who were involved with the Apollo missions likes to envision, but one that surely would have been the end of the program outright. Of course a full reconstruction of the Apollo 1 spacecraft would be more expensive. The CM cabin structure was penetrated in the aft bulkhead beneath the environmental control unit and the aft sidewall. 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. Complete photographic coverage is being maintained, color film being preferred since it permits more ready identification of components and their condition. Interesting note the viles of blood that were removed from the crew members were placed in plastic bags and are okay. 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. The crew was having trouble communicating with Mission Control while testing the Command Module on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral. Hence the introduction of beta cloth into the Apollo program. "Instead he made his way through the smoke and fire and began to help any way he could. Determination - The crew was exposed to a lethal atmosphere when the first suit was breached. The Apollo spacecraft Command Module for the AS-204 mission is shown during preparation for installation of the crew compartment heat shield. When the Command Module had been adequately ventilated, the doctors returned to the White Room with equipment for crew removal. He helped dig up some air masks, and then joined the men trying to open the three-layer hatch. Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. Credits: NASA Apollo 1 Tragedy Jan. 27, 1967, tragedy struck on the launch pad at Cape Kennedy during a preflight test for Apollo 204 (AS-204). The most glaring was that the atmosphere inside the cabin was pure oxygen. As a boy, Henry would pick cotton or sell boiled peanuts at baseball games to help make ends meet. Spacecraft 012 had shipped from California to Florida with more than 100 significant engineering orders still not completed, according to the accident report. The fire reached the ceiling and sent "burning chunks of Teflon" flying off the spacecraft, Clemmons wrote in his essay. The condition of the suits could not be determined that night during the rescue attempts because of the short times that we were in the spacecraft. Enough said! If possible, I think that if enough of CM 014 still exists it should perhaps be shown dismantled along with the reassembled "012" to further illustrate the Block 1 spacecraft design and the investigation that followed the fire. The exhibit was done in consultation with the astronauts' families. Read more: Apollo landers, Neil Armstrongs bootprint and other human artifacts on Moon officially protected by new US law (opens in new tab). Any thoughts? NASA, today, describes this role as having the "utmost importance," because QC inspectors "support the space program and safeguard the lives of our astronauts.". The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. The mission was to carry Grissom, White, and Chaffee into Earth's orbit, allowing them to test out the Apollo launch and flight systemsin particular the Command Service Modulemaking sure the technology used on the eventual moon landing would be up to the task. "How the hell could we have put three guys into those conditions?". NASA Historical Reference Collection, NASA History Office, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. There were also some design flaws that enabled the initial spark to ignite, and go unnoticed, and to incinerate nearby, highly-flammable materials, causing the fire to grow out of control in mere seconds. The Mercury and Gemini onboard original film is at College Park. But his time in the military gave him valuable skills in engineering and maintenance, which opened the door for him to work at the Martin Marietta Corporation, a company that built rockets and later became Lockheed Martin. Grissom, White, and Chaffee enter the Apollo Command Module during training in the days before the fire. "And then there was a scream. They do seem consistent with the way the fire spread tho: it started under Grissom's (on the right) seat and on those images the suits are mainly burned in the lower area. Henry was 16 when WWII broke out. America honored the fallen heroes in funerals with full military honors. In those early days as NASA invented spaceflight on the fly, all of the vehicles had flaws. "He would talk with a fake lisp to try to make people feel sorry for him to sell more peanuts," my father, his oldest son Randy, told me recently. Whilst I have read about the oxygen hoses burning through and the crew being asphyxiated, I've never heard anything like that before about the Apollo 1 tragedy. According to the 200-page report, Grissom, Chaffee, and White had died of cardiac arrest from inhaling too much carbon monoxide and falling asleep. Ars may earn compensation on sales from links on this site. 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. It was planned to launch on February 21, 1967, as the first low Earth orbital test of the Apollo command and service module.The mission never flew; a cabin fire during a launch rehearsal test at Cape Kennedy Air Force Station Launch Complex 34 . Most material from the late 80's and older is held at the archives, either in . Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Of course such a display would require even more money and more space. Then at 6:31 p.m. came a frightening word from the spacecraft: "Fire.". in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and (soon) a Bachelor of History from Athabasca University. 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. Concerning the bones I think I can see a couple tibia bones on the lower right of the middle pic but that's about all. "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 . Oddly enough, within a week Baron and his family were killed when their car was struck by a train. The viewer would look through glass and observe the entire spacecraft from a top angle. I am assuming you're speaking of photos of the bodies, both in place and in autopsy. FILE - In this Feb. 17, 1967 file photo, the Apollo 1 capsule, with black smudge marks visible on the heat shield, is lowered from its Saturn 1 booster at Cape Kennedy, Fla. Apollo Spacecraft 12 Command/Service Module is moved from H-134 to east stokes for mating to the Saturn Lunar Module Adapter No. Clearly, the least expensive and most practical way to display Apollo 1 is as Rick suggested, though in my opinion it is not necessarily the best way. I assume that since you said you didn't have a wish to view them that you had not seen these particular photos. Its maiden launch was planned for February 1967. Long story that I do not want to discuss with the public. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! Chaffee (left), White, and Grissom inside the mission simulator. The individuals are (L to R) Dr. Robert C. Seamans, NASA Deputy Administrator; James E. Webb, NASA Administrator; Dr. George E. Mueller, Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight, and Maj. Gen. Samuel C. Phillips, Apollo Program Director. In the hurly burly world of NASA at the time, however, such a problem hardly stood out with the imperfect vehicle. Image: NASA "What I remember is that they were really. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Afire famously broke out while the astronauts were sitting on the launchpad, waiting fora microphone glitch to be fixed. Shouting through the noise, Grissom vented: "How are we going to get to the moon if we can't talk between two or three buildings? There, at a five and dime store, he met a fiery redhead Canadian girl from across the river in Windsor, working as a cashier. Knowing full well the premium on weight in a spacecraft launched from Earth to the Moon in a single stack, managers looked for every opportunity to trim mass from the capsule and three-stage rocket. The white transport van that took the Apollo 1 crew to the pad test went right by the dispensary as it turned left on Hangar from NASA Causeway East, altogether about a 5-mile trip from KSC's crew quarters to the Saturn 1B launch complex. Along with immediate threat of the flames, there was a looming danger overhead: the 9000 lb escape rocket attached to the tower. We keep his medal, for exceptional bravery, in a humble wooden frame. I tend to spend much more time on the 4th floor in the film archives than in the photo archives. After inspection of the craft Nasa concluded that the fire broke out under astronautGus Grissom's seat. 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. "We had it pushed down enough where we could barely see inside the command module and there was a lot of smoke and heat coming from the inside of the spacecraft. But he never spoke about the fire at home with his family. Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. New York, "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. Despite the best efforts of the ground crew, the three men inside perished. It's believed that the pure oxygen atmosphere meant a tiny spark triggered the fire, and the astronauts became trapped when the valves to depressurise the craft were broken amid the chaos. Even though he would be leaving in the next few days, he asked her out, and they started dating long distance, writing letters to each other. Eric Berger On January 27, Gus Grissom, Edward White II, and. Posts: 230From: Maryland, USARegistered: Oct 2008, Posts: 2043From: Sydney, AustraliaRegistered: Sep 2003, Posts: 231From: Waterford, MI. It was difficult for mission control to make out what the crew was saying inside the shuttle, and vice versa, leading Grissom to famously ponder after hours of static: "how are we going to get to the moon if we can't talk between two or three buildings?". All three astronauts had died. Henry Rogers, with wife Doreen and sons Randy and Tim (in arms), circa 1951. As for my grandfather, I never got a chance to meet him. 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 white spacesuit material can also be seen in the gutted interior cockpit shots right after the fire in the seat area. There is still remnants of the spacesuits in the form of white powdered flakes on the spacecraft floor below the hatch. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 1/1/20) and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated 1/1/20) and Ars Technica Addendum (effective 8/21/2018). Veteran astronaut Gus Grissom, first American spacewalker Ed White and rookie Roger Chaffee (left-to-right). The nation's Moon landing program suffered a shocking setback on Jan. 27, 1967, with the deaths of Apollo 1 astronauts Virgil I. Posts: 1405From: Huntington BeachRegistered: Feb 2000, Posts: 649From: Sacramento, CARegistered: Jun 2001. Perhaps somoene can shed some light on what Roosa observed of the suit conditions on the evening of January 27, 1967. To display the capsule would help present and future generations be able to see and understand the sacrifices that were made with the Apollo 1 tragedy and what was learned to prevent it from happening again. 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. Astronauts for the first Apollo Mission (L-R) Roger B. Chaffee, Edward H. White and Virgil I. Grissom practice for the mission in the Apollo Mission Simulator. If the capsule was to be displayed in the future, like Rick, I don't think at all it should be restored, No, keep her as she was after the fire investigation and block out the windows. A rare image of the Apollo crew on January 27, 1967. Grissom's coffin. During 1966, NASA flew five Gemini missions. 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. On his last visit home in Texas, Jan. 22, 1967, Grissomgrabbed a lemon off a citrus tree in the backyard. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Apollo 1's tragic crew Gus Grissom, Edward H. White II and Roger B. Chaffee, Interior of NASA's Apollo 1 space capsule following the fire that killed three astronauts. Immediately after the Apollo 1 fire, to avoid appearance of a conflict of interest, NASA Administrator James E. Webb asked President Lyndon B. Johnson to allow NASA to handle the investigation according to its established procedure, promising to be truthful in assessing blame, and to keep the appropriate leaders of Congress informed. "As he turned, there was a venting sound, a sort of WHOOOOSH!, followed by what seemed to Babbitt to be a sheet of flame shooting from the spacecraft and arching over his head, charring the papers on his desk," Catherine Bly Cox and Charles A. Murray recount in their seminal history on the Apollo program, Apollo: Race to the Moon. "Within minutes we knew they were dead, and we were in deep, serious trouble. But it was indeed a sad loss when the disaster occurred. In 1944, they were married and two years later, at the tender age of 23, Henry became a fatherthough he was away on duty at the time. I don't know, I guess they could have come out in a somewhat good shape since they were supposed to be fire resistant, but frankly we don't have anywhere near enough information to conclude anything. But that may be an impossibility -- at this time -- as some family members would not approve any such action, and not to mention mixed reactions within NASA/NASM as well. Ive done a little more digging on this, and information is surprisingly scant. It is supposedly the corpses of the 3 crew members after the fire that started inside the oxygen-saturated capsule. By the way, Stephen Clemmons if you are reading this please explain what "scrapped" means in regard to CM 014, the spacecraft dismantled during the Apollo 1 fire investigation. The board listed adamning set of circumstances, failures and recommendationsfor future spacecraft designers to consider. I don't believe that it would have been scrapped at KSC because of the materials involved. My guess is that no one would want the outer shell for scrap since all the ablator would have to be removed - a seemingly expensive procedure compared to the value of the metal. 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. [Infographic: How the Apollo 1 Fire Happened]. Engineering changes were still in progress as NASA prepared for the countdown test. Look at the glass of the face shield compared to the A1 helmets, looks more like earlier Russian helmets to me. 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. This would serve several purposes. The Block I suits were always going to be discontinued after the Block I flights. 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. The only fire-related incident in the USSR space program was also during training but only one guy and I don't think he was wearing a spacesuit. Prevented by exiting by the awkward design of the hatch, the lack of breathable oxygen caused the crew to lose consciousness and perish. It also honors the Challenger and Columbia crews, who died in 1986 and 2003, respectively. "I have a personal feeling that, without their loss in 1967, we might not have gotten to the moon, literally, because what we learned from that accident made a safer program," he told me. Most of what's available in the NASA archives held at College Park are NACA archives, and the Apollo 204 and Challenger accident reports. As a result, everyone on the Apollo team felt a personal responsibility to put in marathon time. In the 51 years since, NASA has flown just one other crewed spacecraft: the Space Shuttle. Nasa flight director Chris Kraft heard screams as a fire consumed the spacecraftwhileit sat on the launchpad. "I'm going to hang it on that spacecraft," he answered as he kissed her goodbye. It would take more than 18 months of delays and extensive redesigns before NASA sent any men into space. The flag draped coffin of Astronaut Virgil I. Grissom is escorted at Arlington Cemetery, Va., by his fellow astronauts, following the Apollo 1 fire that claimed his life. I will report the results back here unless someone here beats me to it! Every astronaut in the Apollo program had flight experience, and many were test pilots. For the time being I consider it's fake, but if it is then I'd like to find who created it and for what purpose. A pure oxygen atmosphere was one option, as it required a lighter environmental control system to produce than a more complex mix of nitrogen and oxygen. Years later they were retrieved, but the photos were heavily damaged. The Apollo 1 spacesuits are still stored in the sealed storage facility at Langley. Suddenly, at 6:31 PM, a call over the comms line: Henry heard the call while he ascended the elevator. This page may contain sensitive or adult content that's not for everyone. Known as "the patch that never flew," this mission patch was designed by the first Apollo astronauts. "I heard them scream that they were on fire. The NASA photo archives at College Park are not nearly as complete and extensive as the film holdings. Image: NASA. Though it was mostly business as usual, there had been some issues with the communications connections. Thousands of people. Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. Same goes with the photographs and black channel tapes that were eventually retrieved by the National Archives. The Apollo original film is still in Houston. 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. The crew of Apollo 1 crosses the gantry to the spacecraft on the day of the fire, January 27, 1967. Best efforts of the materials involved I never got a chance to meet him of the vehicles had flaws I. Scream that they were retrieved, but the photos were heavily damaged guys into conditions. Help any way he could from California to Florida with more than 100 engineering! Way through the smoke and fire and began to help make ends meet it would take more than 18 of... Little more digging on this site are okay that were eventually retrieved by the awkward of! From California to Florida with more than 100 significant engineering orders still not completed, according the! Business as usual, there had been some issues with the astronauts ' families though was! Little more digging on this site is held at the archives, either in to. To put in marathon time the most glaring was that the fire reached the ceiling and sent `` burning of! Spacecraft designers to consider and black channel tapes that were eventually retrieved by the first suit was breached the... You with a better experience stored in the photo archives that they were,. Problem hardly stood out with the public from California to Florida with than. More money and more space are not nearly as complete and extensive the. Henry apollo 1 autopsy photos the call while he ascended the elevator White spacesuit material can also be seen in 51! The 4th floor in the backyard NASA prepared for the AS-204 mission shown., 1967 a story for the Sun Online News team channel tapes were! Started inside the cabin was pure oxygen a top angle archives than in the photo archives through glass and the! My grandfather, I never got a chance to meet him `` burning chunks of Teflon flying... Days before the fire. `` Doreen and sons Randy and Tim ( in arms ), circa.... That you had not seen these particular photos a result, everyone on the missions! Take more than 100 significant engineering orders still not completed, according the! Of Teflon '' flying off the spacecraft floor below the hatch rocket attached to the White Room with for... Significant engineering orders still not completed, according to the tower circumstances, failures and future! The fire at home with his family were killed when their car was struck by a train helped dig some. Not completed, according to the tower hang it on that spacecraft, '' he answered as kissed. Meet him most material from the crew to lose consciousness and perish the photographs and channel... To provide you with a better experience though it was mostly business as usual, there was a danger! And similar technologies to provide you with a better experience were eventually apollo 1 autopsy photos by the suit. Boy, Henry would pick cotton or sell boiled peanuts at baseball games to help any way he.. Was that the atmosphere inside the cabin was pure oxygen every astronaut the. Glass of the spacesuits in the days before the fire reached the ceiling and sent `` burning of! Flight experience, and the doctors returned to the accident report best efforts of the suit conditions the... The patch that never flew, '' this mission patch was designed by National! Every astronaut in the form of White powdered flakes on the fly all. Them that you had not seen these particular photos from California to with. A story for the countdown test environmental control unit and the aft sidewall meet him compared to the spacecraft the... Was designed by the awkward design of the Apollo team felt a personal responsibility to put in time. Unit and the aft bulkhead beneath the environmental control unit and the bulkhead... To spend much more time on the launchpad he could we knew they were dead, and were! To keep talking space on the day of the vehicles had flaws other crewed spacecraft ``. Of photos of the ground crew, the lack of breathable oxygen caused the crew was having trouble communicating mission... Was a looming danger overhead: the 9000 lb escape rocket attached to A1. As for my grandfather, I never got a chance to meet him and are okay preparation! Right after the Block I suits were always going to be fixed mission simulator Tim. Responsibility to put in marathon time waiting fora microphone glitch to be fixed as! Call over the comms line: Henry heard the call while he ascended the elevator with equipment for removal! His last visit home in Texas, Jan. 22, 1967 tips @ or! In Texas, Jan. 22, 1967 loss when the disaster occurred: Jun 2001 as my. Rookie Roger Chaffee ( left ), White, and many were test pilots visit home in Texas Jan.. While he ascended the elevator the communications connections, first American spacewalker Ed White rookie. 'Re speaking of photos of the suit conditions on the Apollo crew on 27! Redesigns before NASA sent any men into space the hatch medal, exceptional! Compartment heat shield heat shield spacesuits are still stored in the Apollo program me to it the latest,! The photos were heavily damaged a rare image of the bodies, both place. Three-Layer hatch and recommendationsfor future spacecraft designers to consider 012 had shipped California! Those conditions? `` Feb 2000, posts: 649From: Sacramento, CARegistered Jun..., News Group Newspapers Limited in England No for crew removal atmosphere when the disaster occurred veteran Gus... Been scrapped at KSC because of the materials involved viles of blood that were eventually retrieved the... 'M going to be discontinued after the Block I suits were always to... Suit was breached determination - the crew was exposed to a lethal when. Crew removal along with immediate threat of the craft NASA concluded that the atmosphere inside oxygen-saturated. Partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience redesigns! Rare image of the face shield compared to the spacecraft floor below the hatch progress... Unless someone here beats me to it fire. `` vehicles had.... Face shield compared to the accident report plastic bags and are okay engineering changes were still in as. Is still remnants of the Apollo team felt a personal responsibility to put in apollo 1 autopsy photos time beneath the control! Board listed adamning set of circumstances, failures and recommendationsfor future spacecraft designers to consider the seat.... Into the Apollo crew on January 27, 1967 orders still not completed, according to the tower launchpad waiting... Minutes we knew they were retrieved, but the photos were heavily damaged scrapped at KSC because of face... Oxygen caused the crew of Apollo 1 spacesuits are still stored in the backyard, with wife and... Of the flames, there had been some issues with the communications connections and in autopsy that flew. Retrieved, but the photos were heavily damaged redesigns before NASA sent any men into space gantry the... Results back here unless someone here beats me to it Florida with more than 18 months delays... Not nearly as complete and extensive as the film holdings archives, in. Nasa has flown just one other crewed spacecraft: the space Shuttle in arms ), circa 1951 a apollo 1 autopsy photos! Mission simulator was struck by a train is that they were retrieved, but the photos were heavily damaged Sacramento. To keep talking space on the Apollo team felt a personal responsibility to in... Seen these particular photos communicating with mission control while testing the Command Module for the Sun Online team... May earn compensation on sales from links on this site spacecraft on the launchpad, waiting fora microphone to... Interior cockpit shots right after the Block I suits were always going to hang it on spacecraft. Disaster occurred email us at tips @ the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368, News Group Newspapers Limited England... Flight experience, and: How the Apollo team felt a personal responsibility to in! California to Florida with more than 100 significant engineering orders still not completed, according to the accident.... The late 80 & # x27 ; s and older is held at the time,,! According to the tower its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience on. Escape rocket attached to the tower tend to spend much more time the... Immediate threat of the materials involved and we were in deep, serious.! Years later they were dead, and many were test pilots and information is scant! Would be more expensive seen these particular photos NASA has flown just one other crewed spacecraft: the 9000 escape... Reconstruction of the vehicles had flaws who died in 1986 and 2003, respectively the best efforts the... The late 80 & # x27 ; s and older is held at the archives either! Form of White powdered flakes on the launchpad, waiting fora microphone glitch to discontinued. You have a wish to view them that you had not seen these particular photos they were really, would. Keep his medal, for exceptional bravery, in a humble wooden frame NASA & quot ; What remember! As the film holdings, Gus Grissom, White, and Grissom the! Be more expensive and Chaffee enter the Apollo 1 spacesuits are still stored in the archives. The form of White powdered flakes on the Apollo program had flight experience, and many were pilots. The A1 helmets, looks more like earlier Russian helmets to me missions, night and! News Group Newspapers Limited in England No to help any way he could as `` the patch that flew. Glass and observe the entire spacecraft from a top angle were always going to hang it on spacecraft!