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Author
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Topic: NASA moves Apollo 1
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 16778
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted February 17, 2007 05:38 PM
   
NASA release NASA Moves Apollo 1 Capsule to New Storage FacilityNASA moved the Apollo 1 capsule and related materials approximately 90 feet to a newer, environmentally-controlled warehouse at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., on Saturday, Feb. 17. The move provides better protection for the spacecraft. Despite routine repairs made throughout the years, the original secure storage container where the vehicle was housed has been deteriorating. NASA officials determined that, due to its age, the container could not be maintained effectively to preserve the capsule. Astronauts Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, Lt. Col. Edward H. White, and Roger B. Chaffee died when a flash fire swept through the spacecraft during a launch pad test at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Jan. 27, 1967. Originally known as the AS-204 mission, it was renamed Apollo 1 in honor of the crew. As directed by the Apollo 204 Review Board, the capsule has been maintained at Langley. The review board's accident report made recommendations that led to design and engineering changes and increased the overall safety for future Apollo missions and six successful lunar landings. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 16778
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted February 17, 2007 10:04 PM
For those unfamiliar with the original "secure storage container" used to house the Apollo 1 command module and its related materials for the past 40 years, these NASA photos (scans courtesy J.L. Pickering via Mark Gray) were taken on April 20, 1990.  Langley Storage facility which housed remains of Apollo 1 spacecraft.  Some of the 81 cartons of related hardware and investigative data that occupied the 3,330 cubic feet of storage space.  The Apollo 1 command module as seen in storage at Langley Research Center in Virginia.  In May 1990, NASA announced plans to move the hardware to permanent storage with the Challenger debris in an abandoned missile silo at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida. However, at month's end, NASA announced it had decided to keep the capsule at Langley for an indefinite period of time. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 16778
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted February 18, 2007 09:13 AM
Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot:
Burned Apollo I capsule moved to new storage facility in Hampton [Langley spokesman Chris] Rink said the capsule was partly disassembled during the fire investigation in 1967, so two large pieces needed to be moved on Saturday - an inner shell and the outer shell that most people recognize as the capsule. Both pieces were lifted by crane onto a flatbed truck for transport to the new building. Some boxes also were moved, he said.Workers had a safety briefing at 7:30 a.m. and finished the move by 3 p.m. |
MarylandSpace
Member Posts: 570
From:
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted February 18, 2007 04:33 PM
Thank you Rob for making this story and link available to us.collectSPACE is a daily, living history book and lesson for me. Garry |
Fra Mauro
Member Posts: 383
From: Maspeth, NY
Registered: Jul 2002
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posted February 18, 2007 08:36 PM
NASA should have done this years ago. I remember reading where some of the materials related to the investigation are in very poor condition due to the poor storage facility. It's almost as if NASA wanted to forget about Apollo 1. I agree with Grissom's brother that all the materials should be returned to Florida for final storage. |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 739
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted February 18, 2007 10:00 PM
One day they will probably be displayed in a museum, as will the remains of Challenger and Columbia. How long should it be before Apollo 1 is put on public display? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 16778
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted February 18, 2007 10:09 PM
There is an on-going discussion about exhibiting American space tragedy artifacts: Touching the tragedy: displaying Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia |
APG85
Member Posts: 40
From:
Registered: Jan 2008
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posted March 29, 2008 08:29 AM
Any photos of the exterior of the new storage facility? | |
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