Counting Down to Apollo

One American's account of watching humanity reach the Moon

Tag: fire

What Went Wrong — What We’re Learning
Apollo 1 February 15, 1967

What Went Wrong — What We’re Learning

The investigation is underway. The fire started in the pure oxygen atmosphere used in the Apollo cabin. The hatch opened inward and couldn't be opened under the internal pressure. There were flammable materials throughout the spacecraft. Reading these reports is difficult. Some of this seems like it should have been…
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A Terrible Friday Afternoon
Apollo 1 January 28, 1967

A Terrible Friday Afternoon

Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee are dead. There was a fire on the launch pad yesterday afternoon during a ground test. I heard it on the radio on the way home from work. I had to pull over. I sat in the car for a long time before…
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The Worst Day
January 28, 1967

The Worst Day

I wrote ten days ago that I was worried about Apollo 1. I am not going to feel any vindication about that. Three men are dead.
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