User:Kees08/List of uncrewed Apollo missions

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The Apollo program logo. Inside is a representation of the Earth and the Moon with a large letter A linking the two. A grey circle surrounds the scene with the text "Apollo NASA"
Apollo program logo

The Apollo program was the third United States human spaceflight program carried out by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which accomplished landing the first humans on the Moon from 1969 to 1972.[1] During the Apollo 11 mission, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed their Apollo Lunar Module (LM) and walked on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the command and service module (CSM), and all three landed safely on Earth on July 24, 1969.[2] Five subsequent Apollo missions also landed astronauts on the Moon, the last in December 1972. In these six spaceflights, twelve men walked on the Moon.[3]

Apollo ran from 1961 to 1972, with the first crewed flight in 1968. It achieved its goal of crewed lunar landing, despite the major setback of a 1967 Apollo 1 cabin fire that killed the entire crew during a prelaunch test.[4] After the first landing, sufficient flight hardware remained for nine follow-up landings with a plan for extended lunar geological and astrophysical exploration. Budget cuts forced the cancellation of three of these.[5] Five of the remaining six missions achieved successful landings, but the Apollo 13 landing was prevented by an oxygen tank explosion in transit to the Moon, which damaged the CSM's propulsion and life support. The crew returned to Earth safely by using the Lunar Module as a "lifeboat" for these functions.[6] Apollo used Saturn family rockets as launch vehicles, which were also used for an Apollo Applications Program, which consisted of Skylab, a space station that supported three crewed missions from 1973 through 1974, and the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project, a joint Earth orbit mission with the Soviet Union in 1975.[7]

A representation of the Moon, with a cluster of green triangles indicating the Apollo landing sites
Green triangles indicate locations of Apollo landings on the Moon

Apollo set several major human spaceflight milestones. It stands alone in sending crewed missions beyond low Earth orbit.[3] Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to orbit another celestial body, while the final Apollo 17 mission marked the sixth Moon landing and the ninth crewed mission beyond low Earth orbit. The program returned 842 pounds (382 kg) of lunar rocks and soil to Earth, greatly contributing to the understanding of the Moon's composition and geological history.[8] The program laid the foundation for NASA's subsequent human spaceflight capability. Apollo also spurred advances in many areas of technology incidental to rocketry and crewed spaceflight, including avionics, telecommunications, and computers.[9]

The Apollo program used four types of launch vehicles. The first was the Little Joe II, which was used for uncrewed suborbital launch escape system development.[10] The second is the Saturn I, which was used for uncrewed suborbital and orbital hardware development.[11] The third is the Saturn IB which was used for preparatory uncrewed missions and Apollo 7.[12] Last, the Saturn V which was used for uncrewed and crewed Earth orbit and lunar missions.[13] The Marshall Space Flight Center, which designed the Saturn rockets, referred to the flights as Saturn-Apollo (SA), while Kennedy Space Center referred to the flights as Apollo-Saturn (AS). This is why the uncrewed Saturn I flights are referred to as SA and the uncrewed Saturn IB are referred to as AS.

Alphabetical mission types[edit]

The Apollo program required sequential testing of several major mission elements in the runup to a crewed lunar landing. An alphabetical list of major mission types was proposed by Owen Maynard in September 1967.[14][15] Two "A-type" missions performed uncrewed tests of the CSM and the Saturn V, and one B-type mission performed an uncrewed test of the LM. The C-type mission, the first crewed flight of the CSM in Earth orbit, was performed by Apollo 7.

The list was revised upon George Low's proposal to commit a mission to lunar orbit ahead of schedule, an idea influenced by the status of the CSM as a proven craft and production delays of the LM.[16] Apollo 8 was reclassified from its original assignment as a D-type mission, a test of the complete CSM/LM spacecraft in Earth orbit, to a "C-prime" mission which would fly humans to the Moon. Once complete, it obviated the need for the E-type objective of a medium Earth orbital test. The D-type mission was instead performed by Apollo 9; the F-type mission, Apollo 10, flew the CSM/LM spacecraft to the Moon for final testing, without landing. The G-type mission, Apollo 11, performed the first lunar landing, the central goal of the program.

The initial A-G[14][17] list was expanded to include later mission types:[1]: 466  H-type missions—Apollo 12, 13 (planned) and 14—would perform precision landings, and J-type missions—Apollo 15, 16 and 17—would perform thorough scientific investigation. The I-type objective, which called for extended lunar orbital surveillance of the Moon,[18] was incorporated into the J-type missions.[1]: 466 

Alphabetical mission types of the Apollo Program
Mission Type Missions Description
A Apollo 4
Apollo 6 		"Unmanned flights of launch vehicles and the CSM, to demonstrate the adequacy of their design and to certify safety for men."[17][a]
B Apollo 5 "Unmanned flight of the LM, to demonstrate the adequacy of its design and to certify its safety for men."[17]
C Apollo 7 "Manned flight to demonstrate performance and operability of the CSM."[17]
C' Apollo 8 "Command and service module manned flight demonstration in lunar orbit."[1]: 466 
D Apollo 9 "Manned flight of the complete lunar landing mission vehicle in low Earth orbit to demonstrate operability of all the equipment and (insofar as could be done in Earth orbit) to perform the maneuvers involved in the ultimate mission."[17]
E — "Manned flight of the complete lunar landing mission vehicle in Earth orbit to great distances from Earth."[17]
F Apollo 10 "A complete mission except for the final descent to and landing on the lunar surface."[17]
G Apollo 11 "The initial lunar landing mission."[17]
H Apollo 12
Apollo 13 (planned)
Apollo 14 		"Precision manned lunar landing demonstration and systematic lunar exploration."[1]: 466 
I — "Reserved for lunar survey missions (not used)."[18]
J Apollo 15
Apollo 16
Apollo 17 		"Extensive scientific investigation of Moon on lunar surface and from lunar orbit."[1]: 466 

Test flights[edit]

Unmanned test missions[edit]

From 1961 to 1968, the Saturn launch vehicles and components of the Apollo spacecraft were tested in uncrewed flights.

There was some incongruity in the numbering and naming of the first three uncrewed Apollo-Saturn (AS), or Apollo flights. This is due to AS-204 being renamed to Apollo 1 posthumously. This crewed flight was to have followed the first three unmanned flights. After the fire which killed the AS-204 crew on the pad during a test and training exercise, unmanned Apollo flights resumed to test the Saturn V launch vehicle and the Lunar Module; these were designated Apollo 4, 5 and 6. The first crewed Apollo mission was thus Apollo 7. Simple "Apollo" numbers were never assigned to the first three unmanned flights, although renaming AS-201, AS-202, and AS-203 as Apollo 1-A, Apollo 2 and Apollo 3, had been briefly considered.[4]

Mission LV Serial No Launch Remarks Refs
SA-1 Saturn I

SA-1

27 October 1961

15:06 GMT

Launch Complex 34

Test of Saturn I first stage S-I; dummy upper stages carried water [1][19][20]
SA-2 Saturn I

SA-2

25 April 1962

14:00 GMT

Launch Complex 34

Dummy upper stages released 22,900 U.S. gallons (86,685 L) of water into upper atmosphere, to investigate effects on radio transmission and changes in local weather conditions [1][19][20]
SA-3 Saturn I

SA-3

16 November 1962

17:45 GMT

Launch Complex 34

Repeat of SA-2 mission [1][19][20]
SA-4 Saturn I

SA-4

28 March 1963

20:11 GMT

Launch Complex 34

Test premature shutdown of a single S-I engine [1][19][20]
SA-5 Saturn I

SA-5

29 January 1964

16:25 GMT

Launch Complex 37B

First flight of live second stage. First orbital flight. [1][19][20]
AS-101 Saturn I

SA-6

28 May 1964

17:07 GMT

Launch Complex 37B

Tested first boilerplate Apollo command and service module (CSM) for structural integrity [1][20]
AS-102 Saturn I

SA-7

18 September 1964

17:22 GMT

Launch Complex 37B

Carried first programmable-in-flight computer on the Saturn I vehicle; last launch vehicle development flight [1][20]
AS-103 Saturn I

SA-9

16 February 1965

14:37 GMT

Launch Complex 37B

Carried first Pegasus micrometeorite satellite (Pegasus A) in addition to boilerplate CSM [1][20]
AS-104 Saturn I

SA-8

25 May 1965

07:35 GMT

Launch Complex 37B

Carried Pegasus B and boilerplate CSM [1][20]
AS-105 Saturn I

SA-10

30 July 1965

13:00 GMT

Launch Complex 37B

Carried Pegasus C and boilerplate CSM [1][20]
AS-201 Saturn IB AS-201 26 February 1966

16:12 GMT

Launch Complex 34

First test of Saturn IB. First flight of Block I Apollo CSM. After a suborbital flight the CM landed in the Atlantic Ocean demonstrating the heat shield; however a propellant pressure loss caused premature SM engine shutdown. [1][4][19][20]
AS-203 Saturn IB AS-203 5 July 1966

14:53 GMT

Launch Complex 37B

No Apollo spacecraft carried; successfully verified restartable S-IVB stage design for Saturn V. Additional testing designed to rupture the tank inadvertently destroyed the stage. [1][4][19][20]
AS-202 Saturn IB AS-202 25 August 1966

17:15 GMT

Launch Complex 34

Longer duration suborbital to Pacific Ocean splashdown. CM heat shield tested to higher speed and successful SM firings. [1][4][19][20]
Apollo 4 Saturn V AS-501 9 November 1967

12:00 GMT

Launch Complex 39A

First flight of Saturn V rocket; successfully demonstrated S-IVB third stage restart and tested CM heat shield at lunar re-entry speeds. [1][19][20]
Apollo 5 Saturn IB AS-204 22 January 1968

22:48 GMT

Launch Complex 37B

First flight of LM; successfully fired descent engine and ascent engine; demonstrated "fire-in-the-hole" landing abort test. [1][19][20]
Apollo 6 Saturn V AS-502 4 April 1968

16:12 GMT

Launch Complex 39A

Second flight of Saturn V; severe "pogo" vibrations caused two second-stage engines to shut down prematurely, and third stage restart to fail. SM engine used to achieve high-speed re-entry, though less than Apollo 4. NASA identified vibration fixes and declared Saturn V man-rated. [1][19][20]

Uncrewed launch escape system tests[edit]

From August 1963 to January 1966 a number of tests were conducted for development of the launch escape system (LES). These included simulated "pad aborts", which might occur while the Apollo-Saturn space vehicle was still on the launch pad, and flights on the Little Joe II rocket to simulate Mode I aborts which might occur while the vehicle was in the air.[1]

Pad Abort Test number 2. A capsule is suspended underneath a rocket section with three exhaust plumes
Pad Abort Test 2 with boilerplate command module
Mission Launch date
and vehicle if used 		Launch time Remarks Refs
QTV 28 August 1963
Little Joe II 		13:05 GMT Little Joe II qualification test [1][20]
Pad Abort Test 1 7 November 1963 16:00 GMT Launch escape system (LES) abort test from launch pad [1][20]
A-001 13 May 1964
Little Joe II 		13:00 GMT LES transonic test, success except for parachute failure [1][20]
A-002 8 December 1964 15:00 GMT LES maximum altitude, Max-Q abort test [1][20]
A-003 19 May 1965 13:01 GMT LES canard maximum altitude abort test [1][20]
Pad Abort Test 2 29 June 1965 13:00 GMT LES pad abort test of near Block-I CM [1][20]
A-004 20 January 1966 15:17 GMT LES test of maximum weight, tumbling Block-I CM [1][20]

Thermal-vacuum tests[edit]

Number Date Vehicle Crew Notes Refs
1 July 26, 1966 spacecraft 008
(Block 1) 		—
  • Flight time of 94 hours.
 [21]
2 August 2, 1966 spacecraft 008
(Block 1) 		Volunteers from MSC
  • Flight time of 183 hours
 [21]
3 October 26, 1966 spacecraft 008
(Block 1) 		Two astronauts and one military pilot
  • Flight time of 173 hours
 [21]
4 June 10, 1968 2TV-1[b]
(Block II) 		—
  • 29 hours of mission simulation
 [21]
5 June 16, 1968 2TV-1[b]
(Block II)
  • 177 hours of mission simulation
 [22]
6 August 24, 1968 2TV-1[b]
(Block II) 		—
  • 61 hours simulation time
 [21]
7 September 4, 1968 2TV-1[b]
(Block II) 		Military pilots assigned to NASA
  • 102 hours simulation time
 [21]
8 April 1, 1968 LTA-8 [c]
(Lunar Module) 		—
  • 193 hours
 [21]
9 May 5, 1968 LTA-8 [c]
(Lunar Module)
  • 84 hours simulation time
 [21][23][24]
10 May 24, 1968 LTA-8 [c]
(Lunar Module) 		— [21][23][24]
11 May 30, 1968 LTA-8 [c]
(Lunar Module) 		— [21][23][24]
12 June 5, 1968 LTA-8 [c]
(Lunar Module) 		21 hours simulation time [21][23][24]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Although the A-type designation was used in official documents to refer only to Apollo 4 and Apollo 6[1]: 466 , specifically their uncrewed orbital flights of the CSM and use of the Saturn V rocket, Samuel C. Phillips also used the A-type designation to refer to AS-201, AS-203 and AS-202: "A. Unmanned flights of launch vehicles and the CSM, to demonstrate the adequacy of their design and to certify safety for men. Five of these flights were flown between February 1966 and April 1968; Apollo 6 was the last."[17]
  2. ^ a b c d Block II Thermal Vacuum no.1
  3. ^ a b c d e Lunar Module Test Article no.8

References[edit]

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Apollo Program Summary Report (PDF) (Report). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. April 1975. JSC-09423. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  2. ^ "Apollo 11 (AS-506)". Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 21 September 2017.[dead link]
  3. ^ a b Riley, Christopher (15 December 2012). "Apollo 40 years on: how the moon missions changed the world for ever". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e Teitel, Amy (28 October 2018). "What Happened to Apollos 2 and 3?". Popular Science. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  5. ^ Williams, David (11 December 2003). "Apollo 18 through 20 - The Cancelled Missions". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  6. ^ Apollo 13 Mission Report (PDF) (Report). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. September 1970. MSC-02680. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  7. ^ Silber, Kennith (16 July 2009). "Down to Earth: The Apollo Moon Missions That Never Were". Scientific American. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Lunar Rocks and Soils from Apollo Missions". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  9. ^ Gaudin, Sharon (20 July 2009). "NASA's Apollo technology has changed history". Computerworld. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  10. ^ Bongat, Orlando (16 September 2011). "Little Joe II". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  11. ^ "Rocket, Launch Vehicle, Test, Saturn I, Block 1". Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. 2016-03-13. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  12. ^ Portree, David S. F. (16 September 2013). "A Forgotten Rocket: The Saturn IB". Wired. Wired (magazine). Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  13. ^ Bongat, Orlando. "Saturn V". National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
  14. ^ a b Brooks, Courtney G.; Grimwood, James M.; Swenson, Loyd S. (1979). "Tragedy and Recovery". Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft. NASA.
  15. ^ Murray, Charles; Cox, Catherine Bly (1989). Apollo: The Race to the Moon. Simon and Schuster. pp. 315–16. ISBN 9780671706258.
  16. ^ Cortright, Edgar M., ed. (2019). Apollo Expeditions to the Moon. Dover. p. 171. ISBN 9780486836522.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i Cortright, Edgar M., ed. (2019). Apollo Expeditions to the Moon. Dover. p. 172. ISBN 9780486836522.
  18. ^ a b "Part 2(D) – July through September 1967". The Apollo Spacecraft – A Chronology. Volume IV. NASA. 1975. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hallion & Crouch, pp. 153–159
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Apollo 17 Mission Report (PDF) (Report). National Aeronautics and Space Administration. March 1973. JSC-07904. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19740012430.pdf
  22. ^ http://www.angelfire.com/ma3/spacepatch/2TV1.html
  23. ^ a b c d "Lta8".
  24. ^ a b c d "Lunar Module LTA-8".

Bibliography[edit]

External links[edit]

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