Lunar Test Article 8 (LTA-8) ascent stage was the upper portion of the thermal vacuum test article which underwent extensive testing at the Manned Spacecraft Center's thermal vacuum test chamber "B", the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory (SESL), beginning on September 18, 1967. The first "man-rated" lunar module, LTA-8 was originally envisioned as a dynamic test and evaluation vehicle, although atmospheric tests involving the object were eventually cancelled. LTA-8 underwent separate series of tests in support of LM-3 (Apollo 9) and LM-5 (Apollo 11). Tests were designed to evaluate the spacecraft under simulated mission conditions, for simulated mission durations.
NASA transferred LTA-8 to the Smithsonian in 1978.
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.