The first manned mission of the Apollo series was Apollo 7, launched on October 11, 1968 atop a Saturn IB. On board were Walter Schirra, Don Eisele, and Walter Cunningham. The purpose of the 10-day flight was to test the systems of the Command and Service Modules while in Earth orbit. A major redesign of the command module had occurred after the deadly Apollo 1 fire and this mission was the first opportunity to test the first of the new Block II spacecraft (CSM 101) in orbit. All of the systems performed as designed, including the critical Service Module engine which was required for future Apollo missions to the moon. The only significant difficulty in the mission was the fact that all three astronauts developed severe head colds. The mission ended uneventfully with a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean.
NASA transferred the Apollo 7 Command Module to the Smithsonian Institution in 1970.
Display Status
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin
United States of America
Type
SPACECRAFT-Crewed
Astronaut
Donn F. Eisele
Walter Cunningham
Walter M. Schirra, Jr.
Manufacturer
North American Rockwell
Dimensions
Overall: 127 in. tall x 154 in. diameter (322.58 x 391.16cm)
Materials
Aluminum alloy, stainless steel, and titanium structures. Outer shell - stainless steel honeycomb between stainless steel sheets. Crew compartment inner shell - aluminum honeycomb between aluminum alloy sheets.
Epoxy-resin ablative heat shield covers outside.
Inventory Number
A19740718000
Credit Line
Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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