Apollo 2 to 6

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halcyondays

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Could someone kindly provide a brief list of what, if anything, these missions consisted of ? Everyone knows about the launch pad fire (Apollo 1), then nothing till Apollo 7.<br /><br />If a link is easier to provide, fine. Many thanks.
 
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tohaki

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dobbins

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Originally a different numbering system was going to be used. The first Apollo flight was AS-201 a test of the Saturn 1B rocket. AS for Apollo Saturn. 2 for the Saturn 1B and 01 for the first flight.of the Saturn 1B. AS-202 and AS-203 were unmanned test flights. AS-204 was planned as the first manned flight of Apollo. It was the flight that the astronauts died in the fire. The astronauts had wanted it to be Apollo 1 and the widows of the astronauts asked that it be numbered Apollo 1.<br /><br />This made AS-501, the first flight of the Saturn V, the 4th Apollo mission flown so it became Apollo 4. AS-201, AS-202, and AS 203 were not renumbered. The Saturn 1B that was to have flown the AS-204 manned mission was used as Apollo 5 a LM test. AS-502 became Apollo 6. AS-205 became Apollo 7.<br /><br />
 
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Swampcat

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astronautix.com is an excellent source for information on spacecraft.<br /><br />In searching at this site, keep in mind that the early Apollo missions used different designations than you'd expect. Apollo 4 was AS-501. Apollo 5 was AS-204 and Apollo 6 was AS-502. According to NASA there were no flights designated Apollo 2 or Apollo 3. <br /><br />You beat me to it, Dobbins <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />. I was distracted because I'm watching the ACC soccer final. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>
 
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dobbins

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To add to the confusion KSC continued to use the AS designations internally, while Marshall reversed them to SA in their internal numbering. (Saturn/Apollo instead of Apollo/Saturn). So a flight could be AS-205, SA-205, or Apollo 7 depending on who was talking about it.<br /><br />
 
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lampblack

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So... taken together, these posts seem to be suggesting that there is no better way than putting together a world class rocketry program to bring out the Inner Bureaucrat. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>
 
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halcyondays

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Thanks everyone, fascinating. I sort of had a feeling it wouldn't be a simple matter !
 
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Swampcat

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<font color="yellow">"... the question got us all thinking!"</font><br /><br />Yeah, I kept seeing interesting things to read when I was looking through astronautix.com. That happens just about everytime I go there. That's why Dobbins beat me to the post. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br />BTW, I'm definitely old enough to remember them (or forget them as DrWayne would say <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />). I had recently finished my freshman year of college at the time of Apollo 11.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>
 
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drwayne

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Or worse - I find myself mis-remembering things - numbers / dates etc - and that's for things I need to do tommorrow.<br /><br />I don't recall a huge deal being made of the unmanned flights back then...<br /><br />Wayne<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>
 
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henryhallam

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I'm often sorry that I wasn't around during the heydey of Apollo. But at least I will have a chance to take part in the "new generation of exploration" (am in my first year of an aero engineering degree). Probably worst would have been to graduate ten or fifteen years ago, with no realistic prospects then of anything beyond LEO.
 
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drwayne

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Do you remember people stopping in the mall to watch TV's in store fronts?<br /><br />Its so hard to explain to people the common interest that such a fraction of the population had at that time.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>
 
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drwayne

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Its funny how a few words, can have meaning beyond anything you might expect.<br /><br />"Ignition sequence start"<br /><br />brings a tear to my eye. Its silly, I know. Its nowhere in the league of the famous words - but it carries so much meaning - only a few seconds to liftoff...<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>
 
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sorehed

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Spacecraft Films has a lot of good film footage of the unmanned Saturn launches on DVD.
 
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sorehed

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Sometimes, young guys in the right seat look at me funny when I say "ignition sequence start" as I push the engine starter button at work. They have no clue what I'm referring to. It's kind of sad, really.
 
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drwayne

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You can give a presentation from just the film of Saturn 5 staging - (I know, I have). Important details of liquid plumes - staging sequences - plume impingement - so many concepts.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>
 
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drwayne

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Living in Huntsville at the time added to things. Growing up with the frightening sound of engines in test stands.<br /><br />It seemed like everyone's father I knew worked space in one way or the other.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>
 
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drwayne

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The ice falling from the vehicle as it rose.....<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>
 
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Swampcat

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: <font color="yellow">”…I find myself mis-remembering things…”</font><br /><br />Yeah, that happens to me too. It’s most disconcerting.<br /><br />Somebody once said that if you remember the 60’s, you weren’t there. I know what they mean. I was a teenager in the 60’s and my recollections of that period are a big blur. It might’ve had something to do with my recreational activities <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" />.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>
 
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nacnud

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The 90s were simmilar for me, oh well at least I didn't miss anything important.
 
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Swampcat

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<font color="yellow">"...at least I didn't miss anything important."</font><br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br /><br />I'd like to forget the 90's. It was a bad time for me personally. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="3" color="#ff9900"><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>------------------------------------------------------------------- </em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong><em>"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical. Unsuccessful rebellions, indeed, generally establish the encroachments on the rights of the people which have produced them. An observation of this truth should render honest republican governors so mild in their punishment of rebellions as not to discourage them too much. It is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government."</em></strong></font></p><p><font size="1" color="#993300"><strong>Thomas Jefferson</strong></font></p></font> </div>
 
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trailrider

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I'm doing talks before elementary school kids about where we are going, and where we've been in the exploration of space. (If we don't get these kids interested by 5th grade, I think you can forget it! And no "Uncle Wehrner" around to tell us about how we might explore space!) Since I got a "terminal case" of "spaceitis" in 4th or 5th grade...back in 1952-53, before the word "aerospace" was coined, I lived through the '50's and '60's, including some very interesting jobs at the Cape. (Saw Gus Grissom's Redstone lift off from the Polaris facility! Snuck into the post-flight press conference at the Starlight Motel. I was 19! I find myself with some instances of CRS when I try to bring back specs for lift-off thrust for some of the birds! <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /><br /><br />For me the "magic words" are, "T-minus 27 seconds, vernier engine start!" (Atlas D automatic sequencer started at that point....I think I remember hearing...)<br /><br />The one that REALLY got the chills going up and down my spine was John Young reporting, "Houston, Columbia out of flight level 4500 at Mach 25!" Considering that the fastest manned "aircraft" prior to that was the X-15, years before. We thought the Space Transportation System would take care of the costs of expendable launch vehicles. How little did we know... <img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /> I was working on the SRB Decelerator (parachute recovery) Subsystem at the time. Even before, but especially after Challenger, I always hold my breath until "booster sep" has occurred. I don't like solids for "high value" payloads!<br /><br />Of COURSE, Neil Armstrong's, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed!" probably tops them all, especially after hearing the "60 seconds" call from CapCom.<br /><br />Well, I better stop waxing nostalgic, and get back to waxing the floor, or something else that's constructive.<br /><br />Hopefully, we'll hear calls of a safe landing on the Moon from an LSAM commander in t
 
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drwayne

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"You've got a bunch of guys about to turn blue down here"<br /><br />I wonder how many listening and watching knew what that meant?<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>
 
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haywood

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I was 16 at the time and an avid follower of the space program but had no idea what that phrase meant.<br />I thought it just referred to the relief of a landing...not the fact that it almost didn't happen at the last moment.
 
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