Fifty years ago today, tragedy struck the nation as we lost three NASA astronauts.
Astronauts Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Edward White and Roger Chaffee were killed during a flash fire inside the Apollo I spacecraft on the launch pad. The three men would have flown on the first crewed Apollo flight which was set to launch less than a month after the routine test that claimed their lives on January 27, 1967.
Left to right, Grissom, White, Chaffee. Image credit: NASA
Grissom was 40. White was 36. Chaffee was 31.
Apollo 1 was scheduled to be a routine test that would be as close to flight configuration as possible. It was to demonstrate the spacecraft’s systems and operational procedures. Apollo 1 was also to confirm the capability of systems in a simulated launch.
During the prelaunch test inside of the command module, a fire rapidly broke out in the pure-oxygen environment. With a hatch designed to open inward and tremendous pressure inside the spacecraft, the astronauts could not escape and the ground crew could not save the astronauts despite their heroic efforts to get past the heat and smoke.
A ceremony was held yesterday at Kennedy Space Center in honor of fallen astronauts ー NASA’s Day of Remembrance. It included tributes to the fallen astronauts of Apollo 1, STS-51L Challenger and STS-107 Columbia.
As we push forward today and into the future of human spaceflight, we boldly continue the cause for which Grissom, White and Chaffee made the ultimate sacrifice.
Launch Complex 34. Image credit: NASA
Click here for more on the Day of Remembrance at Kennedy Space Center.
Read more about NASA’s Day of Remembrance at NASA.gov.