{"id":307871,"date":"2018-10-11T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-11T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-434017"},"modified":"2023-09-29T19:08:27","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T23:08:27","slug":"nasa-celebrates-the-50th-anniversary-of-apollo-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/apollo\/apollo-7\/nasa-celebrates-the-50th-anniversary-of-apollo-7\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 7"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Apollo 50th: First Crew Launches on Apollo 7\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/wolBYX84Efk?start=2&feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On Oct. 11, 1968, NASA launched its first crewed Apollo mission, which paved the way for the moon landing less than a year later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Apollo 7 crew was commanded by Wally Schirra, with Command Module Pilot Donn Eisele, and Lunar Module Pilot Walt Cunningham. The mission consisted of an 11-day Earth-orbital test flight to test the Apollo command and service module. It was also the first time a crew flew on the Saturn IB rocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although Apollo 7 was a complete technical success, it was born out of a tragedy. After the fatal fire that took the lives of the Apollo 1 crew\u2014Gus Grissom, Roger Chaffee, and Ed White\u2014the Apollo 7 crew took over the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Apollo 1 was supposed to be the first crewed Apollo mission. During a launch rehearsal test at Cape Kennedy, an electrical fire broke out in the cabin. Because the cabin atmosphere was pure oxygen, the fire spread incredibly quickly. The fire also created intense pressure inside the cabin, and because the hatch could only swing inward, the crew was stuck inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All further crewed missions had to wait until NASA could determine the sources of the mishap\u2014technical and organizational\u2014and ensure that nothing like it would happen again. In the 21 months between Apollo 1 and Apollo 7, the Apollo spacecraft and spacesuits were redesigned to more safely fly crews to space.  <\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"651\" height=\"925\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg?w=651\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Apollo 7 Prime Crew\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg 651w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg?resize=211,300 211w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg?resize=282,400 282w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg?resize=422,600 422w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg?resize=633,900 633w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 651px) 100vw, 651px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The Apollo 7 Prime Crew was (from left) Command Module Pilot Donn Eisele, Commander Wally Schirra and Lunar Module Pilot Walt Cunningham.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>While Apollo 4, 5, and 6 practiced some of the maneuvers necessary to build up to a lunar landing, such as the first flight of the Saturn V rocket and high-speed reentry, none of these missions were crewed. (Apollo 2 and 3 were skipped in the sequence out of respect to the Apollo 1 crew.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By late 1968, NASA was ready to move forward from the Apollo 1 disaster and work toward landing on the Moon. The Apollo 7 crew not only had to take over the mission that their friends and colleagues had died training for, but they have to prove to the world that the Apollo program was still in good shape to continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGus would be the first person to say, \u2018Let\u2019s get on with it. Do good work,\u2019\u201d said Apollo 7 Commander Wally Schirra, reflecting on the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On Oct. 11, Apollo 7 launched from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station, Florida. The Saturn IB rocket performed well and the liftoff was smooth. Aside from minor hardware problems, there were no significant problems or anomalies during the flight. The Apollo Command and Service Module passed the test and cleared the way for Apollo 8 to complete its lunar orbit, and instilled the confidence in the Apollo 11 crew to land on the moon. Apollo 7 was not only the first three-person American space mission, but it was also the first to include a live television broadcast from inside an American spacecraft.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1869\" height=\"1506\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?w=1869\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Apollo 7 lifts off from Cape Kennedy\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg 1869w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?resize=300,242 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?resize=768,619 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?resize=1024,825 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?resize=1536,1238 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?resize=400,322 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?resize=600,483 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?resize=900,725 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/1a-ap7-ksc-68pc-182.jpg?resize=1200,967 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1869px) 100vw, 1869px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Apollo 7 lifts off from Cape Kennedy (now Cape Canaveral) Air Force Station’s Launch Complex 34 on Oct. 11, 1968. It was the first of several piloted flights designed to qualify the spacecraft for the half-million-mile round trip to the Moon.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Eleven days after the launch, the Apollo 7 crew splashed down south of Bermuda and the crew was instantly celebrated for their success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was the longest, it was the most ambitious, and most successful first test flight of any new flying machine, ever,\u201d said Apollo 7 Lunar Module Pilot Walt Cunningham. \u201cAnd it\u2019s still true today, 50 years later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Video Credit: NASA\/Nasreen Alkhateeb<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/60-years-ago-astronaut-schirra-orbits-the-earth-six-times-aboard-sigma-7\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"244\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sigma_7_1_schirra_portrait_s62-05526.jpg?w=244\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sigma_7_1_schirra_portrait_s62-05526.jpg 457w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sigma_7_1_schirra_portrait_s62-05526.jpg?resize=244,300 244w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sigma_7_1_schirra_portrait_s62-05526.jpg?resize=325,400 325w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">15 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">60 Years Ago: Astronaut Schirra Orbits the Earth Six Times Aboard Sigma 7<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 years ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/60-years-ago-nasa-introduces-mercury-7-astronauts\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"229\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/mercury_7_astros_press_conf.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/mercury_7_astros_press_conf.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/mercury_7_astros_press_conf.jpg?resize=300,229 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/mercury_7_astros_press_conf.jpg?resize=400,306 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">4 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">60 Years Ago: NASA Introduces Mercury 7 Astronauts<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t5 years ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-accolades-for-apollo-7-astronauts\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"244\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg 3127w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=300,244 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=768,625 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=1024,833 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=1536,1250 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=2048,1667 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=400,326 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=600,488 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=900,732 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=1200,977 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/moon-landing-minus-8-months-1-apollo-7-lbj-ranch-nov-2-1968-s68-53534.jpg?resize=2000,1628 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">2 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">50 Years Ago, Accolades for Apollo 7 Astronauts<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t6 years ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On Oct. 11, 1968, NASA launched its first crewed Apollo mission, which paved the way for the moon landing less than a year later.  The Apollo 7 crew was commanded by Wally Schirra, with Command Module Pilot Donn Eisele, and Lunar Module Pilot Walt Cunningham. The mission consisted of an 11-day Earth-orbital test flight to test the Apollo command and [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":253,"featured_media":311123,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2935,3519,3508,3690],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[5021],"coauthors":[10638],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 7","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/apollo\/apollo-7\/nasa-celebrates-the-50th-anniversary-of-apollo-7\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/apollo\/apollo-7\/nasa-celebrates-the-50th-anniversary-of-apollo-7\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg"},"articleSection":"Missions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Thalia K. Patrinos"}],"creator":["Thalia K. Patrinos"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Humans in Space","Astronauts","Former Astronauts","Walter M. Schirra Jr.","Apollo 7","Donn F. Eisele","Walter Cunningham"],"dateCreated":"2018-10-11T21:30:00Z","datePublished":"2018-10-11T21:30:00Z","dateModified":"2023-09-29T23:08:27Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 7\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/missions\/apollo\/apollo-7\/nasa-celebrates-the-50th-anniversary-of-apollo-7\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2018-10-11T21:30:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Humans in Space,Astronauts,Former Astronauts,Walter M. Schirra Jr.,Apollo 7,Donn F. Eisele,Walter Cunningham\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Thalia K. Patrinos\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":3,"time_ago":"6 years","featured_image":{"id":311123,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/apollo_7_prime_crew_2.jpg","title":"apollo_7_prime_crew_2","alt":"Apollo 7 Prime Crew","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307871"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/253"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=307871"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307871\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":516627,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307871\/revisions\/516627"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/311123"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=307871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=307871"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=307871"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=307871"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=307871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}