## Historical Resources

# The Apollo 1 Accident

Tragedy struck the Apollo program on January 27, 1967, when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States spacewalk during the Gemini program; and Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first space flight, died in this tragic accident.

The Crew

History

Investigation

Conclusions

Gallery

## The Crew

Former Astronaut Virgil I. GrissomFormer Astronaut Edward H. White, IIFormer Astronaut Roger B. Chaffee

## The Crew of Apollo 1

Read about the lives of astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee in Mary C. White's extended biographies of the crew.
				Read their stories                                     about The Crew of Apollo 1

## Backup Crews

Walter M. Schirra, Jr.
Command pilot for second backup crew (Dec 1966–Jan 1967)

Donn F. Eisele
Senior pilot for second backup crew (Dec 1966–Jan 1967)

Walter Cunningham
Pilot for second backup crew (Dec 1966–Jan 1967)

James A. McDivitt
Command pilot for first backup crew (Apr–Dec 1966)

David R. Scott
Senior pilot for first backup crew (Jan–Dec 1966)

Russell L. Schweickart
Pilot for first backup crew (Apr–Dec 1966)

## 				History 			

## Chariots for Apollo 

Chapter 9: "Tragedy and Recovery" from the book Chariots for Apollo: A History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft by Courtney G. Brooks, James M. Grimwood, and Loyd S. Swenson, Jr.

## Moonport

Chapter 18: "The Fire That Seared the Spaceport" from the book Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations by Charles D. Benson and William Barnaby Faherty.

## Annotated Bibliography

A list of articles and books about the Apollo 204 fire.

## The Apollo Spacecraft

The Apollo Spacecraft News Reference book published in 1968.

## The Tragedy

Sections from the Report of Apollo 204 Review Board detailing the events of the accident.

## 				The Investigation			

## Apollo 204 Review Board Report

A seven-member board, under the direction of the NASA Langley Research Center Director, Dr. Floyd L. Thompson, conducted a comprehensive investigation to pinpoint the cause of the fire. The final report, completed in April 1967 was subsequently submitted to the NASA Administrator. The report presented the results of the investigation and made specific recommendations that led to major design and engineering modifications, and revisions to test planning, test discipline, manufacturing processes and procedures, and quality control. With these changes, the overall safety of the command and service module and the lunar module was increased substantially. The AS-204 mission was redesignated Apollo I in honor of the crew.

## The Baron Report

Thomas Ronald Baron was a rank and file inspector at Kennedy Space Center from September 1965 until November 1966. Read his report for the period of September 1965 to November 1966.

## Baron's Testimony Before Congress

Transcript of Thomas Ronald Baron's testimony before Congress in 1967.

## The Phillips Report

In late 1965, Major General Samuel C. Phillips, Apollo Program Director at NASA Headquarters, initiated a review of NASA's contract with North American Aviation, Inc., to determine why work on both the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn V second stage was behind schedule and over budget. This highly critical study is known as the Phillips Report.

## Frank Borman's Testimony to the House

Astronaut Frank Borman's April 10, 1967 testimony from the Hearings before the Subcommittee on NASA Oversight of the Committee on Science and Astronautics, U.S. House of Representatives.

## Frank Borman's Testimony to the Senate

Astronaut Frank Borman's April 11, 1967 testimony from the Hearings before the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, United States Senate. 

## Senate Report on the Accident

Apollo 204 Accident: Report of the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, United States Senate, with Additional Views dated January 30, 1968.

## 				Conclusions			

## NASA Response to the Findings of the Apollo 204 Review Board

Excerpt from "Apollo 204 Accident: Report of the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, United States Senate, Report No. 956," January 30, 1968, p. 5

## NASA-Spacecraft Contractor Relations

Excerpt from "Apollo 204 Accident: Report of the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, United States Senate, Report No. 956," January 30, 1968, p. 7.

## Effects of the Apollo 204 Accident on Schedule and Cost of the Apollo Program

The Apollo 204 accident and its investigation resulted in substantial changes in the program with resultant impacts on cost and schedules. The principle schedule changes and cost impact are given. Excerpt from "Apollo 204 Accident: Report of the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, United States Senate, Report No. 956," January 30, 1968, p. 8.

## Summary

Excerpt from "Apollo 204 Accident: Report of the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, United States Senate, Report No. 956," January 30, 1968, p.9.

## Apollo/Saturn Schedule (1968)

Excerpt from "Apollo 204 Accident: Report of the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences, United States Senate, Report No. 956," January 30, 1968, p. 20, detailing the schedule for proposed Apollo flights in 1968.

## Apollo 1

30 Images

Go To Gallery

Go To Gallery

## Discover More Topics From NASA

NASA Day of Remembrance

NASA History
Apollo 1
On Jan. 27, 1967, tragedy struck on the launch pad at Cape Kennedy during a preflight test for Apollo 204…

Other Research Resources