Apollo 1 - January 27, 1967

Summary

On January 27, 1967, the launch crew and flight crew of the first manned Apollo mission were conducting a
simulated countdown to test the operations and compatibility of the CSM and the launch vehicle prior to their scheduled launch the following month. The spacecraft was ready for a simulated launch, with hatch locked,
power on, and an internal atmosphere of pure oxygen. The crew of Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White, II, and
Roger B. Chaffee were in their space suits and performing the normal sequence of prelaunch activities.

At about 6:30 PM, after over five hours of delays and problems, a spark inside the spacecraft ignited flammable material and instantly engulfed the closed compartment in flames. By the time the hatch was pried away more than five minutes later, the crew had died from asphyxiation.

The precise source of the spark and fire was never determined; neither were any individuals or specific organizations implicated in the fire. Upon retrospect, the actual cause was due to the combination of several conditions: an
oxygen-rich atmosphere; flammable interior materials such as paper, the space suits, velcro, and other flight equipment; a vast array of exposed internal wiring, which presented many potential sources of electrical sparks;
and the design and manufacture of the spacecraft.

As a result of the fire, many changes were made to the design, manufacturing, test, and checkout procedures of
the vehicles and the management of the entire Apollo Program. Many of these changes were tested in the unpiloted
Apollo missions 4, 5, and 6. The vast improvements to the CSM, in particular, and the process by which it was prepared for flight, proved highly successful. The CSM performed almost flawlessly during the remainder of the
Apollo Program (with the exception of Apollo 13).

Crew

• Virgil I. Grissom
• Edward H. White (II)
• Roger B. Chaffee

Backup Crew

• Walter M. Schirra, Jr
• Donn F. Eisele
• Walter Cunningham

Apollo 1 Image Gallery