APOLLO SPACECRAFT

NEWS REFERENCE

    It took 400 years of trial and failure, from Da Vinci to the Wrights, to bring about the first flying machine, and each increment of progress thereafter became progressively more difficult.

    But nature allowed one advantage: air. The air provides lift for the airplane, oxygen for engine combustion, heating, and cooling, and the pressurized atmosphere needed to sustain life at high altitude. Take away the air and the problems of building the man-carrying flying machine mount several orders of magnitude. The craft that ventures beyond the atmosphere demands new methods of controlling flight, new types of propulsion and guidance, a new way of descending to a landing, and large supplies of air substitutes.

    Now add another requirement: distance. All of the design and construction problems are re-compounded. The myriad tasks of long-distance flight call for a larger crew, hence a greater supply of expendables. The functions of navigation, guidance, and control become far more complex. Advanced systems of communications are needed. A superior structure is required. The environment of deep space imposes new considerations of protection for the crew and the all-important array of electronic systems. The much higher speed of entry dictates an entirely new approach to descent and landing. Everything adds up to weight and mass, increasing the need for propulsive energy. There is one constantly recurring, insistent theme: everything must be more reliable than any previous aerospace equipment, because the vehicle becomes in effect a world in miniature, operating with minimal assistance from earth.

    Such is the scope of Apollo.

    Appropriately, the spacecraft was named for one of the busiest and the most versatile of the Greek gods. Apollo was the god of light and the twin brother of Artemis, the goddess of the Moon. He was the god of music and the father of Orpheus. At his temple in Delphi, he was the god of prophecy. Finally, he was also known as the god of poetry, of healing, and of pastoral pursuits.

    The site is arranged in five distinct parts. The first includes general information about the program, the elements of the spacecraft and launch vehicles, and the missions. The second part is a detailed description of the Apollo modules. The third contains descriptions of the equipment and operation of major subsystems. The fourth concerns vital operations and support, and the fifth contains a series of references.

    Information on most of the subsystems follows this format: first, a general description of the system, its equipment, and its function; second, an equipment list containing all major data about key equipment; and third, a detailed description of subsystem operation. The general description should provide all the information normally needed about each subsystem; the detailed description is necessarily quite technical and is included in response to requests for this level of detail.

    The Apollo Spacecraft News Reference website was prepared by Adam Bootle. 

    Clicking on an image will result in a larger version opening in its own browser window.

    The CSM was constantly revised and improved upon throughout its working life.  This website reflects the CSM as of mid 1968 and will not be updated for later vehicles.