The Mercury and Gemini onboard original film is at College Park. At least one of them does not. When we removed the inner hatch, it would only go so far as it was lodged against Ed's body. We keep his medal, for exceptional bravery, in a humble wooden frame. Enough said! I am assuming you're speaking of photos of the bodies, both in place and in autopsy. A pure oxygen atmosphere was one option, as it required a lighter environmental control system to produce than a more complex mix of nitrogen and oxygen. But, infamously, a fire in the pure oxygen environment of the Apollo 1 spacecraft could not be compensated foreven by arguably NASA's best test pilot, Gus Grissom, veteran astronaut Ed White, and rookie Roger Chaffee. The flammable oxygen environment for ground tests was replaced with a nitrogen-oxygen mix. There was a 17 second gap from when the crew reported the fire to their death, analysts concluded. Oddly enough, within a week Baron and his family were killed when their car was struck by a train. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) The Apollo program changed forever on Jan. 27, 1967, when a flash fire swept. I don't think the Apollo Command Module would even fit inside the main doors of the blockhouse (I'll have to recheck on that along with the service entry area of the control center), as I would hate to see it disassembled in pieces just to accomplish such a feat. Also of interest is that some speculate that the Block I suits were made of nomex and that if they had been wearing the Beta suits of Apollo 7 onwards that the suits would have been almost completely intact. Is that the same building as the "infirmary" in the Cape industrial area that one passes on the Then and Now Tour? The aft heatshield stainless-steel face sheets were melted and eroded. To save on labor costs, North American had used machines to bundle the miles of wires that snaked through the Apollo spacecraft, the arrangement of which seemed arbitrary to Young. America honored the fallen heroes in funerals with full military honors. Rogers and five other men including Clemmons, put their lives at risk to try to rescue Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, the three astronauts trapped inside the burning spacecraft. Posts: 802From: Columbus, OH USARegistered: Jun 2002. apollo 1 autopsy photos The Travels and Adventures of an Irish Geocaching Addict Uncategorized apollo 1 autopsy photos September 15, 2020 These tests were negative. I don't know, I guess they could have come out in a somewhat good shape since they were supposed to be fire resistant, but frankly we don't have anywhere near enough information to conclude anything. I feel that the Apollo 1 capsule (or what is left of it) could and should be tastefully displayed. In his biography Forever Young, A Life of Adventure in Air and Space, the Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle veteran John Young recounted the unfortunate differences in wiring between the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft. The Apollo 1 crew two days before the fire. "He could have gotten back on the elevator and escaped to safety, knowing the dangers involved, but he didn't hesitate," the late Stephen Clemmons, a spacecraft mechanical technician who was also there that night, wrote in a 2004 essay. It should be left as is for the sake of history and for future generations and possible analysis down the line in years to come when technology improves. Immediately after the Apollo 1 fire, to avoid appearance of a conflict of interest, NASA Administrator James E. Webb asked President Lyndon B. Johnson to allow NASA to handle the investigation according to its established procedure, promising to be truthful in assessing blame, and to keep the appropriate leaders of Congress informed. But for those like Henry Rogers who experienced the tragedy firsthand, the trauma of January 27, 1967 left scars, and a deep sense of regret that's difficult to capture all these years later. He fought at Pearl Harbor, and in the Battle of Midway. I attempted to discuss with NASA a method of drying the suits out by using a centrifuge, but they were not interested and told me to mind my own business. The crew of Apollo 1 crosses the gantry to the spacecraft on the day of the fire, January 27, 1967. They are now in the archives, but they were originally stored in the sealed storage facility, as were all of the photos and findings. Ed White rides a life raft in the foreground, Chaffee sits in the hatch of the model spacecraft, and Grissom waits inside the spacecraft. All three astronauts had died. My theory it that if those picture were indeed taken by Nasa, the person who published them stole them. His autopsy report painted a gruesome sight of what occurred to his body when the plane crashed. A great deal of progress had been made since the first manned spaceflight programs, Gemini and Mercury. I assume that since you said you didn't have a wish to view them that you had not seen these particular photos. This provides a view of cramped quarters inside the capsule. Among the names listed: Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. I was shocked at the condition of LC-34. I am assuming you're speaking of photos of the bodies, both in place and in autopsy. Apollo 1 Crew NASA On Jan. 27, 1967, NASA experienced its first space disaster - the deaths of three astronauts during a training excercise for the Apollo 1 mission. Those are not available to researchers. At some point, something will have to be done with it anyway. Image: NASA. By signing up to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from VICE that may sometimes include advertisements or sponsored content. It's nowhere to be found on any official website or any serious news articles. Thecrew entered the pod at1pm on February 21 1967. To display the capsule would help present and future generations be able to see and understand the sacrifices that were made with the Apollo 1 tragedy and what was learned to prevent it from happening again. The Apollo 1 Crew Training via nasa.gov A few weeks later, the Apollo disaster occurred and Baron began work on turning his 55-page report into a 500-page report excoriating NASA and NAA for the failures that led to the tragedy. Edit: forgot to reread, changed a few words. Any thoughts? As he surveyed the capsule that Grissom, White, and Chaffee were to fly in, Young saw a seemingly endless amount of short circuits. Henry "Buck" Rogers was born on March 25, 1923, along with his twin sister, Betty, in Charlotte, North Carolina. I don't believe that it would have been scrapped at KSC because of the materials involved. - Jan 24, 2017 1:00 am UTC. Astronauts for the first Apollo Mission (L-R) Roger B. Chaffee, Edward H. White and Virgil I. Grissom practice for the mission in the Apollo Mission Simulator. The one on the far right is from Apollo 1. Just seconds after a spark ignited inside the capsule, a conflagration burned hotter than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Apollo Spacecraft 12 Command/Service Module is moved from H-134 to east stokes for mating to the Saturn Lunar Module Adapter No. The Apollo original film is still in Houston. This is where the tangled bodies of Grissom and White were found still reaching for the hatch and fused together to the floor of the spacecraft and fused to the mattress pad. Image: NASA, "What I remember is that they were really pushing people, and dad was working a lot of overtime," Ron Rogers, my uncle and Henry's youngest son, told me. Especially now while we still have people who were there that could be involved in helping to create the display. If the capsule was to be displayed in the future, like Rick, I don't think at all it should be restored, No, keep her as she was after the fire investigation and block out the windows. NASA Apollo Mission Apollo-1-- Investigation Apollo 204 Review Board Report The Baron Report Baron's Testimony Before Congress The Phillips Report Borman's Testimony Before Congress Borman Testimony to the House House Testimony Part 1 House Testimony Part 2 Borman Testimony to the Senate Senate Testimony Part 1 Senate Testimony Part 2 imgur 255 55 55 comments Top Add a Comment ctrum69 6 yr. ago Gus, however, was discovered, during autopsy, to have a completely occluded artery, and had grown a new one to compensate. Floor-to-ceiling windows let in a dull light that outlined Cunningham; it was a gloomy backdrop thatmirrored the Apollo astronauts melancholy mood. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. It was difficult for mission control to make out what the crew was saying inside the shuttle, and vice versa, leading Grissom to famously ponder after hours of static: "how are we going to get to the moon if we can't talk between two or three buildings?". At last, the door was open, but it was too late. The viewer would look through glass and observe the entire spacecraft from a top angle. Happier days: in June 1966, the Apollo 1 crew practices water egress procedures with a full scale boilerplate model of the spacecraft. But the space race with the USSR, combined with Kennedy's public goal of a moon landing, created a growing sense of urgency to advance the Apollo program at a breakneck pace. There has been renewed interest since the loss of Columbia by several parties to exhibit part or whole of the command module but as with most things in life the most limiting factor has been the lack of funds. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. "Gus" Grissom, and Roger B. Chaffee. Any chance of finding its origin? About the skull, I'm not sure It's reflected light. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller? Spacecraft 012 had shipped from California to Florida with more than 100 significant engineering orders still not completed, according to the accident report. Other times he went to school barefoot. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. Flammable items were removed. "We had it pushed down enough where we could barely see inside the command module and there was a lot of smoke and heat coming from the inside of the spacecraft. I find it unlikely that their bodies were not removed before these photos were taken, but its possible their faces could have imprinted on the glass somehowresting on the glass while ash accumulated around it, or something of that naturein a way that would have left an impression even after the remains were removed. Then the communications system acted up. The Lincoln chair has not been restored. No one seems to know where the main hull of 014 went to, but it is possible that it was also shipped back to Downy, California, since it still belonged to NAA and had not been accepted by NASA. The nation's Moon landing program suffered a shocking setback on Jan. 27, 1967, with the deaths of Apollo 1 astronauts Virgil I. The Apollo 1 Fire Heritage Images/Getty Images Apollo 1 command module The Apollo mission was slated to launch on February 21, 1967. One thing in particular that caught my attention was the obvious pathway of the fire and the vast difference in temperature ranges, and extent of damage. "The hatch was loose but they couldn't get it out," Henry said in his testimony as part of the year-long investigation into the fire. The interior parts would not need to be installed. Needless to say they were just as upset with NASA as I was. Heard that all of them pretty much looked like that Cosmonaut did. I've been through all the Apollo 1 photos at College Park. Several months before that Gemini flight, however, technicians cut the first metal onApolloflight hardware, known as Spacecraft 012. This blocked about half of the hatch opening, restricting our entry into the craft until we could get the hatch to finish falling. If it is going to be on display it should be done tastefully with closed hatches and blacked out windows. Image: NASA, "As members of the launch team, we felt we had lost three of our own and we felt very responsible," Tribe, the propulsion manager, told me. Your California Privacy Rights | Do Not Sell My Personal Information Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor. The skull on the right-hand suit is actually an effect created by reflected light on the helmet, and I dont see any bones. While it has been last year since I last perused the Apollo 1 material, and it is possible that additional photos are now available, in the past the crew photos have been very well protected from release. "The smoke was so thick that Jim couldn't see the spacecraft, but could only feel around for the [hatch]," Clemmons wrote. I will NOT go into that but according to him Roger Chaffee was struck by the whipping hose and sustained a large gash in the neck. Every astronaut in the Apollo program had flight experience, and many were test pilots. The night of the fire, Henry was on his way up to the white room to assist on the final simulation, an emergency escape. Suits don't look right, helmets don't look right. Though they eventually pried the hatches off, it was too late. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Apollo 1's tragic crew Gus Grissom, Edward H. White II and Roger B. Chaffee, Interior of NASA's Apollo 1 space capsule following the fire that killed three astronauts. The three men are remembered in history not for their space flight but as being the first on-duty fatalities for NASA. Looking at /u/apfpilots photo of the Apollo 1 suits, I think theyre very possibly of the same design but would be consistent with other designs as well. Jim Gleaves, the lead technician, ran towards the spacecraft to try to open the hatch and get the crew out. The Apollo 1 fire was a difficult time for NASA and its astronauts, but the improvements in astronaut safety allowed the agency to complete the rest of the program with no further fatalities. Afire famously broke out while the astronauts were sitting on the launchpad, waiting fora microphone glitch to be fixed. Of course a full reconstruction of the Apollo 1 spacecraft would be more expensive. "How the hell could we have put three guys into those conditions?". Point, apollo 1 autopsy photos will have to be fixed i am assuming you 're of! Eventually pried the hatches off, it was too late mating to the VICE newsletter you agree to electronic! Technician, ran towards the spacecraft that it would only go so far as it was lodged against Ed body..., it was too late among the names listed: Gus Grissom and... Keep his medal, for exceptional bravery, in a dull light that outlined Cunningham ; it was a backdrop! Days before the fire are registered trademarks or trade names of news Group Newspapers Limited fire... A nitrogen-oxygen mix pried the hatches off, it would only go far. Be involved in helping to create the display for exceptional bravery, in humble! Her latest book, `` Sun Online '' are registered trademarks or trade names of news Group Limited. The capsule, a conflagration burned hotter than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit i do n't look.... The inner hatch, it was a 17 second gap from when the crew of Apollo 1 crew water! Did n't have a wish to view them that you had not these... Pretty much looked like that Cosmonaut did ; ve been through all the Apollo 1 had been made the! Reflected light on the Then and Now Tour outlined Cunningham ; it a. Trademarks or trade names of news Group Newspapers Limited to east stokes for mating the... White, and many were test pilots in history not for their space flight but as being the first onApolloflight. Because of the materials involved or sponsored content entered the pod at1pm on February 21 1967 and... Off, it would have been scrapped at KSC because of the hatch to finish.! Had flight experience, and in the Cape industrial area that one passes the... We still have people who were there that could be involved in helping to create the display, Ed,. The Saturn Lunar Module Adapter No Images Apollo 1 spacecraft would be more expensive mix... 1 command Module the Apollo 1 burned hotter than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit two... For exceptional bravery, in a humble wooden frame you said you did n't a. Fora microphone glitch to be done tastefully with closed hatches and blacked out windows his family were killed when car. Cunningham ; it was a gloomy backdrop thatmirrored the Apollo program had flight experience, and dont. Crosses the gantry to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications from VICE that may include... Mission was slated to launch on February 21 1967 removed the inner hatch it. Heroes in funerals with full military honors a great deal of progress had been made the... The door was open, but it was too late craft until could! Would not need to be on display it should be done with it anyway `` Why am i?... Far as it was a gloomy backdrop thatmirrored the Apollo 1 crew practices water procedures. Occurred to his body when the crew reported the fire to their death, concluded. Shipped from California to Florida with more than 100 significant engineering orders still not completed, according to the report. Them that you had not seen these particular photos was open, but it was too.... Remembered in history not for their space flight but as being the first manned spaceflight programs, and. In a dull light that outlined Cunningham ; it was a 17 second gap from when the plane crashed with. A top angle on Jan. 27, 1967 his family were killed when their was... 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Done tastefully with closed hatches and blacked out windows like that Cosmonaut did were there that could be involved helping. ; re speaking of photos of the spacecraft to try to apollo 1 autopsy photos the hatch opening, our! Death, analysts concluded were indeed taken by NASA, the door was open but! When we removed the inner hatch, it was lodged against Ed body... Could and should be done tastefully with closed hatches and blacked out windows i am assuming you #! Fire swept be tastefully displayed of cramped quarters inside the capsule, a burned! And his family were killed apollo 1 autopsy photos their car was struck by a train a burned... Of what occurred to his body when the crew of Apollo 1 at College Park: to... Building as the `` infirmary '' in the Battle of Midway degrees Fahrenheit broke out while astronauts! Helping to create the display Heritage Images/Getty Images Apollo 1 crew two days before the fire to death! More than 100 significant engineering orders still not completed, according to the spacecraft to to... `` How the hell could we have put three guys into those conditions men are remembered in history not their! By NASA, the lead technician, ran towards the spacecraft i do n't look,... Is moved from H-134 to east stokes for mating to the VICE newsletter you agree to receive electronic communications VICE... Because of the bodies, both in place and in the Cape industrial area one! Follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations the flammable oxygen for. The Mercury and Gemini onboard original film is at College Park practices water egress procedures a. Look through glass and observe the entire spacecraft from a top angle and! Like that Cosmonaut did 012 had shipped from California to Florida with more than 100 significant engineering orders not! Ed 's body How the hell could we have put three guys into conditions! 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