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'''Apollo 9''' was a mission in [[NASA]]'s [[Apollo program]]. It was the third manned mission in the Apollo program and was the first flight of the [[Command/Service Module]] (CSM) with the [[Lunar Module]] (LM). The crew was Commander [[James McDivitt]], Command Module Pilot [[David Scott]], and Lunar Module Pilot [[Russell Schweickart]]. The mission was launched on March 3, 1969. The mission tested several things which were important for landing on the Moon, including the LM engines, backpack life support systems, navigation systems, and docking manoeuvres.
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'''Apollo 9''' was the [http://www.sproutseo.com seo services] third manned mission in the [[Apollo program]], a ten day [[Earth orbit|Earth-orbital]] mission launched [[3 March]] [[1969]]. It was the second manned flight of the [[Saturn V]] launch vehicle and the first manned flight of the [[Apollo Lunar Module]] (LM).
 
 
  
 
==Crew==
 
==Crew==
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In October 1967, it was planned that following the first manned orbital flight of the [[Apollo Command/Service Module|Command/Service Module]] (CSM) ([[Apollo 7]], also known as the C Mission), the second manned Apollo mission (D Mission) would have a manned CSM launched on a Saturn 1B, and a few days later the [[Lunar Module]] launched on a second Saturn 1B to practice the first orbit rendezvous. McDivitt, Scott and Schweickart were given this mission, with [[Frank Borman]], [[Jim Lovell]] and [[William Anders]] being assigned to a later, similar Earth-orbit test (E Mission), this time using the [[Saturn V]] to carry both the CSM and LM.  
 
In October 1967, it was planned that following the first manned orbital flight of the [[Apollo Command/Service Module|Command/Service Module]] (CSM) ([[Apollo 7]], also known as the C Mission), the second manned Apollo mission (D Mission) would have a manned CSM launched on a Saturn 1B, and a few days later the [[Lunar Module]] launched on a second Saturn 1B to practice the first orbit rendezvous. McDivitt, Scott and Schweickart were given this mission, with [[Frank Borman]], [[Jim Lovell]] and [[William Anders]] being assigned to a later, similar Earth-orbit test (E Mission), this time using the [[Saturn V]] to carry both the CSM and LM.  
  
However, production problems with the LM meant that the D Mission would not be able to fly until the spring of [[1969]], so NASA officials created another "C-Prime" mission to go in between the C and D missions, involving the CSM (with no LM) making the first manned flight to the Moon. This flight became [[Apollo 8]], and was given to Borman, Lovell and Anders. Although he was in the rotation for it, McDivitt claims he was never offered the "C-Prime" mission as he was already experienced with the LM - but if he had been offered it, he probably would have declined, as he wanted to fly the LM. The original E Mission was subsequently scrubbed - Apollo 9 was the only Earth-orbit test of the full Apollo spacecraft and was launched on a Saturn V instead of two Saturn 1Bs. This had long-lasting consequence - when the crew rotation for Apollos 8 and 9 was swapped, their backup crews were also swapped, putting [[Neil Armstrong]] and his crew (who were Borman, Lovell and Anders' backups) in line for the first manned landing mission instead of [[Pete Conrad]] and his crew.
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However, production problems with the LM meant that the D Mission would not be able to fly until the spring of [[1969]], so NASA officials created another "C-Prime" mission to go in between the C and D missions, involving the CSM (with no LM) making the first manned flight to the Moon. This flight became [[Apollo 8]], and was given to Borman, Lovell and Anders. Although he was in the rotation for it, McDivitt claims he was never offered the "C-Prime" mission as he was already experienced with the LM - but if he had been offered it, he probably would have declined, as he wanted to fly the LM. The original E Mission was subsequently scrubbed - Apollo 9 was the only Earth-orbit test of the full Apollo spacecraft, and was launched on a Saturn V instead of two Saturn 1Bs. This had long lasting consequence - when the crew rotation for Apollos 8 and 9 were swapped, their backup crews were also swapped, putting [[Neil Armstrong]] and his crew (who were Borman, Lovell and Anders' backups) in line for the first manned landing mission instead of [[Pete Conrad]] and his crew.
  
 
==Mission highlights==
 
==Mission highlights==
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Schweickart and Scott performed an EVA - Schweickart checked out the new Apollo spacesuit, the first to have its own life support system rather than being dependent on an umbilical connection to the spacecraft, while Scott filmed him from the command module hatch. Schweickart was due to carry out a more extensive set of activity to test the suit, and demonstrate that it was possible for astronauts to perform an EVA from the lunar module to the command module in an emergency, but as he had been suffering from [[space sickness]], this was restricted to the stand up test in the Lunar Module hatch.  
 
Schweickart and Scott performed an EVA - Schweickart checked out the new Apollo spacesuit, the first to have its own life support system rather than being dependent on an umbilical connection to the spacecraft, while Scott filmed him from the command module hatch. Schweickart was due to carry out a more extensive set of activity to test the suit, and demonstrate that it was possible for astronauts to perform an EVA from the lunar module to the command module in an emergency, but as he had been suffering from [[space sickness]], this was restricted to the stand up test in the Lunar Module hatch.  
  
McDivitt and Schweickart later test flew the LM and practised separation and docking manoeuvres in earth orbit. They flew the LM up to 111 miles from "Gumdrop", using the engine on the descent stage to propel them originally, before jettisoning it and using the ascent stage to return.
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McDivitt and Schweickart later testflew the LM, and practiced separation and docking maneuvers in earth orbit. They flew the LM up to 111 miles from "Gumdrop", using the engine on the descent stage to propel them originally, before jettisoning it and using the ascent stage to return.
  
 
The splashdown point was 23 deg 15 min N, 67 deg 56 min W, 180 miles (290 km) east of Bahamas and within sight of the recovery ship [[USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7)|USS ''Guadalcanal'']].  
 
The splashdown point was 23 deg 15 min N, 67 deg 56 min W, 180 miles (290 km) east of Bahamas and within sight of the recovery ship [[USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7)|USS ''Guadalcanal'']].  
  
The command module was displayed at the Michigan Space and Science Center, [[Jackson, Michigan]] until April 2004 when the centre closed. In May 2004, it was moved to the [[San Diego Aerospace Museum]]. The LM ascent stage orbit decayed on [[23 October]] [[1981]], the LM descent stage (1969-018D) orbit decayed [[22 March]] [[1969]]. The S-IVB stage J-2 engine was restarted after Lunar Module extraction and propelled the stage into solar orbit by burning to depletion.
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The command module was displayed at the Michigan Space and Science Center, [[Jackson, Michigan]] until April 2004 when the center closed. In May 2004, it was moved to the [[San Diego Aerospace Museum]]. The LM ascent stage orbit decayed on [[23 October]] [[1981]], the LM descent stage (1969-018D) orbit decayed [[22 March]] [[1969]]. The S-IVB stage J-2 engine was restarted after Lunar Module extraction and propelled the stage into solar orbit by burning to depletion.
  
 
The crew sang the song "[[Happy Birthday To You]]" on [[March 8]], [[1969]].
 
The crew sang the song "[[Happy Birthday To You]]" on [[March 8]], [[1969]].
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*[http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4012/vol3/table2.37.htm Apollo 9 Characteristics - SP-4012 NASA HISTORICAL DATA BOOK]
 
*[http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4012/vol3/table2.37.htm Apollo 9 Characteristics - SP-4012 NASA HISTORICAL DATA BOOK]
 
*Baker, David. ''The History of Manned Space Flight''. Crown Publishers, Inc. First Edition. ISBN 0-517-54377-X
 
*Baker, David. ''The History of Manned Space Flight''. Crown Publishers, Inc. First Edition. ISBN 0-517-54377-X
 
[[Category: Articles]]
 
[[Category: Historical]]
 

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