Apollo 7’s S-IVB upper stage, after launch used as a rendezvous target. On a lunar mission the Lunar module will ride atop the stage, enclosed by the clamshell doors (which will be completely jettisoned on future flights.

*****

And so it began

…..Fifty years ago

……….Precisely at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time

when eight Redstone engines ignited. 1.6 million pounds of thrust

…….lifting Apollo 7 off of Pad 34.

*

And so it began, October 11, 1968,

…….with Wally Schirra, Walt Cunningham & Donn Eisele

–the first Apollo crew

…………….after the fire —

………riding the fire on

…………………..a “simple” mission compare to the ones ahead

…………….limited to Earth orbit, 163 orbits through 11 days,

………………………….The mother ship,

………………………………….the Command and Service Modules,

……….thoroughly tested,

—————-especially the big Service Propulsion System engine

————————-vital to place Apollo in and out of Lunar orbit.

———————————Eight burns shaking out the SPS engine:

……….”Yaba daba doo!  That was a ride and a half!”

*

……And so it began, 55 years ago,

…………….the first of five missions in just 10 months

…………………..five steps to the lunar surface:

——Apollo 7

—————-Apollo 8

————————–Apollo 9

————————————Apollo 10

————Apollo 11—————

*

And beyond.

……..”She’s riding like a dream!”

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(You can experience every flight in past blog posts on this site!)