APOLLO BLOCK I

Early planning for Apollo included a series of manned missions designed to evaluate the systems and procedures of the Apollo parent craft (the Command and Service Module, or CSM) in Earth orbit, prior to committing it to lunar distance flights or flights with the Lunar Module. These capsules were termed Block 1 and did not feature the docking and transfer tunnel system utilised on the lunar missions. Sub­sequent Block II CSMs were designed to fly in conjunction with the LM in Earth orbit or deep space, or to support the lunar landing flights. More advanced missions that fell under the Apollo Applications Program banner would use a proposed (but unflown) Block III series of CSMs. Some of the amendments proposed to support extended – duration lunar missions were actually incorporated into the “J” series of scientific Apollo missions flown in 1971-1972 using upgraded Block II CSMs and LMs. Block III CSMs were also planned to support flights to orbital workshops (later Skylab), but none were fabricated. There was also a Block I mission known as Apollo 2, but this was cancelled in 1966 when it became apparent that it was too much of a duplication of the Apollo 1 mission, given the desire to press on with qualifying the Block II series of CSMs, the Lunar Module and the Saturn V for manned flights.

Flight Crew

GRISSOM, Virgil Ivan “Gus”, 40, USAF, commander, 3rd mission Previous missions: Mercury Redstone 4 (1961); Gemini 3 (1965) WHITE II, Edward Higgins, 36, USAF, senior pilot, 2nd mission Previous mission: Gemini 4 (1965)

CHAFFEE, Roger Bruce, 31, USN