10/11/2024
On this day in 1968, the Phoenix took flight ... and got a head cold ... then got very snarky ... and may or may not have declared the first mutiny in space ... 😳🤪🙈🙉🙊🤷🏻♀️🚀☄ To Wally, Walt, and What's-his-name!
Apollo 7
Commander: Wally Schirra
Command Module Pilot: Donn Eisele
Lunar Module Pilot: Walt Cunningham
Launch date: 11 October 1968
Landing date: 22 October 1968
Landing site: North Atlantic Ocean
Recovered by: USS Essex
Mission duration: 10d 20h 9m 3s
Rocket: Saturn IB SA-205
Mission type: Low Earth Orbit
Objectives:
* Test the life support, propulsion, guidance, and control systems of the Command Module (CM) in an open-ended mission. Mission would be extended after each test was passed for up to 11 days. (Successful)
* First live television broadcast from an American spacecraft. (Successful - see https://shorturl.at/fuzEU)
Fun Facts:
* The first manned Apollo mission - just over 20 months since the Apollo 1 fire.
* After the Apollo 1 fire, the CM and spacesuits were extensively redesigned to reduce the chance of similar accidents like the one that killed the Apollo 1 crew.
* Schirra is the only astronaut to fly Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions.
* Eisele was given the nickname "What's-his-name" by Schirra because people kept pronouncing it incorrectly. It was pronounced "EYE-ZLEE," However, NASA administrator Jim Webb introduced him to President Lyndon Johnson as "EYE-SELL."
* Throughout the Mercury and Gemini programs, the contractor was McDonell Aircraft, and its engineer Guenter Wendt was the Pad Leader who was responsible for the safety of the spacecraft and crew during launch. NASA changed contractors for the Apollo Program to North American Aviation, so Wendt was not the Pad Leader for Apollo 1. Schirra lobbied to have Wendt be hired from McDonell to North American as Pad Leader for Apollo 7. Wendt from then on would remain the Pad Leader for the entire Apollo Program.
* On launch day, after the crew had been strapped in, Wendt's face was the last thing they saw before the hatch was sealed. After lift-off, Eisele said in a mock German accent into his radio, "I vonder vere Guenter Vendt?"
* While testing the propulsion system, the crew was unprepared for the sudden violent jolt when the propulsion was activated. Schirra yelled out, "Yabbadabbadoo!"
* Apollo 7 was the first "mutiny" in space. The crew was unhappy with the food selection and the waste collection, among other things. The situation got worse when Schirra developed a severe head cold and became extremely irritable with requests from Mission Control. He started talking back to the Capsule Communication (CAPCOM) very disrespectfully that, for the first time, the Director of Flight Crew Operations, Deke Slayton, had to speak directly to the crew. During missions, communication was made only through CAPCOM, who were fellow astronauts.
* During re-entry, Schirra refused to wear the helmet. Helmets on previous Mercury and Gemini programs had moveable visors, whereas Apollo helmets were like a "fishbowl." All three astronauts now had head colds at this stage, and their concern was that their eardrums could rupture from the sinus pressure during re-entry. With their helmets on, they would not be able to pinch their nose to relieve the pressure. Mission Control was adamant that they wear their helmets for safety reasons. This led to a very heated exchange between Schirra and Slayton:
Slayton: "Ok. I think you ought to clearly understand that there is absolutely no experience at all with landing without the helmet on."
Schirra: "And there is no experience with the helmet either on that one."
Slayton: "That one we've got a lot of experience with, yes."
Schirra: "If we had an open visor, I might go along with that."
Slayton: "Ok. I guess you better be prepared to discuss in some detail when we land why we haven't got them on. I think you're too late now to do much about it."
Schirra: "That's affirmative. I don't think anyone down there has worn the helmets as much as we have."
Slayton: "Yes."
Schirra: "We tried them on this morning."
Slayton: "Understand that. The only thing we're concerned about is the landing. We couldn't care less about the re-entry. But it's your neck, and I hope you don't break it."
Schirra: "Thank you, babe."
Slayton: "Over and out."
* After the mission, Schirra and Slayton had further heated exchanges in Slayton's office over Schirra's insubordination. Slayton and Schirra were friends, both being in the original Mercury 7. Schirra refused to stand down as he had already announced his retirement from NASA.
* Because Schirra was already retiring, thus NASA couldn't really do much to him by way of disciplinary action, Eisele and Cunningham received the brunt of it. Neither of them flew another mission again.
