Command module Columbia (CM-107) is the spacecraft that served as the command module during Apollo 11, which was the first mission to land humans on the Moon. Columbia is the only spacecraft of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission that returned to Earth.[1][2]
The name Columbia was first suggested to Michael Collins by Julian Scheer, NASA assistant administrator of public affairs during the Apollo program. Scheer mentioned the name, in passing, in a phone conversation, saying "some of us up here have been kicking around Columbia." Collins initially thought it was "a bit pompous" but the name eventually stuck as he could not think of a better alternative and his crewmates Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong had no objections.[3] Collins was also influenced to accept the name because of its similarity to Columbiad, the name of the space gun in Jules Verne's 1865 science fiction novel From the Earth to the Moon,[4][5]
In July 2016 the Smithsonian released a 3D scan of Columbia produced by the Smithsonian's Digitization Program Office.[9][10] During the scanning process a number of places where the astronauts had written on the walls of the capsule were found.[9] These included a calendar and a warning about smelly waste on one of the lockers.[9]
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing, the spacecraft traveled around the country on a tour to museums in Houston, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Seattle, and Cincinnati.[6]
In 2022, Columbia was taken off display as a part of the National Air and Space Museum's renovation. When the museum reopens in the fall of 2022, it will be a centerpiece of their new Destination Moon exhibit.[11]
^van der Linden, F. Robert (2016). Best of the National Air and Space Museum. Smithsonian Institution. p. 3. ISBN978-1-58834-581-3.
^ abcPearlman, Robert Z. (February 12, 2016). "Apollo 11 Crew Wrote on Moon Ship Walls, Smithsonian 3D Scan Reveals". Space.com. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
^Weiner, Sophie (July 22, 2016). "Take a 3D Tour Inside the Apollo 11 Command Module". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
Brooks, Courtney G.; Grimwood, James M.; Swenson, Loyd S. (1979). Chariots for Apollo: The NASA History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft to 1979(PDF). NASA.
February 04, 2023
command, module, columbia, spacecraft, that, served, command, module, during, apollo, which, first, mission, land, humans, moon, columbia, only, spacecraft, 1969, apollo, mission, that, returned, earth, columbiapart, apollo, pdemcolumbia, display, national, sp. Command module Columbia CM 107 is the spacecraft that served as the command module during Apollo 11 which was the first mission to land humans on the Moon Columbia is the only spacecraft of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission that returned to Earth 1 2 ColumbiaPart of Apollo 11 pdemColumbia on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D C TypeReentry capsuleManufacturerNorth American AviationThe name Columbia was first suggested to Michael Collins by Julian Scheer NASA assistant administrator of public affairs during the Apollo program Scheer mentioned the name in passing in a phone conversation saying some of us up here have been kicking around Columbia Collins initially thought it was a bit pompous but the name eventually stuck as he could not think of a better alternative and his crewmates Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong had no objections 3 Collins was also influenced to accept the name because of its similarity to Columbiad the name of the space gun in Jules Verne s 1865 science fiction novel From the Earth to the Moon 4 5 Following the mission and after a tour of U S cities 6 Columbia was given to the Smithsonian Institution in 1971 1 It was designated a Milestone in Flight and displayed prominently at National Air and Space Museum in Washington D C alongside the 1903 Wright Flyer 7 8 In July 2016 the Smithsonian released a 3D scan of Columbia produced by the Smithsonian s Digitization Program Office 9 10 During the scanning process a number of places where the astronauts had written on the walls of the capsule were found 9 These included a calendar and a warning about smelly waste on one of the lockers 9 To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing the spacecraft traveled around the country on a tour to museums in Houston St Louis Pittsburgh Seattle and Cincinnati 6 In 2022 Columbia was taken off display as a part of the National Air and Space Museum s renovation When the museum reopens in the fall of 2022 it will be a centerpiece of their new Destination Moon exhibit 11 See also EditLunar Module EagleReferences Edit a b National Air and Space Museum March 20 2016 Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia Smithsonian Institution Retrieved September 24 2019 Craddock R A 2003 Apollo 11 Box Artifacts from the First Moon Landing Chronicle Books p 57 ISBN 978 0 8118 3734 7 Collins Michael 2001 Carrying the Fire An Astronaut s Journey Rowman amp Littlefield pp 334 335 ISBN 978 0 8154 1028 7 Lindsay Hamish 2001 Tracking Apollo to the Moon Springer p 24 ISBN 978 1 85233 212 9 Collins 2001 p 335 a b McEwan Liz September 24 2019 To the moon and Cincinnati and back Soapbox Cincinnati Retrieved September 24 2019 Craddock 2003 p 2 van der Linden F Robert 2016 Best of the National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution p 3 ISBN 978 1 58834 581 3 a b c Pearlman Robert Z February 12 2016 Apollo 11 Crew Wrote on Moon Ship Walls Smithsonian 3D Scan Reveals Space com Retrieved March 9 2020 Weiner Sophie July 22 2016 Take a 3D Tour Inside the Apollo 11 Command Module Popular Mechanics Retrieved March 9 2020 Destination Moon Further reading EditBrooks Courtney G Grimwood James M Swenson Loyd S 1979 Chariots for Apollo The NASA History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft to 1979 PDF NASA Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Command module Columbia amp oldid 1133705841, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
