Pad Abort Test 1 was a mission to investigate the effects on the Apollo spacecraft during an abort from the pad. The launch escape system (LES) had to be able to pull the spacecraft away from an exploding rocket on the launch pad. The LES then had to gain enough altitude to allow the command module's parachutes to open, preferably with the spacecraft over water and not land.
The flight featured a production model LES and a boilerplate (BP-06) Apollo spacecraft, the first mission to feature one. The spacecraft carried no instruments for measuring structural loads as the capsule's boilerplate structure did not represent that of a real spacecraft.
Flightedit
On November 7, 1963, an abort signal was sent to the LES at 09:00:01 local time. This began a sequence in which the main solid rockets fired to lift the spacecraft and smaller attitude rockets fired to move it laterally toward the ocean.
The LES separated after 15 seconds, allowing the spacecraft to take a ballistictrajectory. The parachute system worked perfectly: the drogue chute stabilized the spacecraft, then the three main parachutes slowed the descent to a leisurely 26 kilometers per hour.
The only problems found with the flight were that the LES rockets left soot on the spacecraft exterior and the stability of the spacecraft was less than predicted.
Galleryedit
Apollo Pad Abort Test - Nov. 7, 1963 (NASA)
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pad Abort Test-1.
The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology
Apollo Program Summary Report
Nasa support manual - Apollo description manual applicable to boilerplate 6 only
Actual weight and balance report B P 6 at WSMR C M and LES for pad abort 1
Post-launch memorandum report for Apollo pad abort 1
November 01, 2023
abort, test, confused, with, abort, 2010, orion, test, flight, first, abort, test, apollo, spacecraft, november, 1963, launch, mission, typeabort, testoperatornasamission, duration2, minutes, secondsdistance, travelled2, kilometers, apogee2, kilometers, spacec. Not to be confused with Pad Abort 1 a 2010 Orion test flight Pad Abort Test 1 was the first abort test of the Apollo spacecraft on November 7 1963 Pad Abort Test 1Pad Abort Test 1 launch Mission typeAbort testOperatorNASAMission duration2 minutes 45 1 secondsDistance travelled2 51 kilometers 1 56 mi Apogee2 82 kilometers 1 75 mi Spacecraft propertiesSpacecraftApollo BP 06Start of missionLaunch dateNovember 7 1963 16 00 01 1963 11 07UTC16 00 01Z UTCRocketApollo LESLaunch siteWhite Sands LC 36End of missionLanding dateNovember 7 1963 16 02 45 1963 11 07UTC16 02 46Z UTCProject ApolloAbort tests QTVA 001 Contents 1 Objectives 2 Flight 3 Gallery 4 ReferencesObjectives editPad Abort Test 1 was a mission to investigate the effects on the Apollo spacecraft during an abort from the pad The launch escape system LES had to be able to pull the spacecraft away from an exploding rocket on the launch pad The LES then had to gain enough altitude to allow the command module s parachutes to open preferably with the spacecraft over water and not land The flight featured a production model LES and a boilerplate BP 06 Apollo spacecraft the first mission to feature one The spacecraft carried no instruments for measuring structural loads as the capsule s boilerplate structure did not represent that of a real spacecraft Flight editOn November 7 1963 an abort signal was sent to the LES at 09 00 01 local time This began a sequence in which the main solid rockets fired to lift the spacecraft and smaller attitude rockets fired to move it laterally toward the ocean The LES separated after 15 seconds allowing the spacecraft to take a ballistic trajectory The parachute system worked perfectly the drogue chute stabilized the spacecraft then the three main parachutes slowed the descent to a leisurely 26 kilometers per hour The only problems found with the flight were that the LES rockets left soot on the spacecraft exterior and the stability of the spacecraft was less than predicted Gallery edit nbsp Apollo Pad Abort Test Nov 7 1963 NASA References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pad Abort Test 1 The Apollo Spacecraft A Chronology Apollo Program Summary Report Nasa support manual Apollo description manual applicable to boilerplate 6 only Actual weight and balance report B P 6 at WSMR C M and LES for pad abort 1 Post launch memorandum report for Apollo pad abort 1 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pad Abort Test 1 amp oldid 898447802, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
