Hi All, thought this was worth inputting:
I was just reading an article in the Sunday Times. They print an archive article every week about a major news story from the past.
This week its entitled "Blaze Kills Apollo 1 crew trapped on launchpad, Jan 29 1967" - It goes on to tell of the 3 astronauts, Virgel Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee and how their training exercise went terribly wrong. The countdown to the mock launch was at minus 10 when the countdown was halted because of a difficulty with the communications between the crew and control, The cabin was pressurised with pure oxygen when a flash fire erupted killing all 3, its goes on to mention in words, one of which we wouldn't really use today that they were "seared or asphyxiated" and how it took the heroic technicians several minutes to reach the 218 feet high capsule, they tried in vain over and over again to reach the astronauts, man after man was beaten back, twenty six were overcome and taken to hospital.
I really does paint an horrific picture, offically, it has been stated that "the capsule was heavily damaged inside and out and that the deaths of the men must have been instantaneous"
But what it must have been like to be locked in that tiny capsule, strapped in, unable to see or move, burning and choking, hearing the screams from your team, hoping for a miracle but knowing your life is over, at least it would have been quick. May they rest in peace...
"The board of inquiry found numerous safety failures. The Apollo capsule had to be extensively redesigned. As a tribute to the crew, an Apollo 1 mission patch was left on the moons surface during the first manned lunar landing by Apollo 11 in July 1969"
Question: Did they ever figure out what caused the fire?
Mark
  