Apollo 5

The Lunar Module Gets It's First Test Flight

January 22, 1968 5:48pm
Unmanned Test Flight
Orbits: 7
Duration: 11 hours, 10 minutes

After the successful flight of the Saturn V the precious November, NASA needed to test the final key component of a lunar landing mission: The Lunar Module.

Like other elements, the LM had fallen behind schedule, with problems on both the ascent and descent engines, as well as with fabricating parts. LM-1 arrived at the Cape in June 1967 and underwent a four-month series of tests and repairs before it was finally mated to the stack.

 Meanwhile, during a pressurization test in December, a window in LM-5 shattered. NASA decided to replace the windows on LM-1 with aluminum plates. To speed things up, NASA decided to remove the LM’s legs.

 The Saturn S-IB booster from the Apollo 1 fire, which had not been damaged, was recycled and used for this launch. NASA also decided to fly the unmanned CSM without a launch escape system.

The launch went smoothly, and testing of the LM began. Despite a few hitches, NASA was satisfied. A second unmanned LM test was canceled. The next LM would fly with the astronauts on Apollo 9.