God Speed Apollo 1

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ColumbiaNX01

ColumbiaNX01

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On this day in 1967 Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee lost their lives in a test launch of Apollo 1. A short happened in the CM and sparked a fire. There was 100% oxygen in the capsule. 50 years ago. There lives were not lost in vain. I believe if it was not for this accident man would not of landed on the moon in July 1969. This accident caused NASA to overhaul the CM and add more safety feature. They had to look at themselves in the mirror. One of the issues was the astronauts could not open the hatch from the inside. They burned alive. God Speed.
 
It has been covered many places. Some of us remember when it actually happened.
The 100% oxygen by itself would not have been quite so important but it was at full sea level, so there was about 3 times the oxygen the cabin would have had in space.
 
Steve Shannon said:
It has been covered many places. Some of us remember when it actually happened.
The 100% oxygen by itself would not have been quite so important but it was at full sea level, so there was about 3 times the oxygen the cabin would have had in space.
Click to expand...

At 100% oxygen at 4 psi doesnt aluminum burn? wasn't it a 4 psi inside the cabin?
 
ColumbiaNX01 said:
I am surprised others are not recognizing this on the forum! Its history.
Click to expand...

What are you surprised about? I thought about, and do every year. Not commenting on it does not mean folks have not thought about it. It might have to do with working all day too.
 
markkoelsch said:
What are you surprised about? I thought about, and do every year. Not commenting on it does not mean folks have not thought about it. It might have to do with working all day too.
Click to expand...


I guess I have remembered that date every since I was a kid. I got up one morning of Jan 27 1997 and getting ready for school. I was in 3rd grade. They were talking about it on the television. I ran to my dad to ask him what that was. He told me what Apollo 1 was. Ever since then on that date I remember it. I remember the 40 anniversary in 2007 and the 50th today. I may not remember lots of thing but I remember Apollo 1. I thought since today was the 50th anniversary especially on this forum more folks would talk about it.

Just like 9/11 people remember what and where they were. So if people on here were alive in 1967 they would remember what and where they were at.
 
ColumbiaNX01 said:
At 100% oxygen at 4 psi doesnt aluminum burn? wasn't it a 4 psi inside the cabin?
Click to expand...

No, it was actually higher than sea level pressure which is 14.7 psi. It was 16.7 psi inside the cabin (according to Wikipedia or 19 psi according to Andy Weir) of pure O2.

Anything that burns in air at sea level will burn at ~4 psi of pure O2 but as pressure rises there's more O2 available and things combust more rapidly.
In air it's possible to heat a diamond with a torch with no ill effects, but drop that very hot diamond into liquid oxygen and it will combust.
 
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