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On October 11, 1968, Apollo 7 launched from Cape Kennedy with astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., Donn F. Eisele, and Walter Cunningham aboard. It was the first crewed Apollo mission—but it did not travel to the Moon. The spacecraft spent nearly 11 days in Earth orbit testing the command and service module, a crucial step before NASA attempted crewed lunar missions.
Why Apollo 7 mattered
Apollo 7 was NASA’s first crewed Apollo flight and the first time astronauts flew the Apollo command and service module (CSM). Its purpose was to test the spacecraft, its systems, mission-support facilities, and procedures in orbit—not to reach the Moon.
The mission followed the January 1967 Apollo 1 cabin fire, which killed astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee during a ground test. NASA changed the spacecraft in response, including redesigning the hatch to open outward and reducing flammable materials. Apollo 7 tested the redesigned spacecraft with a crew aboard, helping establish whether Apollo systems were ready for more demanding missions.
Launch and crew
A Saturn IB rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 34 at Cape Kennedy on October 11, 1968, carrying commander Walter M. Schirra Jr., command module pilot Donn F. Eisele, and lunar module pilot Walter Cunningham. NASA’s mission overview gives the launch time as 11:02:45 a.m. EST; a NASA launch-image caption rounds it to 11:03 a.m. EDT.
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The Saturn IB’s first stage separated a little over two minutes after liftoff. Its S-IVB second stage placed Apollo 7 into an elliptical Earth orbit that NASA describes as 140 by 183 miles shortly after launch. Commander Schirra reported during ascent, “She is riding like a dream.” NASA’s Apollo 7 mission overview
What the crew tested in orbit
Spacecraft separation and rendezvous
After separating from the spent S-IVB second stage, the crew maneuvered the CSM away and practiced approaching it again. The exercise simulated a rendezvous task needed on later lunar missions, when astronauts would have to reach and extract a lunar module. Apollo 7 carried no lunar module; the rendezvous practice tested the spacecraft and crew procedures in Earth orbit.
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Service propulsion system
The crew fired the CSM’s service propulsion system (SPS) eight times. The engine’s performance mattered for future lunar flights, which would depend on it for major maneuvers including entering and leaving lunar orbit. NASA’s mission history describes the firings as a substantial workout for the system. NASA’s Apollo 7 launch history
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Live television
The astronauts also completed live television broadcasts from the spacecraft, a first for an American crewed spacecraft. The broadcasts demonstrated that the crew could communicate with people on Earth while carrying out the mission.
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Colds and the return to Earth
During the flight, the crew developed colds. After discussing the situation with Mission Control, the astronauts decided to reenter without their helmets. NASA’s mission history also records an early spacecraft concern: the reentry battery chargers delivered less energy than expected, and there was a potential fuel-cell overheating issue. NASA says these matters were tested satisfactorily before Apollo 8.
How long Apollo 7 lasted and how it ended
Apollo 7 completed 163 Earth revolutions and traveled 4,546,918.3 miles, according to NASA’s mission overview. Its recorded flight duration was 10 days, 20 hours, 9 minutes, and 3 seconds.
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The spacecraft splashed down in the Atlantic southeast of Bermuda on October 22, 1968. NASA records the landing time as 7:11:48 a.m. EDT. The aircraft carrier USS Essex recovered the crew. NASA’s account of Apollo 7’s return
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NASA says Apollo 7 completed its objectives, giving the agency a successful crewed test of the CSM and its supporting systems. The results informed the review of options for Apollo 8, including a November 11, 1968 go/no-go review by NASA Administrator Thomas Paine on a lunar-orbit mission. Apollo 8 later became the first crewed Apollo mission to orbit the Moon; Apollo 7 itself remained in Earth orbit.
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