NASA Honors Apollo 1 Astronauts in New Memorial
A new Apollo 1 tribute "Ad Astra Per Aspera" highlights the lives and careers of astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White II and Roger Chaffee whose lives were lost in a fire during a pre-launch test. The tribute at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center opened Jan. 27, 2017, 50 years after the crew of three was lost. It features numerous items recalling the lives of the three astronauts. [50th Anniversary of Apollo 1 Fire: What NASA Learned from the Tragic Accident]
Apollo 1's Flawed Hatch on Display
The three-piece hatch that was on the Apollo 1 spacecraft was displayed publicly for the first time at the new memorial on the 50th anniversary of the accident. Originally the hatch was designed to open inward, making it impossible for the astronauts to escape while the flames caused a rise in air pressure inside the capsule.
Apollo 1 Command Module
The hatches from NASA's Apollo 1 command module are revealed in "Ad Astra Per Aspera," a new exhibit at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida dedicated to the memory of the Apollo 1 crew, Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. [Read the full story.]
Gateway to Apollo 1 Exhibit
Guests observe the gateway of the newly opened Apollo 1 tribute at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Grissom's Family
Lowell Grissom, brother of Gus Grissom, observes areas of the newly opened Apollo 1 tribute at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Grissom's Family
Lowell Grissom, brother of Gus Grissom, and Carly Sparks, granddaughter of Grissom, look at areas of the newly opened Apollo 1 tribute at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.
Chaffee's Family
Martha Chaffee and Sheryl Chaffee, widow and daughter of astronaut Roger Chaffee, respectively, look at areas of the newly opened Apollo 1 tribute at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center opened Jan. 27, 2017.
Grand Opening
Guests observe areas of the newly opened Apollo 1 tribute at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center opened Jan. 27, 2017.
Grand Opening
The Apollo 1 tribute at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center opened Jan. 27, 2017.
Launch Staff Badges
A badge board and badges from launch support staff at Launch Complex 34 is observed inside the Apollo 1 tribute at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center as it opened on Jan. 27, 2017.
Day of Remembrance Gathering at Kennedy Space Center
Former astronaut Bob Cabana, director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, speaks during the opening of the tribute exhibition to the Apollo 1 astronauts.
