| Date | Text | |
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11 Oct 1968
Apollo 7 launch |
Apollo 7 launch In 1968, the first manned Apollo mission, Apollo 7, was launched on a Saturn 1-B rocket from Cape Kennedy. The astronauts onboard were the Captain Wally Schirra, Jr. (Navy), with crew members Donn Fulton Eisele (Air Force) and R. Walter Cunningham (civilian). They circled for 11 days, up to 183 miles above the Earth, in 90 minute orbits. They tested maneuvering the Apollo, first by detaching it from the upper stage of the rocket, Next, they turned the Apollo around to reposition its nose toward the rocket. On the subsequent Apollo 11 mission, the vehicle would link to the moon landing craft carried inside the cylinder. For Apollo 11, the stage would then boost the combined crafts towards the moon. |
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11 Oct 1968
Apollo program |
Apollo program (space exploration) Apollo program: NASA launches Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, with astronauts Wally Schirra, Donn Fulton Eisele and R. Walter Cunningham aboard. Goals for the mission include the first live television broadcast from orbit and testing the lunar module docking maneuver. |
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