On 21 Aug 2003 16:54:47 GMT, (MasterShrink)
wrote:

There is an interesting what-if scenario. Shepard moving to Apollo 1 after GT
3...Schirra would probably still first command the cancelled Apollo 205 then
become Shepard's backup. Grissom could have ended up with either with the first
lunar module flight or maybe what became Apollo 8.

Of course there is the fire which would then have claimed Shepard...

....Possibly not. Consider the fact that we've seen "Smilin' Al" could
be an even more adamant ******* than "Gruffy Old Gus", I've felt for
quite some time that Al would have gone quite a bit further up the
chain at NAA and, while probably never delving into the Pure O2 issue,
would have surely gotten some if not most of the sloppy workmanship
issues settled before the "plugs out" test. And, while there's no
arguing that Pure O2 at 16.5 PSI is a ticking bomb waiting to go off,
if there's no ignition source the danger is minimized.

No fire, no deaths, no delay in program, and the first landing is
conducted by the crew of Apollo 5, 6 or 7, flying a Block II which was
being built anyway.


OM

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