NASA Moves Apollo 1 Capsule to New Storage Facility (Forwarded)

J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington Feb. 17, 2007
202-358-5241

Chris Rink
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
757-864-6786

RELEASE: 07-44

NASA MOVES APOLLO 1 CAPSULE TO NEW STORAGE FACILITY

HAMPTON, Va. -- NASA moved the Apollo 1 capsule and related materials
approximately 90 feet to a newer, environmentally-controlled
warehouse at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., on
Saturday, Feb. 17. The move provides better protection for the
spacecraft.

Despite routine repairs made throughout the years, the original secure
storage container where the vehicle was housed has been
deteriorating. NASA officials determined that, due to its age, the
container could not be maintained effectively to preserve the
capsule.

Astronauts Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, Lt. Col. Edward H. White, and
Roger B. Chaffee died when a flash fire swept through the spacecraft
during a launch pad test at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Jan. 27, 1967.
Originally known as the AS-204 mission, it was renamed Apollo 1 in
honor of the crew.

As directed by the Apollo 204 Review Board, the capsule has been
maintained at Langley. The review board's accident report made
recommendations that led to design and engineering changes and
increased the overall safety for future Apollo missions and six
successful lunar landings.

For more information on the Internet about Apollo 1, visit:

http://history.nasa.gov/Apollo204/