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Apollo 10

Background

Apollo 10 was classified as an 'F' type mission, to test all elements of the Apollo spacecraft, both the CSM and LM in the lunar environment.

Flight crew

Thomas P. Stafford (Colonel, USAF)-Commander (CDR)

Born 17 September 1930, Weatherford, Oklahoma.

He was commissioned in the United States Air Force upon graduation from Annapolis, flew fighter interceptor aircraft in the United States and Germany after finishing his flight training. He later attended the USAF Experimental Flight Test School at Edwards Air Force Base, California and then served as Chief of the Performance Branch in the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School there. He is co-author of the Pilots’ Handbook for Performance Flight Testing and the Aerodynamics Handbook for Flight Testing.

He was selected as an astronaut by NASA in September 1962 Group 2).

On 15 December 1965, he and Command Pilot Walter M. Schirra were launched into space on the Gemini 6 mission and participated in the first successful rendezvous of two manned maneuverable spacecraft by joining the already orbiting Gemini 7 crew. On his second flight he was Command Pilot of the Gemini 9, a 3-day mission which began on 3 June 1966. The spacecraft attained a circular orbit of 161 statute miles; the crew performed three different types of rendezvous with the previously launched augmented Target Docking Adapter. The also performed two periods of extravehicular activity.

KSC-69PC-147

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John W. Young (Commander, USN)-Command Module Pilot (CMP)

Born 24 September 1930, San Francisco, California.

Upon graduation from Georgia Institute of Technology, Young entered the US Navy in 1952. He was a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Center from 1959 to 1962 and set world time-to-climb records to 3000 and 25,000 meter altitudes in the F4B in 1962. Prior to his assignment to NASA he was Maintenance Officer of All-Weather-Fighter Squadron 143 at the Naval Air Station, Miramar, California.

Commander Young was selected as an astronaut by NASA in September 1962 (Group 2).

He served as Pilot on the first manned Gemini flight on 3 March 1965, during which the crew accomplished the first manned spacecraft orbital trajectory modifications and lifting reentry. On 18 July 1966, Young was Command Pilot for the Gemini 10 mission and, with Michael Collins as Pilot, effected a successful rendezvous and docking with the Agena target vehicle and two EVA's.

KSC-69PC-149

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Eugene A. Cernan (Commander, USN)-Lunar Module Pilot (LMP)

Born 14 March 1934, Chicago, Illinois.

Cernan received his commission through the naval ROTC program at Purdue and entered flight training upon his graduation. Prior to attending the Naval Postgraduate School, he was assigned to Attack Squadrons 125 and 113 at the Miramar, California, Naval Air Station.

Commander Cernan was one of the third group of astronauts selected by NASA in October 1963.

On the Gemini 9 mission on 3 June 1966, he was Pilot with Command Pilot Tom Stafford and participated in three different techniques to effect rendezvous with the previously launched Augmented Target Docking Adapter. During the 3-day flight, he logged 2 hours 10 minutes outside the spacecraft in extravehicular activity.

He also served as backup pilot for Gemini 12.

KSC-69PC-148

Backup Crew

L. Gordon Cooper (Colonel, USAF)-Commander (CDR)

Donn F. Eisele (Lt. Colonel, USAF)-Command Module Pilot (CMP)

Edgar Dean Mitchell (Commander, USN)-Lunar Module Pilot (LMP)

Apollo 9 CapComs

Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (Major USAF)

Joe Henry Engle (Major USAF)

Jack Robert Lousma (Major USMC)

Bruce McCandless, II (Lt Cdr, USN)

L. Gordon Cooper (Colonel, USAF)

Support Crew

Joe Henry Engle (Major USAF)

James Benson Irwin (Lt. Col, USAF)

Charles Moss Duke, Jr. (Major USAF)

Flight Directors

Shift 1 - Glynn S. Lunney

Shift 2 - Gerald D. Griffin

Shift 3 - Milton L. Windler & M. P. 'Pete' Frank III

The major differences between Apollo 9 and 10 launch vehicle

S-IC stage changes:

1. Dry weight was reduced from 294,468 to 293,974 pounds.
2. Weight at ground ignition increased from 5,032,857 to 5,025,546 pounds.
3. Instrumentation measurements were increased from 666 to 672.

S-II stage changes:

1. Nominal vacuum thrust for J-2 engines increase will change maximum stage thrust from 1,150,000 to 1,168,694 pounds.
2. The approximate empty weight of the S-II has been reduced from 84,312 to 84,273 pounds. The S-IC/S-II interstage weight was reduced from 11,664 to 8,890 pounds.
3. Approximate stage gross liftoff weight was increased from 1,065,667 to 1,067,389 pounds.
4. Instrumentation measurements increased from 975 to 986.

S-IVB stage changes:

1. S-IVB dry stage weight increased from 25,089 to 25,680 pounds. This does not include the 8,084-pound interstage section.
2. S-IVB gross stage weight at liftoff increased from 260,151 to 262,841 pounds.
3. Instrumentation measurements were increased from 296 to 386.

Apollo 10 Spacecraft History

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