A-001

Little Joe II launch with A-001

Mission type

Abort test

Operator

NASA

Mission duration

5 minutes, 50.3 seconds

Distance travelled

6.82 kilometers (4.24 mi)

Apogee

9.08 kilometers (5.64 mi)

Spacecraft properties

Spacecraft

Apollo BP-12

Start of mission

Launch date

May 13, 1964, 12:59:59 UTC

Rocket

Little Joe II

Launch site

White Sands LC-36

End of mission

Landing date

May 13, 1964, 13:05:51 UTC

Project Apollo Abort Tests
← Pad Abort Test 1	A-002 →

A-001 was the second abort test of the Apollo spacecraft.

Objectives

Mission A-001 was the second in the series of tests conducted to demonstrate that the launch escape system could safely remove the command module under critical abort conditions. Unlike Pad Abort Test 1, in which the launch escape system was ignited at ground level, this mission was flown to demonstrate the capability of the escape system to propel the command module safely away from a launch vehicle while in the high-dynamic-pressure (transonic) region of the Saturn trajectory.

The launch vehicle was the second in the series of Little Joe II vehicles, which had been developed to accomplish early and economical testing of the launch escape system. The Little Joe II was propelled by seven solid-propellant rocket motors - one Algol sustainer motor, which provided thrust for about 42 seconds, and six Recruit motors, which burned out approximately 1.5 seconds after ignition. The spacecraft consisted of a launch escape system and a boilerplate command and service module (BP-12).

Flight

Unacceptable wind conditions had forced a 24-hour postponement of the launch, but the vehicle was successfully launched on May 13, 1964, at 12:59:59.7 UTC (05:59 am MST). A ground commanded abort signal terminated thrust of the launch vehicle (by rupturing the Algol motor casing), ignited the launch escape and pitch control motors, and separated the command module from the service module. Some structural damage was incurred by the command module aft heat shield because of recontact with the booster at thrust termination. At approximately 44 seconds, the tower jettison motor was ignited and satisfactorily separated the launch escape tower from the command module.

The Earth landing sequence was normal until a riser for one of the three main parachutes broke as a result of its rubbing against the structure on the command module upper deck. The parachute separated; however, the command module, supported by the two remaining parachutes, descended at rates of 9.1 to 7.9 metres per second (30 to 26 ft/s) instead of the predicted 7.3 metres per second (24 ft/s) with three parachutes. The command module landed 6.8 kilometres (22,400 ft) downrange at 350.2 seconds after attaining an altitude of 9.075 kilometres (29,772 ft) above mean sea level. Except for the parachute failure, all test objectives were satisfied.

Boilerplate location

The boilerplate is currently located at the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, California.

External links

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Missions of the Apollo program

Rocket tests	SA-1 SA-2 SA-3 SA-4 SA-5 AS-203

Abort tests	QTV Pad Abort Test-1 A-001 A-002 A-003 Pad Abort Test-2 A-004

Boilerplate tests	AS-101 AS-102 AS-103 AS-104 AS-105

Unmanned missions	AS-201 AS-202 Apollo 4 Apollo 5 Apollo 6 Skylab 1

Low Earth orbit missions	Apollo 7 Apollo 9 Skylab 2 Skylab 3 Skylab 4 Apollo–Soyuz Test Project

Lunar orbit missions	Apollo 8 Apollo 10

Lunar landing missions	Apollo 11 Apollo 12 Apollo 14 Apollo 15 Apollo 16 Apollo 17

Failed missions	Apollo 1 (AS-204) Apollo 13

List of missions Mission types Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 Canceled missions

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