Apollo 9 was the third human spaceflight in NASA's Apollo program. Flown in low Earth orbit, it was the second crewed Apollo mission that the United States launched via a Saturn V rocket, and was the first flight of the full Apollo spacecraft: the command and service module (CSM) with the Lunar Module (LM). The mission was flown to qualify the LM for lunar orbit operations in preparation for the first Moon landing by demonstrating its descent and ascent propulsion systems, showing that its crew could fly it independently, then rendezvous and dock with the CSM again, as would be required for the first crewed lunar landing. Other objectives of the flight included firing the LM descent engine to propel the spacecraft stack as a backup mode, and use of the portable life support system backpack outside the LM cabin.
CM pilot David Scott performs a stand-up EVA from CM Gumdrop, seen from docked LM Spider
Left to right: McDivitt, Scott, SchweickartApollo program← Apollo 8Apollo 10 →
Apollo 9 space-flown silver Robbins medallion
McDivitt, Scott, and Schweickart train for the AS-205/208 mission in the first Block II spacecraft and space suits, which still had most of the fire hazards the Apollo 1 spacecraft had.
The Saturn V is a retired American super heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by NASA under the Apollo program for human exploration of the Moon. The rocket was human-rated, had three stages, and was powered by liquid fuel. Flown from 1967 to 1973, it was used for nine crewed flights to the Moon, and to launch Skylab, the first American space station.
The launch of Apollo 11 on Saturn V SA-506, July 16, 1969
Saturn V testing vehicle and flight vehicle configurations
Von Braun with the F-1 engines of the Saturn V first stage at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
All Saturn V launches, 1967–1973