Apollo 23

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General Information

Program

Apollo program

Operator

Rocket

Saturn V

Launch site

Cape Kennedy

Mission Details

Purpose

Crew rotation for Jamestown

Crew

Michael Collins
Henry
Edmondson

Start date

August 24, 1974

Mission Patch

Apollo 23 was a planned NASA mission to replace the crew of Apollo 22 on the lunar base Jamestown. The crew consisted of commander Michael Collins and the astronauts Henry and Edmondson. It was ready to launch on August 24, 1974.

The mission had to be aborted as the Saturn V was destroyed before launch in an explosion on its launch pad.

History[]

The incident[]

On August 24, 1974, Apollo 23 was ready to take off on its launch pad at Cape Kennedy, Florida. 87 minutes before launch, the crew was visited by former flight director and new director of the Johnson Space Center, Gene Kranz, when they were already in their seats in the command module, wishing them Godspeed. They closed the hatch and NASA engineer Scott Kraus informed Mission Control that all test are complete and they now leave the tower. While walking away together with Kranz, the rocket behind them suddenly exploded. 12 NASA personnel were killed by the incident, including Kranz and Kraus. The 3 crew members, being pulled away from the exploding rocket by the emergency launch escape system^W, survived, but were injured after their spacecraft landed on the beach instead of in the Atlantic Ocean.^[1]

In Mission Control, NASA Administrator Weisner had just introduced NASA's first female flight director, Irene Hendricks. While everybody was busy with last preparations for lauch, they saw the Saturn V explode on the big screen. Everybody was in a state of shock and Hendricks ordered to lock the doors.

The investigation[]

After the incident, further launches were halted and the FBI started an investigation on potential Soviet sabotage. Special agent Gavin Donahue was given wide latitude by the Department of Justice to investigate on potential security breaches at JSC and other NASA facilities.^[1] The investigations of Donahue, who suspected Soviet influence everywhere, later led to Octavio Rosales, the father of Aleida, being deported back to Mexico,^[2] and also put great pressure on Ellen Waverly and Larry Wilson, as the latter was suspected to be a homosexual under Soviet influence by Donahue, and was a reason for the two to get married as a cover-up.^[3]

However, a report issued by former NASA director and Saturn rocket chief designer Wernher von Braun by order of Weisner, revealed that a change in the supply chain of NASA's contractors and subcontractors, which happened for political reasons and gave huge contracts to key congressional districts, was the cause of the failing LH2 valve of the rocket's second stage. The malfuncioning valve was manufactured by Kirkland Aerospace, a company located in Rockford, Illinois, while von Braun had given it to a company in Colorado Springs in the 60s. In early 1973, NASA had changed contractors. Von Braun concluded, that the contract was given to an Illinois company because the new administration of Ted Kennedy needed the support of that state's Republican governor, Richard Ogilvie, for passing their Equal Rights Amendment. The huge and lucrative order was given to a company in a key district which Ogilvie needed for his own re-election.^[1]

The aftermath[]

As von Braun predicted to Margo Madison, who had been sent to him for taking the report as requested by him, Weisner immediately declared it as top secret and reminded Margo, that she is bound by oath to not reveal any knowledge about the report as doing so could lead to spending 20 years in a federal penitentiary. However, Margo used her knowledge to blackmail Weisner, as she told him that she had made a copy which would be mailed to the New York Times by a friend in case she's not personally telling them not to. She requested to become flight director, a position she deserved, and told Weisner to make an opening for her.^[1]

The halt of further Apollo missions had also led to the crew of Apollo 22, Ed Baldwin, Gordo Stevens, and Danielle Poole, to be stranded on the Moon for several months longer than planned.