National Aeronautics and Administration

The Apollo Spacecraft - a Chronology: Volume III - October 1, 1964 - January 20, 1966 National Aeronautics and Administration

Publisher Marketing: This third volume of the Apollo Spacecraft Chronology covers the sixteen-month period from October 1, 1964, to January 20, 1966. During this period the major emphasis of the program was on the detailed engineering of the three spacecraft being manufactured by North American and Grumman. All major decisions had been made and now within the confines of these decisions spacecraft must be designed and built that would safely provide transportation for men and equipment to the lunar surface and back. One of the most confining of these decisions was the agreed upon payload of the Saturn V. It was initially agreed that the design allowable weight for the Apollo spacecraft was 90 000 pounds. Included within this were the Command and Service Module, the Lunar Excursion Module, and the adapter structure. Although some relief was obtained when the conservatism in the Saturn V design was converted into additional useful performance, spacecraft weight was a continual concern in the Apollo program. This was particularly true during the period reported upon in this volume; concepts were being translated into hard design and the solution of numerous details took their toll in an upward revision of weight estimates. Weights were reported weekly in an attempt to curtail and control weight growth. Programs were instituted to reduce weight by the elimination of nonessential "niceties" and, when practical, by redesigning elements to lighter weight.