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Forum:	Mercury - Gemini - Apollo
Topic:	Apollo 9 50th anniversary (March 3-13, 2019)

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Your Reply: HTML is ON UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend	[QUOTE]Originally posted by JimSchultze: [B]Now I need to go home tonight and re-watch my favorite episode in the "From the Earth to the Moon" series. I can remember explaining the mission objectives to my classmates in school. A wonderful time to be alive![/B][/QUOTE]
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<table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="600"><TR><td bgcolor="#000000"><TABLE BORDER=0 cellpadding=4 border=0 cellspacing=1 WIDTH="100%"><TR bgcolor="#660000"><TD COLSPAN=2><CENTER><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#ffffff" FACE="sans-serif">T O P I C     R E V I E W</font></CENTER></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top><FONT SIZE="2" FACE="sans-serif">Robert Pearlman</FONT></TD><TD><FONT SIZE="2" FACE="sans-serif">NASA's Apollo 9 mission marks 50 years March 3-13, 2019. <BLOCKQUOTE><I>50 years ago, we tested the capabilities of our Moon landing spacecraft in Earth's orbit. Commander James McDivitt, Command Module Pilot David Scott and Lunar Module Pilot Rusty Schweickart performed systems checks and gathered data. <P>The Lunar Module and the Command Module separated by nearly 100 miles and an engine burn check brought them back together. A challenging rendezvous and docking proved the abilities of the hardware.<P>This historic mission launched on March 3, 1969 as an engineering mission and paved the way for future Apollo missions.</I></BLOCKQUOTE> <center><iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hG6lWYAFeCQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen>

JimSchultze

Now I need to go home tonight and re-watch my favorite episode in the "From the Earth to the Moon" series. I can remember explaining the mission objectives to my classmates in school. A wonderful time to be alive!

AstroCasey

I agree. The Apollo 9 episode is the best episode of the entire miniseries (the Apollo 12 episode is a close second). I like how it goes into the nuts and bolts of the lunar module design. I also like the portrayal of engineer Tom Kelly. Too bad it rarely plays on TV. Strongly recommend buying the DVD.

Also, NASA TV has been playing documentaries and footage from Apollo 9 the last couple of days. It is really interesting stuff. Some of what they are showing is footage I never watched before.

David Carey

From the "Today in Space History" header on cS's homepage for March 7:

1969: Spider undocks from Gumdrop as Apollo 9's James McDivitt and Rusty Schweickart test fly the lunar module.

A great day for an important Apollo flight. There was even a commemorative cover made for the occasion.

Covering hours 88-102 of the Apollo 9 mission, this Lunar Module Rendezvous Activation Flight Data File (FDF) had a good workout, serving to guide the lunar module pilot and commander on pre-undocking and post-test-flight lunar module configuration and other activities up through LM jettison.

Could be the FDF in LMP Schweickart's right hand as seen in this TV broadcast frame grab; it's the correct size and a black felt-tip pen like that he's holding is consistent with his many notes/markups.

CDR McDivitt later added a number of his own notes in ballpoint, including a simple but telling "very nice" message about Spider's post-test-drive rendezvous with Gumdrop.

After about 40 minutes of formation flying and other tests they struggled through visibility problems from CM reflections and re-docked during hour 99. Still days to go on the mission, but it probably felt mighty good to get back to the mother ship and their eventual ride home.

The crew jettisoned Spider's ascent stage at the 101:22 hour mark having proven the LM ready for a moon landing attempt just four months away.

jklier

I had purchased "From the Earth to the Moon" on VHS a long time ago. My wife and I were watching the series while she was pregnant with our first daughter. She went into labor mid-way through the Apollo 9 "Spider" episode.

I just ordered and received the series on DVD today. Tonight I'm going to ask her if she wants to finish watching "Spider." That same daughter who interrupted the viewing is home from Texas A&M for spring break. I'll need to ask he if she wants to finish viewing as well!

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