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Infographic: Spacecraft of the Apollo Program

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Apollo program. Apollo command and service modules, Apollo lunar module, Apollo flight path, space exploration, infographic
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Patrick O'Neill Riley

This infographic explains the spacecraft of the Apollo program. More detailed information and explanations appear below.

Apollo program

The Apollo Saturn V was 110.6 metres (363 feet) tall.

At its top was the launch escape system, and below that were the Command Module, the Service Module, and the adapter containing the Lunar Module.

The Command Module housed three astronauts during launch and was the only section of the spacecraft to return to Earth’s surface with a crew.

The Service Module remained with the Command Module throughout the mission until reentry.

Adapter panels surrounding the Lunar Module were released soon after Apollo left Earth orbit for the Moon. The Command and Service modules then separated from the Saturn third stage, turned end over end, and docked with the Lunar Module.

The Lunar Module was stowed in the adapter above the Saturn third stage.

The Apollo Saturn V, fully fueled, weighed approximately 2.9 million kg (6.4 million pounds) at launch. 

The fuel was contained in three sections: the S-IVB third stage below the Lunar Module, the S-II second stage, and the S-IC first stage at the bottom of the rocket.

It had five liquid-fuel engines providing 33,000 kN (7.5 million pounds) of combined thrust.

The Service Module contained oxygen, power-generating equipment, and water for life support. 

The Service Module’s main engine was used to make midcourse corrections, achieve lunar orbit, and leave lunar orbit for the return flight to Earth.

After docking, Command and Lunar modules remained together for the flight to the Moon, which allowed the crew to move between the two sections.

Apollo Command and Service modules

The Command Module had an outer shell of stainless-steel honeycomb (heat shield) and an inner shell of aluminum honeycomb (pressure containment).

The Command Module had a reentry heat shield on its base and a window on its cone. 

The Command Module could be maneuvered with pitch engines, roll engines, and yaw engines.

In addition to the access hatch, there was a passage tunnel leading to the docking probe and a hatch to access the Lunar Module.

Inside the Command Module were an instrument panel, computer, electrical and environmental equipment, contoured couch, main parachute storage, and a carbon dioxide absorber.

The Service Module connected to the Command Module via supports on its top end. 

The Service Module was powered by a main engine nozzle connected to a helium tank and four propellant tanks. It was controlled by 16 steering thrusters, in groups of four, connected to steering thruster helium tanks.

Fuel cells used hydrogen from liquid hydrogen tanks and oxygen from liquid oxygen tanks to generate electric power and drinking water.

The exterior of the Service Module also had a high-gain antenna.

Apollo Lunar Module

The Apollo Lunar Module consisted of an ascent stage sitting on top of a descent stage. 

The ascent stage lifted off from the Moon to dock with the orbiting Command and Service modules for the return to Earth.

The descent stage remained on the Moon.

The ascent stage had a passage tunnel on top and an egress hatch on the side that led to the egress platform and down the ladder (permanently attached to a landing leg). 

The descent stage was covered with lightweight reflective Mylar. It contained the descent fuel tank and the descent engine nozzle.

Attached to the descent stage were four impact-absorbing landing legs; the undersides of three of the legs had lunar-surface sensing probes.

The ascent stage had the ascent engine and ascent fuel tank to lift off from the Moon. It was controlled by 16 steering thrusters, in groups of four, connected to steering thruster fuel tanks.

The ascent stage had oxygen tanks and carried a crew of two.

On the exterior of the ascent stage were a rendezvous radar antenna, an S-band steerable antenna, and a VHF antenna. 

Apollo flight path

  1. Saturn V lifts the Apollo spacecraft into Earth parking orbit.
  2. The Saturn third-stage engine places the spacecraft into translunar trajectory. The adapter panels over the Lunar Module are released.
  3. The Command and Service modules separate from the Saturn third stage, turn end over end, and dock with the Lunar Module. The Saturn third stage is jettisoned.
  4. On the dark side of the Moon, beyond radio communication, the Service Module engine slows the spacecraft to achieve lunar orbit.
  5. The Lunar Module, carrying two astronauts, separates and descends to the Moon’s surface while the Command and Service modules, carrying one astronaut, remain in lunar orbit.
  6. The Lunar Module ascent stage lifts off from the lunar surface, leaving the descent stage on the Moon.
  7. The ascent stage achieves lunar orbit and docks with the Command and Service modules.
  8. After the astronauts leave the ascent stage, it is jettisoned and allowed to crash on the Moon. The Service Module engine places the spacecraft into trans-Earth trajectory.
  9. The Service Module is jettisoned on the approach to Earth. The three astronauts descend in the Command Module for a parachute landing in the ocean.
  10. The Command Module achieves splashdown.