Mark Hess

Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

(Phone: 202/453-4164) May 1, 1990

Dick Young
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 407/867-2468)

Cam Martin
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
(Phone: 804/864-6121)

RELEASE: 90-60

APOLLO 204 SPACECRAFT TO BE STORED AT CAPE CANAVERAL AF STATION

The Apollo 204 spacecraft, its heat shield, associated

hardware and investigative data will be moved from the Langley
Research Center, Hampton, Va., about May 20 and placed in
permanent storage with the Challenger debris in an abandoned
missile silo at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

Astronauts Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom, Roger B. Chaffee and

Edward H. White II, perished in the Apollo 204 spacecraft fire on
Jan. 27, 1967. Their deaths occurred on Launch Complex 34 at
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) during prelaunch tests
for the first manned Apollo mission.

Apollo 204 hardware has been in storage at Langley Research

Center since 1967, as directed by the Apollo 204 Review Board.
Until about 10 years ago the container was kept in a low pressure
nitrogen atmosphere to minimize corrosion. The container has
been deteriorating and several small leaks have developed.
Routine repairs were made to the container, but due to its age it
cannot be effectively maintained on a continuing basis.

To recover storage area and to gain relief from the

open-ended maintenance required on the storage containers, NASA
decided to place the Apollo 204 hardware in permanent storage in
the missile silo. The command module, heat shield, booster
protective cover and 81 cartons, containing hardware and
investigation data, take up about 3,300 cubic feet of storage.

- end -

Editors Note: Media who wish to cover these activities should

contact the appropriate public information office listed above
for accreditation and details.
TO: MDS/PRA Group
1615 L Street, N.W. - Suite 100
Washington, D.C. 20036

DATE & TIME: May 01, 1990 4:00pm

ORDERED BY: Edward Campion

NASA Headquarters/LMD
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20546 PHONE: 202/453-8400

PROJECT TITLE: Release No: 90-60

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MAIL DATE: May 02, 1990

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