Saturn V — mission imagery
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Partial Failure

Apollo 6

Saturn VNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationLaunch Complex 39A
Thursday, April 4, 1968 · 12:00 PM UTC

This mission is complete.

Mission Brief

Apollo 6 was intended to send a Command and Service Module (CSM) plus a Lunar Module Test Article (LTA), a simulated Lunar Module (LM) with mounted structural vibration sensors, into a translunar trajectory. However, the Moon would not be in position for a translunar flight, and the Service Module engine would be fired about five minutes later to slow the craft, dropping its apogee to 11,989 nautical miles (22,204 km) and causing the CSM to return to Earth, simulating a "direct-return" abort. On the return leg, the engine would fire once more to accelerate the craft to simulate the nominal lunar return trajectory with a re-entry angle of -6.5 degrees and velocity of 36,500 feet per second (11,100 m/s). The entire mission would last about 10 hours.

PayloadApollo 6
OrbitElliptical Orbit
CustomerApollo
StagesUnknown
PadLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Mission Timeline

14 / 14100%

Ground vector

Launch site

Site locked

Launch Complex 39A

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Global range
SITE LOCK
Latitude
28.608°N
Longitude
80.604°W

Range Weather

Launch commit criteria

Clear
Watch
TrackingNo active constraints
Weather Rules

Tracking no weather issues at this time.

Primary concern
No weather issues
Rule count
0
Temperature
Not reported
Surface wind
Not reported
Window

12:00 PM UTC - 12:00 PM UTC

Vehicle

Saturn V

Profile →
HeightN/A
LEO PayloadN/A
Launches147
Successes122

Provider

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Profile →

USA • Founded 1958

Schedule History

No meaningful launch-time or status changes recorded.