Exploring the Unknown: Selected Documents in ... - The Black Vault

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Project Apollo: Americans to the Moon
possibility of an AS 503 lunar orbit mission. Gilruth was most enthusiastic and
indicated that this would be a major step forward in the program.
Met with Chris Kraft at 0900, and he indicated that his preliminary studies
had shown that the mission was technically feasible from the point of view of
ground control and onboard computer software. (A step of major importance to
make this possible had been taken several months ago when we had decided to
use the Colossus onboard computer program for the 103 spacecraft.)
At 0930, I met with Gilruth, Kraft and Slayton. After con siderable
discussion, we agreed that this mission should certainly [3] be given serious
consideration and that we saw no reason at the present time why it should not be
done. We immediately decided that it was important to get both von Braun and
Phillips on board in order to obtain their endorsement and enthusiastic support.
Gilruth called von Braun, gave him the briefest description of our considerations,
and asked whether we could meet with him in Huntsville that afternoon. I called
Phillips at KSC and also in formed him of our activities and asked whether he and
Debus could join us in Huntsville that afternoon. Both von Braun and Phillips
indicated their agreement in meeting with us, and we set up a session in Huntsville
for 2:30 p.m.
August 9, 1968 - 2:30 p. m. Met in von Braun’s office with von Braun,
Rees, James and Richard from MSFC; Phillips and Hage from OMSF; Debus and
Petrone from KSC; and Gilruth, Kraft, Slayton and Low from MSC. I described the
background of the situation, indicating that LM-3 has seen serious delays and that
presently we were one week down on the KSC schedule, indicating a 31 December
launch. I went on to indicate that, under the best of circumstances, given a mature
spacecraft, we might expect a launch at the end of January; however, with the present
situation on LM, I would expect that the earliest possible D mission launch date
would be during the middle of March. It therefore appeared that getting all of the
benefits of the F (lunar orbit) mission before the D mission was both technically and
programmatically advisable. Under this concept a lunar orbit mission, using AS 503
and CSM 103, could be flown in December, 1968. The most significant milestone
in this plan would have to be an extremely successful C mission, using CSM 101.
However, if 101 were not completely successful, an alternate to the proposed mission
would be a CSM alone flight, still in December, using AS 503 and CSM 103 in an
earth orbital flight rather than a lunar orbit flight. Under this plan the D mission
would be flown on AS 504 with CSM 104 and LM-3, probably still in mid-March. In
other words, we would get an extra mission in ahead of the D mission; would get the
earliest possible Pogo flight; and would get much of the information needed from
the F mission much earlier than we could otherwise. Chris Kraft made the strong
point that, in order to gain the F mission flight benefits, the flight would have to be
into lunar orbit as opposed to circumlunar flight.
During the remainder of the meeting in Huntsville, all present exhibited
a great deal of interest and enthusiasm for this flight.
[4] Phillips outlined on the blackboard the actions that would have to be taken
over the next several days. Generally, KSC indicated that they could support such
a mission by December 1, 1968; MSFC could see no difficulties from their end;