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Apollo Command/Service Module

Apollo Command/Service Module

Apollo Command/Service Module is a capsule developed by North American Aviation.

Mission profile: Cargo and Human Transportation to Lunar Orbit

The Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM) was one of two principal components of the United States Apollo spacecraft, used for the Apollo program which landed astronauts on the Moon between 1969 and 1972. The CSM functioned as a mother ship which carried a crew of three astronauts and the second Apollo spacecraft, the Lunar Module, to lunar orbit, and brought the astronauts back to Earth. It consisted of two parts: the conical Command Module, a cabin that housed the crew and carried equipment needed for atmospheric reentry and splashdown; and the cylindrical Service Module which provided propulsion, electrical power and storage for various consumables required during a mission. An umbilical connection transferred power and consumables between the two modules. Just before reentry of the Command Module on the return home, the umbilical connection was severed and the Service Module was cast off and allowed to burn up in the atmosphere.

Spacecraft Specifications & Launch Record

Technical specifications and flight history for Apollo Command/Service Module
Height11 m
Diameter3.9 m
Human RatedYes
Maiden Flight2/26/1966
Crew Capacity3
Payload Capacity1050 kg
Flight Life14 days
Spacecraft Flown21
Total Launches21
Successful Launches19
Failed Launches2
Attempted Landings20
Successful Landings20

History of the Apollo Command/Service Module

The Apollo Command/Service Module (CSM) was one of two principal components of the United States Apollo spacecraft, used for the Apollo program which landed astronauts on the Moon between 1969 and 1972.

North American Aviation Space Agency

North American Aviation (NAA) was a major American aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo command and service module, the second stage of the Saturn V rocket, the Space Shuttle orbiter and the B-1 Lancer.

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