LM1

[johnbutcher]

LM1 was tested in LEO on Apollo5.
So does that mean it re-entered? If so? Where did it come down?
And how much of it might survive and is recoverable?

Sloop

[ka9q]

Yes, it burned up some time after the mission. It had staged, so the ascent and descent stages burned up separately.

[ka9q]

According to the NASA Satellite Situation Report, Apollo 5 was launched on January 22, 1968 as 1968-007, i.e., the 7th launch of the year 1968. After separation, the ascent stage was given the designation 1968-007A. It re-entered on January 23, 1968. The descent stage was designated 1968-007B. It re-entered on February 12, 1968.

The S-IVB stage that launched them was 1968-007C. It re-entered on January 23, 1968.

[JayUtah]

Based on the breakup of Skylab, the only components I would expect to survive re-entry in even remotely recoverable condition are the engine thrust chambers.  Had the vehicle used cryogenic propellants then some of that tankage would be a candidate for recovery but only the helium tanks on that spacecraft were cryogenic.

[johnbutcher]

ka9q and jayutah.
thank you for this.
i do enjoy the details of apollo, such a major event in my life.

Sloop

[ka9q]

You're welcome.

Me too. I was 12 when Apollo 11 landed, and the Apollo program was one of the things that inspired me to become an electrical engineer. I also know a few people who were involved. They're some of the reasons I get so annoyed when ignorant people claim it never happened.

[Bob B.]

We're about the same age, ka9q.  I was 11.

[Philthy]

I was a just over a month shy of 16. Ah the good old days!

Phil

[smartcooky]

13 years 10 months

[BazBear]

4 years 6 months, and one of my earliest solid memories. I couldn't believe Neil and Buzz were unarmed; there obviously had to be space monsters to worry about!

[RAF]

14 years, almost 9 months.

[Allan F]

11 months - didn't know anything about it until 4-5 years later.

[raven]

T-minus 17 years and 5 months. 

[johnbutcher]

I was 10. Only time until I was 14, that I was allowed up to watch TV.
At 14 my parents got me binoculars. It was another 10 years before I realised that they must have known about my interests.

sloop

[Luckmeister]

I was 31. I was so totally into it that I can't remember where I was or who I was with.