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The Apollo Command Module
This 1:4 scale model, based on an early design, shows the final proportions and
interior layout of the Apollo Command Module (CM) designed to transport the
Apollo astronauts to the Moon and protect them during Earth re-entry. The CM
functioned as the living quarters for the crew during most of the mission and
launched atop the Saturn V rocket. After ferrying the crew to the Moon, the
Apollo capsule remained in lunar orbit with one crew member, while the other
two astronauts descended to the lunar surface in the Lunar Module (LM). When
the surface mission was complete, the LM launched and docked with the orbiting
CM that then carried all three astronauts back to Earth. The ablative heat
shield of the Apollo capsule protected the astronauts from the extreme
temperatures experienced when entering Earth's atmosphere.
Height |
36.2 ft (11.03 m) |
Maximum diameter |
12.8 ft (3.9 m) |
Mass |
12,807 lb (5,809 kg) |