Episode 1105: Apollo 4 - Paving the Way to the Lunar Surface

In this special edition of Talking Space, we look back into the NASA audio archives and discover a hidden gem that might get lost in United States space flight history.  On November 9, 1967, months after the United States lost three intrepid explorers duing a spacecraft test, The Apollo Progam arose like the mythical phoenix and launched the most powerfull launch vehicle the world had ever seen, the 364-foot tall Apollo Saturn V Rocket.  Apollo 4 set sail from a brand new port, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center from a brand new launch complex, Launch Complex 39, and with the sucesssfull conclusion of the mission some 8 hours 36 minutes and 59 seconds later, restored confidence in the US Human Spaceflight Program.  What is to follow is the post flight press conference for Apollo 4. In attendaence were space flight giants, with names like Robert Seamans, George Muller, Kurt Debus, George Low, and Werner von Braun.  Its a time capsule of sorts, a moment that paved the way for the human exploration of the lunar surface for the first time, but also may give a hint of future events in NASA’s Artemis program.  Host: Gene Mikulka