Spaceflight Safety
Spaceflight accidents and near-disasters that changed spacecraft design, testing, procedures, and crew-survival systems.
61 results found
Investigations
The Hatch Opened Inward
Apollo 1’s ignition source was never conclusively identified. NASA’s review instead found a pressurized pure-oxygen cabin, combustible materials near possible ignition sources, and an inner hatch the crew could not open before…
The Numbers Came Back
Lightning crippled Apollo 12’s electrical system 36 seconds after launch. One obscure switch did not repair the spacecraft—it restored the data needed to understand how to save it.