General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Wood model.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

N/A

Width

N/A

Height

17.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

20.0 cm

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Space Technology

Category

Models

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

NASA

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Texas

City

Houston

Context

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Texas

Period

ca. 1960-1970

Canada

The Apollo Command and Service Module (CSM) was one of the main Apollo spacecraft. The CSM would carry three astronauts into lunar orbit, where it remained while the Lunar Module (LM) touched down to the Moon. The CSM development contract was awarded by NASA to North American Aviation in 1961. This is an early Command Module (CM) model, the conical cabin portion of the CSM, and was built in-house by NASA as the Space Task Group prepared the statement of work which detailed the contractor’s responsibilities in designing, building and testing of what became the CSM. This model was gifted NASA engineer Owen Maynard on June 5, 1965 and illustrates his close association with the Apollo Program and the early development of the Apollo spacecrafts, including the CM. Maynard was a Canadian who started at NASA as an Aeronautical Research Engineer for the Space Task Group, working first on Project Mercury before turning to the Apollo Program. He became integral to the early design of the Apollo Command and Lunar Modules. Maynard was the first person to begin working on the design of the Lunar Module in 1961 and became Chief of Systems Engineering in the Apollo Program Office in 1964.

Function

To illustrate the appearance of the Command Module as part of NASA’s Apollo Program.

Technical

This wooden model of the Command Module (CM) served as a communication tool and proof of concept during the early design and development process. The simple wooden design allowed for faster manufacturing and gave engineers the opportunity to quickly illustrate the main design features of CM. It features hand painted detailing, such as windows and hatches, showing how it was more of a proof of concept than a polished final design.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

Handwritten on the proper bottom: "6/5/65/ To Owen"/ Remainder of markings appear to have been mostly worn off

Missing

Appears complete

Finish

Predominantly white painted finish with blue and black painted panels and black ink handwriting on the proper bottom.

Decoration

N/A