NASA Little Joe II A-003

Name: NASA Little Joe II A-003
Start: 1965-05-19T13:01:04.000Z
Location: Launch Complex 36

Little Joe II

Status

Failure

Date

19 MAY 1965

13:01

Launch Provider

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Launch Pad

Launch Complex 36

White Sands Missile Range

Mission Overview

A-003 was the fourth abort test of the Apollo spacecraft. This particular flight is notable because during the abort test flight, an actual abort situation occurred, and further proved the Apollo launch escape system (LES). The CM was successfully pulled away from the malfunctioning Little Joe booster and it landed safely under parachutes.

Rocket

Little Joe II

Mission Type

Test Flight

Orbit

Suborbital

Stages

Livestream

Not available

Rocket Details

American rocket used from 1963 to 1966 for five uncrewed suborbital tests of the Apollo spacecraft launch escape system and of the command module parachute recovery system in abort mode.

Height

26.2 m

Diameter

3.9 m