NASA APOLLO IX MISSION SPLASHDOWN & CAPSULE RECOVERY FOOTAGE USS GUADALCANAL SEA KING 17584

Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit Browse our products on Amazon: This color silent film footage shows some of the events of 13 March 1969, as the Apollo IX mission comes to an end with splashdown and recovery of the crew. The U.S. Navy assault ship USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7) performs the recovery mission. The helicopters shown are Sikorsky SH-3D Sea Kings of HS-3. The primary helicopter shown, emblazoned with the number “54“ on the hull, is BuNo 152695. The astronauts were retrieved using a Billy Pugh net or basket. Astronaut James A. McDivitt, mission commander, was the third of the astronauts to egress the command module. Also on the mission were astronauts David R. Scott, command module pilot; and Russell L. Schweickart, lunar module pilot. The three rehearsed in Earth orbit the transportation and docking maneuvers necessary to occur in lunar orbit in order for future crews to land on the moon’s surface. Splashdo