Air & Space Museum

Apollo Command Module Boilerplate

Apollo Command Module Boilerplate

Many of us remember the excitement of the Apollo missions that landed a dozen Americans on the Moon more than 50 years ago. The Apollo Command Module was the only part of the massive, skyscraper-sized Saturn V rocket that returned to Earth at the end of each flight. You can recognize an enlarged version of the Command Module’s cone shape in today’s Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft and the Boeing Starliner.

This artifact looks very much like an actual Apollo Command Module, but it never carried astronauts into space. It is a boilerplate—a simplified metal model created to test specific aspects of the real spacecraft, such as water landings, launch abort escape rockets, or recovery systems. It duplicates the size, weight, shape, and center of gravity of the actual vehicle.

This particular boilerplate is BP-1101A. NASA used it for flotation tests in the Gulf of Mexico in July, 1965. After some modifications, NASA used it again for additional ocean testing in 1966 and 1967. In most photos of Apollo spacecraft floating in the ocean you can see large round balloons near the top. They pull the spacecraft right-side-up if it capsizes, and they were tested on this very boilerplate.

On loan from the National Air and Space Museum.

Capsule specifications:
Diameter: 12 ft 10 in (3.9 m)
Height: 8 ft 10 in (2.7 m)
Weight: Varied, approximately 10,000 lbs (4,536 kg)

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Upcoming Events

Saturday Nov 23
10:00AM TO 2:00PM
Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

Fall Fly-In & Food Drive

Fall Fly-In & Food Drive
Saturday, Nov 23, 2024 | 10:00AM to 2:00PM

Join us at Exploration of Flight for a Fall Fly-in! Come enjoy a fun day of checking out aircraft, meet the pilots, participate in interactive activities and much more. Receive $1 off admission with a donation of a non-perishable food item or donation to Food Bank of the Rockies!* 1 in 9 people in Colorado experiences food insecurity and Food Bank of the Rockies distributes upwards of 179,000 meals everyday. Help us soar to feed our community!

Pre-Purchase Tickets

Food Truck: Ecos de Mexico
Food purchases not included in admission.

*Get $1 off admission ticket when you donate a canned or non-perishable food item. Limit one $1 discount per admission ticket. Discount available for in-person purchases only. Online donations must be made to the Wings Over the Rockies food drive page. Link to donate can be found below. Show your email receipt as proof of online donation at the admissions desk.

Saturday Nov 30
11:00AM TO 12:30PM
Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

Speaker Series: A Day in the Life of a Fighter Pilot

Speaker Series: A Day in the Life of a Fighter Pilot
Saturday, Nov 30, 2024 | 11:00AM to 12:30PM

Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a fighter pilot looks like? Join us at Exploration of Flight for an in-depth presentation over the role of a fighter pilot in both historical and modern contexts. John L. Barry, Maj Gen, USAF (Ret) will take us on a journey from pre-flighting, operations, post-flight and more!

Pre-Purchase Tickets

Sunday Dec 1
12:00PM TO 5:00PM
Air & Space Museum

Museum Store Sunday

Museum Store Sunday
Sunday, Dec 1, 2024 | 12:00PM to 5:00PM

Shop the Museum Store on Sunday, December 1 and receive 10% off all store products! Find unique and quality aviation and space-themed items for all ages including decor, clothes, jewelry, games, books and much more.

Wings Members receive 20% off all products! Not a member? Click here to become one today!

Plus, the first 20 people to spend over $20 on Museum Store Sunday will receive special giveaway items!

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