BP-1101 “Boilerplate” Capsule | Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum

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)

Lowry - Denver

Air & Space Museum

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Saturday Apr 26

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Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

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Air & Space Museum

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Monday Apr 28

6:00PM TO 8:00PM

Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

Wings Aerospace Exploration Parent/Family Info Night

Monday, Apr 28, 2025 | 6:00PM to 8:00PM

Full STEAM Ahead – Immerse Your Student into Aerospace!

Join us for an informational session to learn about Wings Aerospace Exploration (WAE), a hands-on enrichment program for students in grades 6-12 from the team at Wings Over the Rockies™. During this session, we will provide a program overview, introduce our staff and instructors, share stories from current and past students and answer your questions! This meeting will take place at Exploration of Flight at Centennial Airport (13005 Wings Way, Englewood, CO 80112).

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Wings is thrilled to announce the expansion of the WAE pathway at our Exploration of Flight campus at Centennial Airport to include middle school classes! For this upcoming 2025/2026 school year, WAE Centennial will be open to middle school and high school students (grades 6-12).

WAE students have the opportunity to explore the wonders of flight, engage with industry professionals, and gain valuable skills for future careers in aerospace. The program includes building and operating RC airplanes, drones and robotics, as well as coding, rocketry and LOTS of other aviation and space related subjects. Wings Aerospace Exploration is an enrichment program and complements but does not take the place of an accredited educational institution.

Questions? Please contact:
Nedra Hall – Program Coordinator, 303.360.5360 ext 125
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