Summary: Three hills in Gusev Crater in the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle honor three Apollo 1 astronauts who died in 1967 a pre-launch test.
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| Westward-looking image obtained by Mars robotic rover Spirit's Panoramic Camera (PanCam) depicts three hills honoring Apollo 1 fallen astronauts Command Pilot Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward "Ed" Higgins White II and Pilot Roger Bruce Chaffee; Chaffee Hill (first left), Grissom Hill (second left) and White Hill (right) lie, respectively, 14.3 kilometers (8.9 miles) south-southwest, 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) southwest and 11.2 kilometers (7 miles) northwest of Spirit's landing site: image credit JPL/NASA/Cornell; image addition date 2004-01-27: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal |
Three hills lying in Gusev Crater in the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle honor three Apollo 1 astronauts who died in a fire in Apollo One command and service module 12 (CSM-012) during a pre-launch test on Friday, Jan. 27, 1967.
Three hills comprising part of the panoramic view from the site where Spirit settled during the Mars robotic rover's landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, have been named in honor of Apollo 1 fallen astronauts Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (April 3, 1926-Jan. 27, 1967), Senior Pilot Edward "Ed" Higgins White II (Nov. 14, 1930-Jan. 27, 1967) and Pilot Roger Bruce Chaffee (Feb. 15, 1935-Jan. 27, 1967), according to a press release dated Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004, by D.C. (David C.) Agle and Donald Savage. After initially bouncing to a height of 8.4 meters (27.6 feet), Spirit's lander experienced 27 more bounces before rolling to a stop about 250 to 300 meters (270 to 330 yards) from its first impact. The robotic rover settled at minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude (pages 3-4), according to "Mars Exploration Rover," published as NASA Facts by NASA's Pasadena, California-based Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee perished during a fire that flashed through Apollo One command and service module 12 (CSM-012) during a pre-launch test that was being conducted Friday, Jan. 27, 1967. Exactly 37 years after the tragic event, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) honored the three fallen Apollo 1 astronauts by naming three Martian hills west of Mars robotic rover Spirit's landing site in Gusev Crater after them.
"Through recorded history explorers have had both the honor and responsibility of naming significant landmarks," 10th NASA Administrator (Dec. 21, 2001-Dec. 13, 2004) Sean Charles O'Keefe (born Jan. 27, 1956) observed in his announcement of the named Martian hills. "Gus, Ed and Roger's contributions, as much as their sacrifice, helped make our giant leap for mankind possible. Today, as America strides towards our next giant leap, NASA and the Mars Exploration Rover team created a fitting tribute to these brave explorers and their legacy."
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| Image obtained by robotic space probe Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the three Apollo 1 Hills in relation to site (minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude) where Mars robotic rover Spirit settled after landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (NASA Facts: Mars Exploration Rover, pages 3-4): image credit JPL/NASA/Cornell; image addition date 2004-01-27: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal |
"Through recorded history explorers have had both the honor and responsibility of naming significant landmarks," 10th NASA Administrator (Dec. 21, 2001-Dec. 13, 2004) Sean Charles O'Keefe (born Jan. 27, 1956) observed in his announcement of the named Martian hills. "Gus, Ed and Roger's contributions, as much as their sacrifice, helped make our giant leap for mankind possible. Today, as America strides towards our next giant leap, NASA and the Mars Exploration Rover team created a fitting tribute to these brave explorers and their legacy."
Gusev Crater is centered at minus 14.53 degrees south latitude, 175.52 degrees east longitude, according to the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. The large impact crater draws its northernmost and southernmost latitudes at minus 13.20 degrees south and minus 15.86 degrees south, respectively. It pinpoints its easternmost and westernmost longitudes at 176.91 degrees east and 174.15 degrees east, respectively. Gusev Crater's diameter measures 158.12 kilometers.
Gusev Crater is situated in the southeastern quadrant of the Martian southern hemisphere's Aeolis quadrangle. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has designated the Aeolis quadrangle as Mars Chart 23 (MC-23) of the agency's 30 cartographic representations of Martian pole-to-pole topography. The Aeolis quadrangle covers the Martian surface latitudinally from zero degrees to minus 30 degrees south and longitudinally from 180 degrees west to 225 degrees west (180 degrees east to 135 degrees east).
On Monday, Feb. 2, 2004, six days after NASA's announcement about memorializing the three Apollo 1 fallen astronauts via three hills in Gusev Crater, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe revealed a similar commemoration for seven fallen Columbia astronauts. Commander Richard "Rick" Douglas Husband (July 12, 1957-Feb. 1, 2003), Pilot William "Willie" Cameron McCool (born William Cameron Graham; Sep. 23, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003), Payload Commander Michael Phillip Anderson (Dec. 25, 1959-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 1 David McDowell Brown (April 16, 1956-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana "K.C." Chawla (March 17, 1962-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 4 Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003) and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (born Ilan Wolferman; June 20, 1954-Feb 1, 2003) perished during the Columbia STS-107 mission's Earth re-entry on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.
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| Image obtained by robotic space probe Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the seven Columbia Hills in relation to site (minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude) where Mars robotic rover Spirit settled after landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (NASA Facts: Mars Exploration Rover, pages 3-4): image credit NASA/JPL/Cornell; image addition date 2004-02-02: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal |
On Monday, Feb. 2, 2004, six days after NASA's announcement about memorializing the three Apollo 1 fallen astronauts via three hills in Gusev Crater, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe revealed a similar commemoration for seven fallen Columbia astronauts. Commander Richard "Rick" Douglas Husband (July 12, 1957-Feb. 1, 2003), Pilot William "Willie" Cameron McCool (born William Cameron Graham; Sep. 23, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003), Payload Commander Michael Phillip Anderson (Dec. 25, 1959-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 1 David McDowell Brown (April 16, 1956-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana "K.C." Chawla (March 17, 1962-Feb. 1, 2003), Mission Specialist 4 Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961-Feb. 1, 2003) and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (born Ilan Wolferman; June 20, 1954-Feb 1, 2003) perished during the Columbia STS-107 mission's Earth re-entry on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2003.
"These seven hills on Mars are named for those seven brave souls, the final crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia. The Columbia crew faced the challenge of space and made the supreme sacrifice in the name of exploration," Administrator O'Keefe announced. The Columbia commemoration was reported by D.C. (David C.) Agle and Donald Savage in "NASA Dedicates Mars Landmarks to Columbia Crew," published Feb. 2, 2004, on the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) website.
The seven Columbia Hills are sited east of Spirit's landing site in Gusev Crater, according to "PIA05200: NASA Dedicates Mars Landmarks to Columbia Crew," published on the NASA JPL Photojournal website. The seven Columbia Hills observe an alphabetical arrangement. As the most northeasterly occupier, Anderson Hill lies 3 kilometers from the landing site. Brown Hill and Chawla Hill are sited at a distance of 2.9 kilometers. Three kilometers separate Clark Hill from Spirit's landing site. Husband Hill and McCool Hill are distanced from the site by 3.1 and 4.2 kilometers, respectively. As the most southeasterly Columbia Hill, Ramon Hill is found at a distance of 4.4 kilometers from Spirit's landing site.
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| (left to right) Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward "Ed" White and Roger Chaffee, named March 21, 1966, as prime crew for NASA's first manned Apollo Space Flight, depicted during training in Florida; NASA ID S67-19770; image created Monday, Dec. 12, 1966: Not subject to copyright, via NASA Image and Video Library |
Acknowledgment
My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.
Dedication
Dedication
This post is dedicated to the memory of our beloved blue-eyed brother, Charles, who guided the creation of the Met Opera and Astronomy posts on Earth and Space News. We memorialized our brother in "Our Beloved Blue-Eyed Brother, Charles, With Whom We Are Well Pleased," published on Earth and Space News on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021, an anniversary of our beloved father's death.
Image credits:
Image credits:
Westward-looking image obtained by Mars robotic rover Spirit's Panoramic Camera (PanCam) depicts three hills honoring Apollo 1 fallen astronauts Command Pilot Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom, Senior Pilot Edward "Ed" Higgins White II and Pilot Roger Bruce Chaffee; Chaffee Hill (first left), Grissom Hill (second left) and White Hill (right) lie, respectively, 14.3 kilometers (8.9 miles) south-southwest, 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) southwest and 11.2 kilometers (7 miles) northwest of Spirit's landing site: image credit JPL/NASA/Cornell; image addition date 2004-01-27: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00414
Image obtained by robotic space probe Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the three Apollo 1 Hills in relation to site (minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude) where Mars robotic rover Spirit settled after landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (NASA Facts: Mars Exploration Rover, pages 3-4): image credit JPL/NASA/Cornell; image addition date 2004-01-27: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05155
Image obtained by robotic space probe Mars Global Surveyor's (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) shows the seven Columbia Hills in relation to site (minus 14.57 degrees south latitude, 175.47 degrees east longitude) where Mars robotic rover Spirit settled after landing Friday, Jan. 3, 2003, at 8:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (NASA Facts: Mars Exploration Rover, pages 3-4): image credit NASA/JPL/Cornell; image addition date 2004-02-02: May be used for any purpose without prior permission, via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05200
(left to right) Virgil "Gus" Grissom, Edward "Ed" White and Roger Chaffee, named March 21, 1966, as prime crew for NASA's first manned Apollo Space Flight, depicted during training in Florida; NASA ID S67-19770; image created Monday, Dec. 12, 1966: Not subject to copyright, via NASA Image and Video Library @ https://images.nasa.gov/details/S67-19770
For further information:
For further information:
Agle, D.C. (David C.); and Donald Savage. "Martian Landmarks Dedicated to Apollo 1 Crew." NASA Science Mars Exploration > Mars Exploration Rovers MER > News > Newsroom > Press Releases. Jan. 27, 2004.
Available @ https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/newsroom/pressreleases/20040127b.html
Available @ https://mars.nasa.gov/mer/newsroom/pressreleases/20040127b.html
Agle, D.C. (David C.): and Donald Savage. "NASA Dedicates Mars Landmarks to Columbia Crew." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory > News > Solar System. Feb. 2, 2004.
Available @ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-dedicates-mars-landmarks-to-columbia-crew
Available @ https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-dedicates-mars-landmarks-to-columbia-crew
International Astronomical Union (IAU) / U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. “Gusev.” USGS Astrogeology Science Center > Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature > Nomenclature > Mars > Mars. Last updated Nov. 17, 2010 9:58 a.m.
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/Gusev
Available @ https://planetarynames.wr.usgs.gov/Feature/Gusev
Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA05155: NASA Dedicates Martian Landmarks To Apollo 1 Crew." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: JPL/NASA/Cornell. Image Addition Date: 2004-01-27.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05155
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05155
Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "PIA05200: NASA Dedicates Mars Landmarks to Columbia Crew." NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Photojournal. Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Cornell. Image Addition Date: 2004-02-02.
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05200
Available via NASA JPL Photojournal @ https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05200
Marriner, Derdriu. "Gusev Crater in Southern Mars Honors Russian Astronomer Matvey Gusev." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, April 10, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/04/gusev-crater-in-southern-mars-honors.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/04/gusev-crater-in-southern-mars-honors.html
Marriner, Derdriu. "Hills in Martian Columbia Hills Honor Seven Astronauts Who Died in 2003." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, May 22, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/05/hills-in-martian-columbia-hills-honor.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/05/hills-in-martian-columbia-hills-honor.html
Marriner, Derdriu. "Ilan Ramon Had Moon Landscape Drawing by Petr Ginz on Columbia Shuttle." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/ilan-ramon-had-moon-landscape-drawing.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/ilan-ramon-had-moon-landscape-drawing.html
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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-chawla-crater-honors-columbia.html
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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-d-brown-crater-honors-columbia.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-d-brown-crater-honors-columbia.html
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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-husband-crater-honors.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-husband-crater-honors.html
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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-mccool-crater-honors.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/01/lunar-far-side-mccool-crater-honors.html
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Available @
Available @
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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-l-clark-crater-honors-columbia.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/lunar-l-clark-crater-honors-columbia.html
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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/m-anderson-crater-honors-columbia.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/02/m-anderson-crater-honors-columbia.html
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Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/05/nasa-tags-mars-rover-spirits-landing.html
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2024/05/nasa-tags-mars-rover-spirits-landing.html
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Available via Spaceflight Now @ https://spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/040127apollohills.html
Available via Spaceflight Now @ https://spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/040127apollohills.html
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Available @ https://d2pn8kiwq2w21t.cloudfront.net/documents/mars03rovers_t6lfTK7.pdf
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