[APOLLO 9] COMMAND MODULE FLOATING IN SPACE. VINTAGE NASA "RED NUMBER" PHOTOGRAPH, 7 MARCH 1969.GE NASA "RED NUMBER" PHOTOGRAPH, 7 MARCH 1969.

The Vintage NASA Photo Collection of Philip Kulpa

[APOLLO 9] 

COMMAND MODULE FLOATING IN SPACE. 7 MARCH 1969.

Vintage NASA “Red Number” chromogenic color photograph, 10 by 8 inches, “A Kodak Paper” watermark to verso. NASA image ID “NASA AS9-24-3636” printed in upper left margin in red; old tape to verso, minor toning.

When Dave Scott in CM Gumdrop pushed the button to release LM Spider, it initially clung to the latches and hung from the docking probe. When Scott pressed the button again, however, Spider was released.  After spending nearly 45 minutes close to the CM, Spider went into higher orbit, eventually allowing for the two to separate with Gumdrop ahead of Spider.