[APOLLO 9] LUNAR MODULE "SPIDER" ABOUT TO DOCK. VINTAGE NASA "RED NUMBER" PHOTOGRAPH, MARCH 1969.

The Vintage NASA Photo Collection of Philip Kulpa

[APOLLO 9] 

LUNAR MODULE "SPIDER" ABOUT TO DOCK. MARCH 1969.

Vintage NASA “Red Number” chromogenic color photograph, 10 by 8 inches, “A Kodak Paper” watermark to verso. NASA image ID “NASA AS9-21-3237” printed in upper left margin in red; tape and adhesive residue primarily to margins with one or two instance of loss.

The primary purpose of the Apollo 9 mission was to qualify the Lunar Module for crewed lunar flight, demonstrating that it could perform the maneuvers in space that would be required for a successful lunar landing, including docking with the Command Service Module. Having worked together since January 1966, McDivitt's crew remains among the best-trained in NASA's history, and had always had the assignment of being the first to fly the Lunar Module.