Apollo 7 was a technical triumph marred by colds, crankiness, and cabin tension

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Launched in October 1968, Apollo 7 was the first crewed mission of the Apollo program. While it proved the command module could support a lunar voyage, the mission is remembered for its difficult conditions: the entire crew caught severe colds, leading to friction with mission control and a legendary, testy atmosphere.

Apollo 7 launched on October 11, 1968, from Cape Canaveral, marking the first time humans flew aboard a Saturn IB rocket. The crew—Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele, and Walter Cunningham—spent nearly 11 days in orbit, testing the command and service module systems essential for future Moon landings. The mission was a critical engineering success, demonstrating that the spacecraft could perform maneuvers like rendezvous and docking, and confirming the reliability of the service propulsion system, which fired eight times perfectly.

Despite the technical achievements, the mission was physically grueling. About 15 hours after liftoff, Schirra developed a cold, which quickly spread to Eisele and Cunningham. In the microgravity environment, mucus does not drain, leading to painful pressure in the head and ears. The astronauts struggled to manage their symptoms with aspirin and decongestants while performing complex tasks. The cabin environment added to their discomfort; fans were noisy, coolant lines leaked water, and fogged windows hampered visibility, though these issues provided vital data for future improvements.

The mission is also noted for the strained relationship between the crew and ground control. Tensions flared over the workload, the decision to broadcast live television, and the crew's refusal to wear helmets during re-entry to protect their ears from pressure buildup. These interpersonal conflicts were so significant that none of the three astronauts flew in space again. Nevertheless, the mission’s success in validating the spacecraft’s core systems gave NASA the confidence to proceed with the Apollo 8 lunar mission just two months later.

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