Apollo Survival Kit (and How to Make One)

Apollo Command Module carried a survival kit in 2 rucksacks.

Apollo crew was prepared to wait 3 days for rescue.

"For emergency landing conditions, certain survival equipment is provided to support the crewmen for a 3-day period. The items are contained in two rucksacks. In addition, three lifevests are provided for launch-abort and postflight water landings. Neck and wrist dams, located in the PGA, are also used during water survival to provide water seals." /1/

Here is its contents (Apollo 15, 1971):


SURVIVAL RUCKSACKS:

APOLLO 15 STOWAGE LIST DATE 08-10-71
MISSION J-1 CM 112 ANO LM-1O
LIST A - CM LAUNCH STUWAGE LIST

KIT,SURVIVAL RUCKSACK NO. 1 (Location R4 weight 31.2 [14.2 kg])

• 001 TAPE,MENDING 1
• 002 SURVIVAL LITE ASSY., COMBINATION 2
• 003 CHEMICAL PACKET ASSY. 1
• 004 BAG, DESALTER KIT PROCESS 2
• 005 SCREEN,SUN 2
• 006 SHEATH,MACHETE 1
• 007 MACHETE 1
• 008 CONTAINER A WATER 2
• 009 CONTAINER B WATER l
• 010 SUNGLASSES 3
• 011 RADIO BEACON ASSY. 1
• 012 BATTERY,RADIO BEACON-SPARE 1
• 013 CONNECTOR,RADIO BEACON S/C 1
• 014 NETTING,UTILITY 1
• 015 BLANKET,SURVIVAL 3
• 016 KNIFE,POCKET 2
• 017 RUCKSACK SURVIVAL NO.1 1

KIT,SURVIVAL RUCKSACK NO.2 (Location R4 weight 23.2 [10.5 kg])

• 018 RAFT,THREE MAN LIFE 1
• 019 LIFE RAFT INFLATION ASSY 1
• 020 ANCHOR,SEA 1
• 021 KIT SEA MARKER DYE 2
• 022 SUNBONNET 3
• 023 LANYARD,MANLINE 1
• 024 LANYARD,MANLINE 2
• 025 LANYARD,MOCKING 1
• 026 PAD,CO2 INFLATION SYSTEM 2
• 027 RUCKSACK SURVIVAL NO.2 1

COMPONENT PICTURES

Here are some photos of the items from various sources.

001 TAPE,MENDING 1

002 SURVIVAL LITE ASSY., COMBINATION 2

003 CHEMICAL PACKET ASSY. 1

004 BAG, DESALTER KIT PROCESS 2

005 SCREEN,SUN 2

006 SHEATH,MACHETE 1

007 MACHETE 1

008 CONTAINER A WATER 2

009 CONTAINER B WATER l

010 SUNGLASSES 3

011 RADIO BEACON ASSY. 1

012 BATTERY,RADIO BEACON-SPARE 1

015 BLANKET,SURVIVAL 3

016 KNIFE,POCKET 2

017 RUCKSACK SURVIVAL NO.1 1

018 RAFT,THREE MAN LIFE 1

019 LIFE RAFT INFLATION ASSY 1

020 ANCHOR,SEA 1

021 KIT SEA MARKER DYE 2

022 SUNBONNET 3

026 PAD,CO2 INFLATION SYSTEM 2

027 RUCKSACK SURVIVAL NO.2 1

ALSO

In addition, three lifevests are provided for launch-abort and postflight water landings (outside the kit). Notice that an open space suit (without the pressure helmet) might be filled with water and become very heavy. Neck and wrist dams prevented that.

Apollo lifewests

VIDEOS

Video about how to make your own survival kit

Apollo 11 Recovery

At sea you usually only have 1 hr without a life raft.

RESOURCES

/1/ NASA TN D-6737 - Fred A. McAllister, MSC - APOLLO EXPERIENCE REPORT - CREW PROVISIONS AND EQUIPMENT SUBSYSTEM - 1972

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