What factors determined the cancellation of later Apollo missions? Tightening federal budgets and shifting priorities within NASA were the main drivers behind this decision. Let’s examine the specific factors behind the cancellation of Apollo missions 18, 19, and 20.
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What Factors Determined the Cancellation of Apollo 20?
Apollo 20, initially planned as the final crewed mission to the moon, was the first to be canceled. The decision came in January 1970. This cancellation was largely due to the need to repurpose the Saturn V rocket, initially intended for Apollo 20, for the launch of the Skylab space station.
The initial plan, known as the “wet workshop” concept, involved launching a fully fuelled second stage of a Saturn 1B rocket and outfitting it in orbit into living and working quarters. However, to launch the fully outfitted “dry workshop” required the use of a two-stage version of the larger Saturn V rocket, the same rocket earmarked for Apollo 20.
What Factors Determined the Cancellation of Apollo 18 and 19?
Later that year, in September 1970, budget cuts led to NASA canceling two further missions, Apollos 18 and 19. These cuts, alongside the earlier decision to cancel Apollo 20 to facilitate the Skylab launch, significantly altered the mission timeline.
The remaining missions were renumbered, with Apollo 17 becoming the final lunar landing mission in December 1972.
Other Contributing Factors to the Cancellation of Later Apollo Missions
Budgetary limitations were a recurring theme in the Apollo program’s later years. In 1968, before the first crewed mission of a Saturn V, NASA Administrator James E. Webb refused to fund long-lead items for any Saturn V rockets beyond the original order of 15. This decision effectively shut down the production line for the powerful moon rocket.
In addition to budgetary restrictions, the near-disaster of Apollo 13, when an oxygen tank exploded en route to the moon, heightened concerns about the risks associated with lunar missions. The Apollo 13 incident, coupled with the desire to allocate resources towards the development of the Space Shuttle program, contributed to the decision to scale back lunar exploration.
The Astronauts Impacted by the Cancellation of Apollo Missions
The cancellation of Apollo missions 18, 19, and 20 meant that a number of astronauts, who had trained extensively for these missions, never got the chance to set foot on the moon. While no crews were officially assigned to the canceled missions, a normal crew rotation meant that certain astronauts were in line for those lunar missions.
Based on the usual rotation, the crew for Apollo 18 would likely have been Richard Gordon as Commander, Vance Brand as Command Module Pilot, and Harrison Schmitt as Lunar Module Pilot. However, after the cancellation of Apollo 18, Harrison Schmitt, a geologist, was moved to Apollo 17, becoming the only professional scientist to walk on the moon.
Similarly, Fred Haise, William Pogue, and Gerald Carr were likely in line for Apollo 19. Charles Conrad, Paul Weitz, and Jack Lousma were the probable crew for Apollo 20, although there was some uncertainty due to Conrad having already been to the moon. Some believed Stuart Roosa would have been assigned the Commander position on Apollo 20 instead.
Many of these astronauts went on to participate in other spaceflight programs. Vance Brand flew on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and commanded three Space Shuttle missions. Charles Conrad and Paul Weitz were part of the first crew to Skylab, and Weitz later commanded a Shuttle mission. Jack Lousma served on the second Skylab crew and later commanded a Shuttle mission. William Pogue and Gerald Carr crewed the third Skylab mission. Joe Engle, who was replaced by Harrison Schmitt on Apollo 17, commanded two Shuttle missions.
The Legacy of the Cancelled Apollo Missions
Despite their cancellation, the planned Apollo missions 18, 19, and 20 serve as a reminder of the ambitious goals of the Apollo program and the difficult decisions NASA had to make as budgetary constraints and changing priorities influenced the future of space exploration. These unflown missions represent a ‘what if’ in the history of space travel, sparking continued interest and speculation about what might have been achieved had they gone ahead.
