# Columbia

> Apollo command module used during Apollo 11

**Wikidata**: [Q85753536](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q85753536)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_module_Columbia)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/columbia-q85753536

## Summary
**Columbia** (official designation **CM-107**) is the Apollo command module used during the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. Manufactured by North American Aviation and operated by NASA, it served as the living quarters for the astronauts and the vehicle for reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Following its recovery, the capsule became a permanent exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

## Key Facts
*   **Classification:** Instance of an **Apollo Command Module**; part of the **Apollo 11 Command and Service Module**.
*   **Mission Dates:** Launched on **July 16, 1969** (13:32:00 UTC) and landed on **July 24, 1969** (16:50:35 UTC).
*   **Dimensions:** Height of **3.48 metres** and a diameter of **3.91 metres**.
*   **Mass:** Launch weight was **5,556.5 kg**; landing weight was **4,931.9 kg**.
*   **Manufacturer:** North American Aviation.
*   **Serial Number:** CM-107.
*   **Launch Vehicle:** Saturn V (Serial SA-506) launched from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.
*   **Recovery:** Recovered by the **USS Hornet** in the North Pacific Ocean.
*   **Current Location:** National Air and Space Museum (Inventory Number A19700102000), on display since 1971.
*   **Identifiers:** COSPAR ID 1969-059A; NSSDCA ID 1969-059A.

## FAQs
### Q: What is the Columbia command module made of?
A: While specific materials are not listed in the source data, the module is classified as an American reentry capsule manufactured by North American Aviation, designed to support human spaceflight.

### Q: Where is the Columbia capsule located today?
A: Columbia is located at the National Air and Space Museum. It has been part of the museum's collection since 1971 under the inventory number A19700102000.

### Q: How much did the Columbia command module weigh?
A: The module had a launch weight of 5,556.5 kilograms (12,248 lbs) and a landing weight of 4,931.9 kilograms (10,873 lbs).

### Q: Who manufactured the Columbia command module?
A: The spacecraft was manufactured by North American Aviation.

## Why It Matters
Columbia represents a pivotal artifact in the history of human spaceflight. As the command module for Apollo 11, it was the only portion of the spacecraft to return to Earth, serving as the vital lifeboat and reentry vehicle for the first mission to land humans on the Moon. Its successful operation confirmed the efficacy of the Apollo Command Module design for lunar return trajectories.

The capsule is scientifically significant for its engineering specifications: it withstood the rigors of launch atop a Saturn V rocket and the heat of reentry. Weighing over 5.5 tons at launch, it maintained a habitable environment for the crew from launch on July 16 until splashdown in the North Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. Now preserved at the National Air and Space Museum, it serves as a primary physical record of early lunar exploration technology.

## Notable For
*   **Historical Mission:** Serving as the command module for Apollo 11, the first manned mission to land on the Moon.
*   **Reentry Survival:** Successfully completing reentry and splashdown on July 24, 1969, in the North Pacific Ocean.
*   **Preservation:** Being a long-standing exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum since 1971.
*   **Technical Specificity:** Being the specific unit (CM-107) launched aboard the Saturn V rocket (SA-506).

## Body

### Design and Specifications
Columbia is an Apollo Command Module manufactured by North American Aviation. Structurally, it measures 3.48 metres in height and 3.91 metres in diameter. The vehicle's mass fluctuated during its mission lifecycle: it recorded a launch weight of 5,556.5 kilograms and a landing weight of 4,931.9 kilograms. It is identified by the serial number CM-107 and the COSPAR ID 1969-059A.

### Mission Profile
The module launched on July 16, 1969, at 13:32:00 UTC from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A. It was deployed using the Saturn V launch vehicle (specifically unit SA-506). After completing the lunar mission, Columbia landed in the North Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, at 16:50:35 UTC. The landing coordinates were recorded at 13.3166° N, 169.15° W. Following splashdown, the module was recovered by the USS Hornet.

### Current Status and Collection
Since 1971, Columbia has been held by the National Air and Space Museum. It is formally accessioned into the collection with the inventory number A19700102000. Digital preservation efforts include a high-detail 3D model available via Smithsonian archives, and the physical object remains a central piece of the museum's space exploration exhibits.

## References

1. Apollo by the Numbers: A Statistical Reference
2. [Source](http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv9ce74610f-62de-46b6-904f-58abfecb555c)
3. Jonathan's Space Report
4. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1969-059A)
5. [Source](https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a11/a11MIssionReport_1971015566.pdf)
6. Apollo: The Definitive Sourcebook