Apollo 5 (also known as AS-204) was the first unmanned flight of the Apollo lunar module (LM) that was later used to carry astronauts to the lunar surface. It was launched on January 22, 1968, with a Saturn IB rocket on an Earth-orbital flight. Its objectives were to test the lunar module in a space environment, in particular its descent and ascent engine systems, and its ability to separate the ascent and descent stages.
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| An Apollo 5 launch cover featuring the "KSC Officials" stamped cachet, postmarked at Kennedy Space Center with a machine cancel on January 22, 1968. |
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| An Apollo 5 launch cover from "SpaceCraft Swanson", postmarked at Cape Canaveral with a machine cancel on January 22, 1968. |
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An Apollo 5 cover from "NASA Manned Spacecraft Center", featuring a cachet commemorating the first flight of the Lunar Module, or “Moon Bug”, on January 22, 1968. The cover was postmarked at Houston, Texas, with a machine cancel on January 23, 1968.
Apollo 5 marked the first spaceflight of the Lunar Module (LM-1), nicknamed the “Moon Bug” because of its distinctive appearance. The mission provided the first in-space test of the Lunar Module. |
