Editing Ed White (astronaut) (section)

=== Apollo program ===
{{Main|Apollo 1}}
[[File:Apollo1-Crew 01.jpg|left|thumb|Apollo 1 crew: [[Gus Grissom|Grissom]], White, and [[Roger B. Chaffee|Chaffee]]]]
In March 1966, White was selected as senior pilot (second seat) for the first crewed Apollo flight, designated AS-204. His fellow astronauts would be Command Pilot [[Virgil Grissom|Virgil "Gus" Grissom]], who had flown in space on the [[Mercury-Redstone 4]] mission in 1961 and as commander of the [[Gemini 3]] in 1965, and Pilot [[Roger Chaffee]], who had yet to fly into space.<ref name="nasabio" /> The mission, which the men named ''Apollo 1'' in June, was originally planned for late 1966 to coincide with the last Gemini mission, but the impracticality of making the Gemini capsule and systems compatible with Apollo and delays in the spacecraft development pushed the launch into 1967.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2012/08/before-the-fire/|title=Before the Fire: Saturn-Apollo Applications (1966)|last=Portree|first=David|date=August 25, 2012|magazine=Wired|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517024002/https://www.wired.com/2012/08/before-the-fire/|archive-date=May 17, 2019|access-date=May 16, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/01/50-years-on-apollo-1-safer-future/|title=50 years on, reminders of Apollo 1 beckon a safer future|last=Gebhardt|first=Chris|date=January 26, 2017|website=NASA Spaceflight.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190519203729/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/01/50-years-on-apollo-1-safer-future/|archive-date=May 19, 2019|access-date=May 19, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

The launch of Apollo 1 was planned for February 21, 1967. The crew entered the spacecraft at 13:00 on January 27, mounted atop its [[Saturn IB]] booster on [[Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 34|Launch Pad 34]] at [[Cape Kennedy]], for a "plugs-out" test of the spacecraft.<ref name="Mary White" /> The test was to demonstrate all of the space vehicle systems and procedures, which included an abbreviated countdown and flight simulation. It was not classified as hazardous since the rocket would not be fueled during the test. The test's progress was delayed by problems with a cabin odor and poor communications between the ground stations and the crew. At 18:31, a fire broke out in the pure oxygen-filled cabin, killing all three crewmen.{{sfn|Orloff|2000|pp=2–8}}{{sfn|Brooks|Grimwood|Swenson|1979|pp=214–217}}

Emergency roles had called for White to actuate the inner hatch release handle; then, Grissom would assist him in the removal of the cover, while Chaffee would maintain communications. White had apparently tried to do his part: his body was found in his center seat, with his arms reaching over his head toward the hatch.{{sfn|Orloff|2000|pp=2–8}} Removing the cover to open the hatch was impossible because the [[plug door]] design required venting normally slightly greater-than-atmospheric pressure and pulling the cover into the cabin.<ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2011/01/0127apollo-1-fire-kills-3-astronauts/|title=Jan. 27, 1967: 3 Astronauts Die in Launchpad Fire|last=Long|first=Tony|date=January 27, 2011|magazine=Wired|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517225344/https://www.wired.com/2011/01/0127apollo-1-fire-kills-3-astronauts/|archive-date=May 17, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=May 17, 2019}}</ref> Grissom was unable to reach the cabin vent control to his left, where the fire's source was located. The intense heat raised the cabin pressure even more, to {{convert|29|psi|kPa}}, at which point the cabin walls ruptured.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2017/01/26/50-years-ago-three-astronauts-died-in-the-apollo-1-fire/|title='We have a fire in the cockpit!' The Apollo 1 disaster 50 years later.|last=Larimer|first=Sarah|date=January 26, 2017|work=The New York Times|access-date=May 14, 2019}}</ref> The astronauts were killed by [[asphyxia]]tion, [[smoke inhalation]], and [[thermal burn]]s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/orbital-missions/apollo1.cfm|title=Apollo 1 (AS-204)|website=Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411100402/https://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/orbital-missions/apollo1.cfm|archive-date=April 11, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=May 14, 2019}}</ref>