Downey in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Apollo Boilerplate 12

— America’s Spaceship Factory —

Photographed By Craig Baker, August 14, 2022

1. Apollo Boilerplate 12 Marker

Inscription.
The Apollo Boilerplate 12 was the first full-sized capsule used to test the launch escape system of the Apollo spacecraft program. It was launched atop a Little Joe II booster rocket at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico on May 13, 1964. The mission was successful.

This boilerplate, or test capsule, was designed and built in Downey on this property when it housed North American Aviation's NASA facility. It is the same size and shape as the Apollo capsules that took astronauts to the moon and back. While this capsule was unmanned and only reached an altitude of 28,000 feet - never getting to space - its mission provided valuable information about how to keep astronauts safe during future launches.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. In addition, it is included in the AIAA Historic Aerospace Sites series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 13, 1964.

Location. 33° 55.2′ N, 118° 7.994′ W. Marker is in Downey, California, in Los Angeles County. Marker is on Columbia Way, 0.1 miles south of Lakewood Boulevard, on the left when traveling south. Located in front of the Columbia Memorial Space Center children’s museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 12400 Columbia Way, Downey CA 90242, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

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4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Bob’s Big Boy (approx. 2.1 miles away); The Speedee McDonald's Store (approx. 2.1 miles away); Bellflower Pacific Electric Train Depot (approx. 2.4 miles away); Paramount Hay Tree (approx. 2.9 miles away); Under the Hay Tree, World’s Hay Price Was Set (approx. 2.9 miles away); Norwalk Square (approx. 3.1 miles away); American Legion Norwalk Post 359 (approx. 3.3 miles away); Hathaway Ranch (approx. 3.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Downey.

Regarding Apollo Boilerplate 12. Another marker was dedicated here in 2010, its current location is unknown - -
AIAA Historic Aerospace Site, Downey Industrial Site.
This was the site of EMSCO Aircraft, Security Aircraft, Champion Aircraft, Consolidated Vultee, North American Aviation, Rockwell International, and Boeing North American Rockwell from 1929 to 1999. It is here where pioneers of California Aerospace designed and developed the technologies and products which trained pilots for WWII and established a foundation for a missile defense system. The site’s final mission, as the home of Apollo and the Space Shuttle, took America to the threshold of space and the moon.

Also see . . . Columbia Memorial Space Center. (Submitted on August 28, 2022.)

Apollo Boilerplate 12 and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Baker, August 14, 2022

2. Apollo Boilerplate 12 and Marker

Apollo Boilerplate 12 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Baker, August 14, 2022

3. Apollo Boilerplate 12

Columbia Memorial Space Center in the background.

AIAA Plaque - Now Missing image. Click for full size.

4. AIAA Plaque - Now Missing

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 28, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 367 times since then and 76 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 28, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4. submitted on October 13, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.