View source for Little Joe II Qualification Test Vehicle

{{short description|First test flight of the Apollo Little Joe II rocket in August 1963}}
{{distinguish|TVQ}}
{{Infobox spaceflight<!--technically not a spaceflight, but template seems best fit for this article-->
| name                  = Little Joe II QTV
| image                 = File:Little Joe II QTV launch.jpg
| image_caption         = 
| insignia              = Apollo program.svg

| mission_type          = Test flight
| operator              = [[NASA]]
| mission_duration      = ~5 min
| distance_travelled    = {{convert|14|km|mi|sp=us}}
| suborbital_apogee     = {{convert|7.32|km|mi|sp=us}}

| spacecraft            = 
| manufacturer          = 
| launch_mass           = 
| landing_mass          =

| launch_date           = {{start-date|August 28, 1963, 16:00:02|timezone=yes}}&nbsp;UTC
| launch_rocket         = [[Little Joe II]]
| launch_site           = [[White Sands Missile Range|White Sands]] [[White Sands Launch Complex 36|LC-36]]

| landing_date          = {{end-date|August 28, 1963}}
| landing_site          =

| previous_mission      = 
| next_mission          = [[Pad Abort Test 1]]
| programme             = [[Apollo program|Project Apollo]]<br/><small>Abort Tests</small> 
}}
'''QTV''' (Qualification Test Vehicle) was the first test flight of the [[Apollo program|Apollo]] [[Little Joe II]] rocket. It was launched in August 1963.

==Objectives==
The [[Little Joe II]] '''Qualification Test Vehicle''' was launched on its first flight from [[White Sands Missile Range]], [[New Mexico]], Area # 3. The mission objectives were to prove the Little Joe II rocket's capability as an [[Apollo CSM]] test vehicle and to determine base pressures and heating on the [[rocket]].

==Flight==

Little Joe II QTV was the first flight of the Little Joe II rockets. It was launched from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico on August 28, 1963 from Launch Complex 36, Area number 3.  The vehicle payload consisted of a simulated [[Apollo command module|command and service module]] (rather than a [[Boilerplate (spaceflight)|boilerplate]] spacecraft, as used on later test flights) and an inert [[launch escape system]].

Most objectives were achieved. The lone failure was a malfunction in the destruct system.

==References==
{{Include-NASA}}
{{reflist}}
*[https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19790076764_1979076764.pdf Little Joe II Qualification Test Flight Report - September 1963 (PDF)]

==External links==
*[http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4009/cover.htm The Apollo Spacecraft: A Chronology] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209084600/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4009/cover.htm |date=2017-12-09 }}
*[https://history.nasa.gov/apsr/apsr.htm Apollo Program Summary Report]
*[https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19780070078_1978070078.pdf Little Joe II Progress Report - December 1964 (PDF)]
*[https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19790078425_1979078425.pdf Little Joe II Mission A-003 - April 1965 (PDF)]

{{Apollo program| before=[[SA-4 (Apollo)|SA-4]]| after=[[Pad Abort Test-1 (Apollo)|Pad Abort Test 1]]}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2014}}

[[Category:Apollo program]]
[[Category:1963 in spaceflight]]
[[Category:Test spaceflights]]


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