Apollo 9 was the third manned mission in the Apollo program. Ten-day earth-orbital mission launched March 3, 1969. Second manned flight of the Saturn V launch vehicle. First manned flight of the Apollo Lunar Module (LM). Crew members tested the LM and practiced separation and docking maneuvers in earth orbit.
Launched: March 3, 1969 from Pad 39A
Returned: March 13, 1969
Crew members: James McDivitt, commander; David Scott, command module pilot; Rusty Schweickart, lunar module pilot.