Boilerplate, Command Module, Apollo, #25

On August 7, 1962, the first completed boilerplate model of the Apollo command module (BP-25) was delivered to Marshall Space Center for water recovery and handling equipment tests. The boilerplate was used for impact, flotation, water stability, and towing tests during the development of the command module design. A boilerplate is a metal mockup of the same weight and size as a flight production model. By using an unmanned boilerplate, the design can be evaluated without endangering human life or incurring excessive expenses on detailed models.