| Mission type | Abort test |
|---|---|
| Operator | NASA |
| Mission duration | 5 minutes, 2.8 seconds |
| Distance travelled | 5.55 kilometers (3.45 mi) |
| Apogee | 6.04 kilometers (3.75 mi) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Apollo BP-22 |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | May 19, 1965, 13:01:04 UTC |
| Rocket | Little Joe II |
| Launch site | White Sands LC-36 |
| End of mission | |
| Landing date | May 19, 1965, 13:06:07 UTC |
Project Apollo Abort Tests | |
A-003 was the fourth abort test of the Apollo spacecraft. This particular flight is notable because during the abort test flight, an actual abort situation occurred, and further proved the Apollo launch escape system (LES). The CM was successfully pulled away from the malfunctioning Little Joe booster and it landed safely under parachutes.