199. [Apollo 9] THE FIRST MANNED SPACECRAFT BUILT FOR ANOTHER WORLD: LM Spider's historic first spaceflight in Earth orbit David Scott, 3-13 March 1969 Printed 1969. Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image AS9-21-3180]. Numbered "NASA AS9-21-3180" in red in the top margin, with "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, originally laminated (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). 20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context A superb photograph of LM Spider, the first spacecraft designed solely for space and lunar surface operations, seen against the breathtaking backdrop of the blue Earth, but incapable of landing on or returning to Earth. Apollo 9 marked the first crewed test flight of the Lunar Module. Captured by David Scott from the Command Module Gumdrop, this image shows Spider, piloted by Jim McDivitt and Rusty Schweickart, in full lunar landing configuration with its landing gear deployed and surface sensors extending from the footpads. Built of wafer-thin metal, the LM was so fragile that its structure would crumple if subjected to Earth's atmospheric pressures—earning it the nickname "ugly bug" among astronauts. It was also the first spacecraft flown by humans that lacked the ability to return independently to Earth, making redocking with Gumdrop absolutely essential. Describing McDivitt and Schweickart's cool resolve as they ventured beyond the horizon in Spider for the first time, some observers remarked: "The bravest act since man first ate a raw oyster." (NASA SP-350, p. 194)