Which helicopter recovered Apollo astronauts?

Short answer

The Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King, the primary helicopter for recovering crewed capsules since Mercury-Atlas 7 in May 1962. Helicopter 66 was the primary recovery vehicle on Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 through 13, and in February 1971 an SH-3A recovered Apollo 14.

Published: November 5, 2026 · Updated: November 5, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Which helicopter recovered Apollo astronauts?

Aldrin stands beside the deployed U S. flag

From Mercury to Apollo

The SH-3 was the primary helicopter for the recovery of crewed space capsules starting with Mercury-Atlas 7 in May 1962. The so-called Helicopter 66 served as the primary recovery vehicle on the Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 through 13 missions. In February 1971, an SH-3A operating from the amphibious assault ship USS New Orleans recovered Apollo 14.

Apollo 11 and "Old 66"

Taking off from the Essex-class carrier USS Hornet, a Sea King known as Old 66 flew out to meet the capsule. At around 5:50 a.m. on 24 July 1969, the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia splashed down 920 miles southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii. On arrival, at dawn, Old 66 circled over the splashdown point, where Columbia floated upside down, held up by its unmistakable orange flotation balloons.

Two Sea Kings over the splashdown point

Another Sea King, assigned to photographic coverage, circled the area while Old 66 completed the mission. The Sea King is perhaps most recognizable precisely for that role as the Apollo program's recovery vehicle.