Editing AS-201 (section)

===Flight===
Finally, after months of delays and problems, the first flight of the Saturn IB lifted off from Pad 34. The first stage worked perfectly, lifting the rocket to {{convert|57|km|nmi|sp=us}}, when the S-IVB took over and lifted the spacecraft to {{convert|425|km|nmi|sp=us}}. The CSM separated and continued upwards to {{convert|488|km|nmi|sp=us}}.<ref name="AS201vid">{{cite AV media | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5n6td7JFb0 |title=AS-201 - First Saturn IB Launch - Apollo Test Flight |date=February 26, 1966 |website=youtube.com |access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>

The CSM then fired its own rocket to accelerate the spacecraft towards Earth. The first burn lasted for 184 seconds. It then fired later for ten seconds. This proved that the engine could restart in space, a crucial part of any crewed flight to the Moon.

It entered the atmosphere traveling {{convert|8300|m/s|ft/s|sp=us}}. It [[splashdown (spacecraft landing)|splashed down]] 37 minutes after launch, {{convert|72|km|nmi|sp=us}} from the planned touch down point, and was on board the [[aircraft carrier]] {{USS|Boxer|CV-21|6}} two hours later.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020616023612/http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=APST201 |url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/database/MasterCatalog?sc=APST201 |title=AS-201 NSSDC ID:APST201 |website=NASA |archive-date=June 16, 2002|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>