Apollo 13
Apollo 13 was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, from Kennedy Space Center, but the lunar landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module exploded two days into the m…
Apollo Program
The Apollo program, also known as Project Apollo, was the third United States human spaceflight program carried out by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which succeeded in landing the first humans on the Moon from 1969 to 1972. First conceived during Dwight D. Eisenh…
What are some interesting facts about the Apollo 13 mission?
Mission Of Firsts. While the Apollo 13 mission wasn’t going to be the first mission to put people on the moon—that distinction goes to Apollo 11—it was still a mission of a few different firsts. It was the first aborted Apollo mission, and the first time anyone used the lunar module to provide emergency life support and propulsion back to ...
Why was the Apollo 13 mission considered a successful failure?
Why was the Apollo 13 mission considered a successful failure? Apollo 13 was a failure in the sense that the mission did not land on the moon or achieve any of its mission goals. It was successful because it showed how people can work together to bring about a successful outcome to a situation that looked impossible.
What do you think of Apollo 13 mission?
The Apollo 13 mission, April 11-17, 1970, was described as a “successful failure.” In its own way, it nearly was as much an accomplishment as that first moon landing just months earlier.
What was the first problem with Apollo 13?
Apollo 13 was launched into space on April 11, 1970. Little did the three crew members know that they were aboard what one day would be considered NASA’s greatest failure. There are many reasons for people to better understand the problems in Apollo 13. First, the main problem was the oxygen tank that was blown up during the blast off.
See more
Was Apollo 13 based on a true story?
Experts agree that Apollo 13 is a largely accurate depiction of the true story. While it may be easy for filmmakers to play with facts, Ron Howard committed to portraying events in Apollo 13 as true to life as he could, which many experts agree that he did.
What actually happened to Apollo 13?
The Apollo 13 malfunction was caused by an explosion and rupture of oxygen tank no. 2 in the service module. The explosion ruptured a line or damaged a valve in the no. 1 oxygen tank, causing it to lose oxygen rapidly.
Did Apollo 13 astronauts survive?
The engineers also calculated an engine burn by the lunar module to get Apollo 13 on a trajectory back to Earth, and figured out how to restart the command module with the limited power available. Eighty-seven hours after the explosion, the Apollo 13 astronauts safely splashed in the Pacific Ocean.
Did Apollo 13 complete its mission?
Apollo 13 (April 11–17, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) failed two days into the mission.
Why was Apollo 13 blackout so long?
For the Apollo 13 mission, the blackout was much longer than normal because the flight path of the spacecraft was unexpectedly at a much shallower angle than normal.
How cold did it get on Apollo 13?
During the Apollo 13 mission, the LM environmental control system provided a habitable environment for about 83 hours (57:45 to 141:05 GET). Cabin temperature remained low due to low electrical power levels. This caused crew discomfort during much of this period, with cabin temperatures ranging between 49°F and 55 °F.
How did Apollo 13 get back to Earth with no fuel?
An explosion 56 hours into the mission happened before the command module and lunar module had separated, so the crew were able to use the intact lunar module as a lifeboat with its own power sources, rockets and oxygen supply.
Why was Apollo 13 considered a successful failure?
Why is Apollo 13 a successful failure? The Apollo 13 crew was going to die but they survived and return home. Apollo 13 was called a successful failure because it was a mission to the moon, the astronauts overcame challenges, and return home.
How close did Apollo 13 get to the Moon?
On April 15, 1970, Apollo 13 was 254 km (158 miles) from the lunar surface on the far side of the moon—and 400,171 km (248,655 miles) above the Earth's surface, meaning the crew of Apollo 13 set a Guinness World Record for the farthest distance from Earth reached by humans.
Why is NASA called Apollo?
The program was named after Apollo, the Greek god of light, music, and the Sun, by NASA manager Abe Silverstein, who later said, "I was naming the spacecraft like I'd name my baby." Silverstein chose the name at home one evening, early in 1960, because he felt "Apollo riding his chariot across the Sun was appropriate ...
Did Apollo 13 make it back to Earth safely?
With the world anxiously watching, Apollo 13, a U.S. lunar spacecraft that suffered a severe malfunction on its journey to the moon, safely returns to Earth on April 17, 1970.
What did the Apollo missions fail?
Apollo 13 has been called a “successful failure,” because the crew never landed on the Moon, but they made it home safely after an explosion crippled their ship. A switch and insulation, which should have been modified during an upgrade to one oxygen tank, were damaged during a test of that tank during construction.
Why was Apollo 13 a successful failure?
Along with the extreme shortage of water and electrical power, the crew also encountered dangerous levels of carbon dioxide. Plenty of lithium hydroxide canisters, designed to remove the gas from the spacecraft, were on hand in the command module.
How did the Apollo 13 crew get back to Earth?
All three took refuge in Aquarius and, abandoning Moon landing plans, looped around the Moon, using the LM's engine to speed their return to Earth instead of landing them on the lunar surface.
Why did they have to stir the oxygen tanks?
The O2 tanks were stirred in order to get an accurate reading on the gauging systems, as the cryogenic oxygen tends to solidify in the tanks, and stirring allows for a more accurate reading on the quantity of O2 remaining in the tank. But this was not the first time the crew had been ordered to stir the tank.
Did the Apollo 13 service module burn up?
NASA's famous Apollo 13 mission launched 50 years ago, and on April 14 the oxygen tank on its service module exploded. As you undoubtedly know, the mission's Moon landing was canceled after the explosion, sending the three astronauts into a mad scramble with Mission Control to save their lives.
How long was Apollo 13?
At 46 hours, 43 minutes Joe Kerwin, the capsule communicator, or Capcom, on duty, said, "The spacecraft is in real good shape as far as we are concerned.
What happened to Apollo 13?
An explosion on board forced Apollo 13 to circle the moon without landing. The Fra Mauro site was reassigned to Apollo 14. At 5 1/2 minutes after liftoff, John Swigert, Fred Haise and James Lovell felt a little vibration. Then the center engine of the S-II stage shut down two minutes early.
Why was Apollo 13 aborted?
Apollo 13 was to be the third lunar landing attempt, but the mission was aborted after rupture of service module oxygen tank.
How long did the Apollo 13 engine burn?
This caused the remaining four engines to burn 34 seconds longer than planned, and the S-IVB third stage had to burn nine seconds longer to put Apollo 13 in orbit. Days before the mission, backup lunar module pilot, Charles Duke, inadvertently exposed the crew to German measles.
How much water did the Apollo crew lose?
Those stringent measures resulted in the crew finishing with 28.2 pounds of water, about 9 percent of the total.
How long did it take Apollo 13 to get back on a lunar landing?
The LM navigation system wasn't designed to help in this situation. Before the explosion at 30 hours, 40 minutes, Apollo 13 had made the normal midcourse correction, which would take it out of a free-return-to-Earth trajectory and put it on a lunar landing course. Now the task was to get back on a free-return course.
Where did Apollo 13 explode?
Three hours later, the crew left the lunar module Aquarius and then splashed down gently in the Pacific Ocean near Samoa. After an intensive investigation, the Apollo 13 Accident Review Board identified the cause of the explosion.
What was the Apollo 13 mission?
Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the Apollo Space program (1961-1975) and was supposed to be the third lunar landing mission, but the three astronauts aboard never reached the moon. Instead the crew and ground control team scrambled through a hair-raising rescue mission.
Where was Apollo 13 launched?
On April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. On board were astronauts James Lovell, John “Jack” Swigert and Fred Haise. Their mission was to reach the Fra Mauro highlands of the moon and explore the Imbrium Basin, conducting geological experiments along the way.
What happened to Lovell and Haise?
Lovell and Haise were set to become the fifth and sixth men to walk on the moon. It was not to be. At 9:08 p.m.—about 56 hours into the flight—an explosion rocked the spacecraft. Oxygen tank No. 2 had blown up, disabling the regular supply of oxygen, electricity, light and water.
How did the Apollo 13 crew survive?
How the Crew of Apollo 13 Survived. One hour after the explosion, mission control instructed the crew to move to the LM, which had sufficient oxygen, and use it as a lifeboat. The LM was only designed to transport astronauts from the orbiting CM to the moon’s surface and back again; its power supply was meant to support two people for 45 hours.
How far was Apollo 13 from Earth?
At 9:00 p.m. EST on April 13, Apollo 13 was over 200,000 miles from Earth. The crew had just completed a television broadcast and was inspecting Aquarius, the Landing Module (LM). The next day, Apollo 13 was to enter the moon’s orbit.
How long would Apollo 13 take to get back to Earth?
If the crew of Apollo 13 were to make it back to Earth alive, the LM would have to support three men for at least 90 hours and successfully navigate more than 200,000 miles of space. Recommended for you. 6 Times the Olympics Were Boycotted. 8 Facts About Ancient Egypt's Hieroglyphic Writing.
What engine did Apollo 13 use to get to the moon?
Two hours after rounding the far side of the moon, the crew, using the sun as an alignment point, fired the LM’s small descent engine. The procedure was a success; Apollo 13 was on its way home.
When was Apollo 13 launched?
Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970. The Apollo spacecraft was made up of two independent spacecraft joined by a tunnel: orbiter Odyssey, and lander Aquarius. The crew lived in Odyssey on the journey to the moon.
What was Apollo 13's backup?
Fortunately for Apollo 13, the damaged Odyssey had a healthy backup: Aquarius, which wasn't supposed to be turned on until the crew was close to landing on the moon. Haise and Lovell frantically worked to boot Aquarius up in less time than designed.
How many missions did Lovell fly?
Lovell participated in Apollo 8, the first mission to circle the moon, and flew two Gemini missions — including a 14-day endurance run. Prior to the Apollo 13 mission, 36 year-old Haise served as the backup lunar module pilot for the Apollo 8 and Apollo 11 missions.
How did the Apollo program change?
Numerous design changes were made to the Apollo service module and command module on subsequent missions in the Apollo program. According to former mission controller Sy Liebergot, the changes included: 1 Another cryo oxygen tank that could be isolated to only supply the crew. 2 Removing all cryo tank fans and wiring. 3 Removing the thermostats from cryo tanks, and changing the type of heater tube. 4 Adding a 400-amp-hour lunar module descent stage battery. 5 Adding water storage bags to the command module.
How many astronauts were on the moon during Apollo 13?
A group of six astronauts and two flight controllers monitor the console activity in the Mission Operations Control Room during Apollo 13. (Image credit: NASA) As for the astronauts, Haise was assigned to command the Apollo 19 moon mission. However, it and two other missions were canceled after NASA's budget was cut.
What happened to the crew of the Apollo mission?
During the mission's dramatic series of events, an oxygen tank explosion almost 56 hours into the flight forced the crew to abandon all thoughts of reaching the moon. The spacecraft was damaged, but the crew was able to seek cramped shelter in the lunar module for the trip back to Earth, before returning to the command module for an uncomfortable splashdown.
When was Haise selected for the space program?
He was selected for the manned space program in 1966 , at the same time as Swigert. Apollo 13 was Haise's only trip to space. Apollo 13 was Swigert's first trip to space, at age 38. He had been part of the support crew for Apollo 7 and was initially Apollo 13's backup command module pilot.
What was the Apollo 13 mission?
Apollo 13 The Real Story. Apollo 13 was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) failed two days into the mission.
What happened to Apollo 13?
Apollo 13 was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon . The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) failed two days into the mission. The crew instead looped around the Moon, and returned safely to Earth on April 17, 1970. The mission was commanded by Jim Lovell with Jack Swigert as command module (CM) pilot and Fred Haise as lunar module (LM) pilot. Swigert was a late replacement for Ken Mattingly, who was grounded after exposure to rubella.
How long ago was Apollo 13?
A real-time journey through the Apollo 13 mission. Introduction. This website replays the Apollo 13 mission as it happened, 50 years ago . It consists entirely of historical material, all timed to Ground Elapsed Time--the master mission clock. Footage of Mission Control, film shot by the astronauts, and television broadcasts transmitted ...
Who speculates on the last lunar mission for a long time?
068:03:33 Lovell speculates on "last lunar mission for a long time."
What is the main mission audio?
Main mission audio consists of space-to-ground (left ear), capcom loop (right ear), and on-board recorder (center, when available). Selecting a Mission Control audio channel mutes the main audio, opens the Mission Control audio panel, and plays the "live" audio of each selected Mission Control position.
When was the last mission control tape discovered?
This project includes newly digitized and restored mission control audio. The last tapes of these recordings were discovered in the National Archives fall of 2019 and were digitized in February, 2020 and contain the time surrounding the onboard explosion. These recordings haven't been heard since the accident investigation in 1970.
Who restored NASA audio?
THE ARCHIVE MATERIAL ON THIS WEBSITE COMPRISES NASA AUDIO RESTORED BY BEN FEIST AND NASA SYNCHRONISED AUDIO/VISUAL MATERIAL PROVIDED BY STEPHEN SLATER.
How many channels are there in Mission Control?
These 50 channels of Mission Control audio spanning the entire mission have only recently been digitized and restored, and are made publicly available here for the first time. They total over 7,200 hours in length.
What happened to Apollo 13?
That problem Swigert had famously mentioned ended up being an oxygen tank explosion that severely damaged the vessel, rendering a lunar landing impossible.
Who was the astronaut on Apollo 13?
Astronaut Jack Swigert; Kevin Bacon in 'Apollo 13'. Photo: SSPL/Getty Images/Universal/Getty Images. Swigert was a last-minute addition to the Apollo 13 crew, replacing Ken Mattingly, who had been exposed to German measles just 48 hours before the 1970 launch.
How old was Haise on Apollo 13?
The 35-year-old Haise had been a backup lunar module pilot on Apollo 8 and 11, but his earlier experience proved most useful in calmly helping the Apollo 13 crew survive the aborted lunar-landing mission. "As a military pilot and a test pilot, handling unusual situations and aircraft malfunctions was part of the business," he explained in a 2014 Q&A with NASA. "My biggest emotion on Apollo 13 after the oxygen tank explosion was disappointment that we had lost the landing. Ron Howard, director for the movie Apollo 13, commented that it never sounded like we had a problem after listening to all the air-to-ground transmissions."
How long did it take for the Iwo Jima crew to return to Earth?
After spending 142 hours and 54 minutes in space, the crew returned safely to Earth on April 17, landing in the south Pacific Ocean, about four miles from the recovery ship, USS Iwo Jima.
When did Haise leave NASA?
Along with fellow astronaut Gordon Fullerton, Haise piloted the space shuttle Enterprise for three of its test flights in 1977. After leaving NASA in 1979 , the father of four served as president of Grumman Technical Services Inc. as part of the Shuttle Processing Contract Team throughout the 1980s and '90s until his eventual retirement.
Who played Jim Lovell in Apollo 13?
Commander James "Jim" Lovell Jr. (Tom Hanks) Astronaut Jim Lovell; Tom Hanks in "Apollo 13". Photo: SSPL/Getty Images/Eric Robert/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images. With three missions and 572 spaceflight hours of experience to his credit, Lovell, who was played by Hanks in the 1995 film, was the world's most traveled astronaut for a time.
Who wrote the book Lost Moon?
In collaboration with journalist Jeffrey Kluge, Lovell co-wrote the 1994 book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, which served as the basis for Howard's big-screen adaptation the following year. Lovell even made a cameo in the film as captain of the USS Iwo Jima rescue ship.
How long did it take to solve Apollo 13?
Mattingly said they solved the problem for Apollo 13 in about an hour or two, but another half-hour was spent building a demonstration model.
Who is the actor in Apollo 13?
From left: Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon and Tom Hanks star in "Apollo 13."
Why was the lunar module grounded?
In a 2001 interview with NASA, Ken Mattingly -- the original command module pilot who was grounded due to exposure to German measles -- said turning the lunar module into a lifeboat wasn't something that was made up on the spot. NASA had practiced it.
How long is the blackout in Apollo?
The blackout did last longer than expected -- even longer than what is portrayed in the movie. "Blackout lasts three minutes.
What stage of Apollo 13 was burned?
The third stage of the rocket was also burned longer to put Apollo 13 into orbit. This wasn't shown in the movie. RELATED: Here's how you can experience the Apollo 13 mission in real-time.
Why did the center light blink in Apollo 13?
In reality, the center light would simply have been off. "In Apollo 13, the movie, the light was purposely made to blink to get the viewers' attention. The movie-makers knew the actual operation, but chose to take this license for dramatic effect," said Dave Scott, Apollo 15 commander and a technical adviser for the film.
What movie was based on real life events?
Movies based on real-life events often stretch the truth for dramatic effect, but how far did the 1995 movie "Apollo 13 " starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton sway from the actual events of the Apollo 13 mission that happened 50 years ago this month?
