BBC History UK 04.2020

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The race to save Apollo 13

Nasa communications relay aircraft finally

announced it had acquired a signal on Apollo

13. Cheers filled Mission Control, but there
    was one last hurdle: the systems used to warm
    the parachute systems had been powered
    down, raising the ominous prospect of a
    repeat of the April 1967 Soyuz 1 tragedy.
    Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov had
    been pulverised when his capsule’s parachute
    malfunctioned, smashing his spacecraft back
    into the Earth.
    Fortunately, Apollo 13’s parachute
    unfolded and communications were finally
    re-established with “Okay, Joe!” – Swigert’s
    crackling response to Joe Kerwin – as the
    Odyssey drifted towards the Pacific Ocean.

Thomas Ellis teaches at the department of

international history at LSE

The new BBC Sounds podcast,

13 Minutes to the Moon – Season 2 ,

tells the story of the Apollo 13 mission.

You’ll find it at bbc.co.uk/sounds

LISTEN

Back to Earth

The Apollo 13 astronauts (in white

suits) await a helicopter pickup with a

navy frogman, 17 April 1970. Around

40  million Americans watched them

splash down in the Pacific Ocean

An estimated 40 million Americans

watched the splashdown. Quoted in the New

Yo rk Ti m e s, 49-year-old Thomas G McCarthy

Jr of Pittsburgh spoke for many who had

followed the story: “Thank God this thing is

over; I got an ulcer worrying about it.”

As the Odyssey

hurtled through

the atmosphere,

a leaden silence

descended over

Mission Control

scientific equipment to compensate for the

lack of moon rocks that had been factored

into the craft’s weight for re-entry calcula-

tions. At 10:43am Houston time, the crew

jettisoned their trusty lifeboat. A little over

an hour later re-entry began.

Re-entry took 14 minutes and for much of

that time communication between the craft

and the ground would be impossible. As the

Odyssey hurtled through the atmosphere,

its heat-shield wreathed in flame, a leaden

silence descended over Mission Control

as its controllers chain-smoked and prayed.

A minute and a half after the expected

communications blackout time had ended,

the controllers’ prayers were answered: a

Waiting game

Marilyn Lovell, wife of

astronaut James, listens

to updates on her

husband’s endangered

mission, as her son

Jeffrey plays with an

aeroplane

GETTY IMAGES

The race to save Apollo 13

Nasacommunicationsrelayaircraftfinally

announcedit hadacquireda signalonApollo

13.CheersfilledMissionControl,butthere

wasonelasthurdle:thesystemsusedtowarm

theparachutesystemshadbeenpowered

down,raisingtheominousprospectofa

repeatoftheApril 1967 Soyuz1 tragedy.

SovietcosmonautVladimirKomarovhad

beenpulverisedwhenhiscapsule’sparachute

malfunctioned,smashing his spacecraft back

intotheEarth.

Fortunately,Apollo13’sparachute

unfoldedandcommunicationswerefinally

re-establishedwith“Okay,Joe!”– Swigert’s

cracklingresponsetoJoeKerwin– asthe

Odyssey drifted towards the Pacific Ocean.

ThomasEllisteachesatthedepartment of

international history at LSE

ThenewBBCSoundspodcast,

13 Minutesto theMoon– Season 2 ,

tellsthestoryof theApollo 13 mission.

You’ll find itatbbc.co.uk/sounds

LISTEN

BacktoEarth

TheApollo 13 astronauts(inwhite

suits)awaita helicopterpickupwitha

navyfrogman, 17 April1970.Around

40 millionAmericanswatchedthem

splash down in the Pacific Ocean

Anestimated 40 millionAmericans

watchedthesplashdown.QuotedintheNew

Yo rkTi m e s, 49-year-oldThomasG McCarthy

Jr ofPittsburghspokeformanywhohad

followedthestory:“ThankGodthisthingis

over; I got an ulcer worrying about it.”

As the Odyssey

hurtled through

the atmosphere,

a leaden silence

descendedover

Mission Control

scientificequipmenttocompensateforthe
lackofmoonrocksthathadbeenfactored
intothecraft’sweightforre-entrycalcula-
tions.At10:43amHoustontime,thecrew
jettisonedtheirtrustylifeboat.A little over
anhourlaterre-entrybegan.
Re-entrytook 14 minutesandformuchof
thattimecommunicationbetweenthecraft
andthegroundwouldbeimpossible.Asthe
Odysseyhurtledthroughtheatmosphere,
itsheat-shieldwreathedinflame,a leaden
silencedescendedoverMissionControl
asitscontrollerschain-smokedandprayed.
A minuteanda halfaftertheexpected
communicationsblackouttimehadended,
the controllers’ prayers were answered: a

Waitinggame

MarilynLovell,wifeof

astronautJames,listens

to updatesonher

husband’sendangered

mission,asherson

Jeffreyplays with an

aeroplane