Jul 5

Space Rocket History #261 – Apollo 13 – Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise

Posted on July 5, 2018

At thirty-six, Haise was the youngest member of the crew of Apollo 13, and his black hair and angular features made him seem younger still.

P3-Haise in front of the Space Shuttle Enterprise in 1976

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Tagged:Apollo 13, Enterprise, Fred Haise, Lovell, Space Shuttle, Swigert

Jul 25

Space Rocket History #263 – Apollo 13 – The Launch

Posted on July 25, 2018

During the Apollo era, North American-Downey built the Apollo Command & Service Module. After each completed spacecraft, Nasa conducted formal reviews of the build paper work before each vehicle was accepted for flight.

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P2-Swigert suiting up

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Tagged:Apollo 13, Haise, Lovell, Swigert

Jul 31

Space Rocket History #264 – Apollo 13 – Orbit, Translunar Injection, Docking, and Extraction

Posted on July 31, 2018

Milt Windier’s team at mission control quickly reviewed the status of the remaining four engines, ran the computations for the new engine cutoff times, and passed them to the crew.

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P2-stage 2 engine cluster

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Tagged:Haise, Lovell, Lunar Module, S Ii, Swigert

Aug 9

Space Rocket History #265 – Apollo 13 – Translunar Coast – The Calm Before the Storm

Posted on August 9, 2018

As Lovell prepared for the thruster adjustments, Haise finished closing down the LEM and drifted through the tunnel back toward the command module and Swigert threw the switch to stir all 4 cryogenic tanks.

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Tagged:Apollo 13, Haise, Lovell, Swigert

Aug 16

Space Rocket History #266 – Apollo 13 – “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” – Part 1

Posted on August 16, 2018

Swigert: I believe we’ve had a problem here! CapComm: This is Houston. Say again, please. Lovell: Houston, we’ve had a problem.

P3 Cryogenic Tank level

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Tagged:Apollo 13, Haise, Lovell, Swigert

Oct 17

Space Rocket History #274 – Apollo 13 – Minimizing Power – Part 1

Posted on October 17, 2018

Electricity was in short supply. A fully functioning, up-and running LEM required about 55 amps of current to operate.

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P2- Tom Kelly Grumman Engineering Mgr

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Tagged:Haise, Joe Kerwin, Lovell, Swigert, Tom Kelly

Nov 8

Space Rocket History #277 – Apollo 13 – Approaching the Moon

Posted on November 8, 2018

“They’re all coming out,” Swigert said, straining for a glimpse through Lovell’s window. “You said it,” Lovell said. “There’s Nunki, there’s Antares. We may have enough here for that confidence check.”

P3-View of the lunar far side showing crater Tsiolkovsky (taken from Apollo 13)

P2-Oblique view of lunar far side, photographed from the Apollo 13 spacecraft

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Tagged:Antares, Haise, Lovell, Nunki, Swigert

Nov 14

Space Rocket History #278 – Apollo 13 – Leaving the Moon – Part 1

Posted on November 14, 2018

Lovell’s disappointment with Kranz’s decision to not run another star check was quickly becoming academic since the time to conduct it was running out anyway.

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p2-Apollo 13’s view from Aquarius as it rounds the Moon, with the Command Module at right. Credit- NASA:Johnson Space Center.

P1-On April 14th 1970, the Apollo 13 Saturn IVB upper stage impacted the moon north of Mare Cognitum

Tagged:Haise, Kranz, Lovell, Swigert, Vance Brand

Nov 21

Space Rocket History #279 – Apollo 13 – Leaving the Moon – Part 2

Posted on November 21, 2018

In the satellite room of the carrier Iwo Jima, the communications man sat back and removed his headset. He knew, that Apollo 13 was in fact coming their way.

P3-view of a near full Moon was photographed from the Apollo 13 spacecraft during its journey homeward

P2-Ptolemaeus and Alphonsus indicated, as photographed from Apollo 13

p1- S-IVB stage has impacted the Moon of the impact is being detected by the Apollo 12 seismometer

Tagged:Haise, Iwo Jima, Lovell, Pericynthion, Swigert

Nov 28

Space Rocket History #280 – Apollo 13 – Carbon Dioxide

Posted on November 28, 2018

In a healthy spacecraft, the CO2 meter should climb no higher than 2 or 3 millimeters of mercury. When it rose above 7, the crew was instructed to change their lithium hydroxide canisters. If it was allowed to rise above 15, the first signs of CO2 po...

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Tagged:Co2, Haise, Lithium Hydroxide, Lovell, Smylie, Swigert

Dec 12

Space Rocket History #281 – Apollo 13 – Homeward Bound

Posted on December 12, 2018

There was now cause for optimism in Mission Control. At the TELMU station, where the Lunar Module’s environmental signs were being continually monitored, the readings of the carbon dioxide concentrations aboard Aquarius were steadily dropping all day...

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P2-Brand (standing right) during Apollo 13 crisis (April 1970)

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Tagged:Griffin, Haise, Lovell, Swigert, Vance Brand

Jan 2

Space Rocket History #284 – Apollo 13 – Mid-course Correction

Posted on January 2, 2019

Swigert counted down five, four, three, two, one.” Lovell pressed the big red engine button set in the bulkhead and once again felt the vibration below his feet. “Ignition,” Lovell said to his crew-mates. Arnold Aldrich Ken Mattingly & Joe Kerwin...

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P2-Arnold Aldrich 2010Web

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Tagged:Aldrich, Haise, Lovell, Swigert

Jan 16

Space Rocket History #286 – Apollo 13 – I Want My Power Up Checklist. Now!

Posted on January 16, 2019

As If there were not enough problems, Houston still had not completed the command module power up checklist. Capcom Joe KerwinThe Journey of Apollo 13(Haise, Lovell, Mattingly, & Kranz pose for the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 13.

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Tagged:Haise, Kranz, Lovell, Swigert

Feb 6

Space Rocket History #288 – Apollo 13 – Re-entry

Posted on February 6, 2019

To Kranz and his team, this crew was special. They just could not lose them. Failure was not an option. Gibbous MoonRe-entry (credit Atomic Toasters)Gene’s Book

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Tagged:Haise, Kerwin, Kranz, Lovell, Swigert

Feb 13

Space Rocket History #289 – Apollo 13 – Splashdown

Posted on February 13, 2019

“During blackout every team member does his own soul searching, reviewing the decisions and the data, knowing they had to be nearly perfect and knowing how tough perfection is.” Gene Kranz Splashdown Mission Control

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P1-drouge chute deployment

Tagged:Haise, Kranz, Lovell, Splashdown, Swigert

Feb 20

Space Rocket History #290 – Apollo 13 – Welcome Home

Posted on February 20, 2019

“Three brave astronauts are alive and on Earth because of the mission operations teams’ dedication, and because at the critical moments the people of that team were wise enough and self-possessed enough to make the right decisions. Their extraordinar...

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Tagged:Apollo 13, Haise, Lovell, Swigert

Episodes Tagged with "Swigert"