Jul 31

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

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.

POGO. Experienced on the S-II stage of Apollo 13

Saturn V, S-II stage, engine cluster

Docking with the Lunar Module

Jul 25

Space Rocket History #263 – Apollo 13 – The Launch

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.

Apollo 13 launch day breakfast

Jack Swigert suiting up for launch

Launch of Apollo 13

Jul 18

An Encore Presentation of Space Rocket History #169 – Apollo 8 – Christmas 1968

Bill Anders:
“We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.”
“‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
‘And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
‘And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
‘And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.'”
Jim Lovell:
“‘And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
‘And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
‘And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
‘And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.’”
Frank Borman:
“‘And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
‘And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.'”
“And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas – and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.”

By T. Rednour. Tumbler Blog missionstepstothemoon.

By T. Rednour. Tumbler Blog missionstepstothemoon.

Apollo 8 Christmas Eve

Apollo 8 Christmas Eve

Apollo 8 Christmas Eve around the Moon

Apollo 8 Christmas Eve around the Moon

Jul 11

Space Rocket History #262 – Apollo 13 – Commander Jim Lovell

Lovell completed four space flights and is one of only three men to travel to the Moon twice. Lovell accrued over 715 hours spent in space, and he saw a total of 269 sunrises from space on his Gemini and Apollo flights.

1966 photo of Jim Lovell posing with Gemini-Titan model

Jim Lovell at the Command Module Guidance and Navigation station during the Apollo 8 mission

Lovell in front of the launch pad before the Apollo 13 mission