Jul 18

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

Posted on July 18, 2018

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 fo...

Tagged:Anders, Apollo, Apollo 13, Borman, Lovell

Jun 13

Space Rocket History #258 – Apollo 13 – Introduction – Part 1

Posted on June 13, 2018

Targeted for touchdown on the third lunar landing was a place known as the Fra Mauro range, a stretch of rugged, Appalachian-type mounds 110 miles east of the Apollo 12 landing site.

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Tagged:Craft, Gilruth, Haise, Kranz, Lovell, Mattingly

Jun 20

Space Rocket History #259 – Apollo 13 – Introduction – Part 2

Posted on June 20, 2018

Just before the mission began things started to go wrong. The weekend before launch Charlie Duke, the backup lunar module pilot, came down with a case of German measles.

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Tagged:Apollo 13, Haise, Lovell, Mattingly, Slayton

Jun 27

Space Rocket History #260 – Apollo 13 – Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert

Posted on June 27, 2018

John Leonard Swigert Jr. aka Jack Swigert was born on August 30, 1931 in Denver, Colorado to parents John Leonard Sr. and Virginia Swigert.

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Tagged:Apollo 13, Buzz Aldrin, Haise, Jack Swigert, Lovell

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.

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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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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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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.

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Tagged:Apollo 13, Haise, Lovell, Swigert

Oct 3

Space Rocket History #272 – Apollo 13 – Free Return – Part 2

Posted on October 3, 2018

Aquarius, can you see any stars yet?

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Tagged:Haise, Jack Swigert, Lousma, Lovell, Lunney

Oct 10

Space Rocket History #273 – Apollo 13 – Free Return – Part 3

Posted on October 10, 2018

Lovell toggled the “master arm” switch to On and glanced around to see if everything else was in order. Guidance control was set to “Primary Guidance”; thrust control was on “Auto”; engine gimbals were enabled; the propellant quantity, temperature, a...

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‘s electrical systems

Tagged:Free Return, Kranz, Lousma, Lovell, Lunney

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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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.”

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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.

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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

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

Dec 19

Space Rocket History #282 – Apollo 13 – Battery #2

Posted on December 19, 2018

At the manned spacecraft center in Houston, Don Arabian was in Building 45 when battery number two in Aquarius’ descent stage exploded.

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Tagged:Battery 2, Don Arabian, James A Mcdivitt, Lovell, Mer, Mission Evaluation Room, Vance Brand

Dec 26

Space Rocket History #283 – Apollo 13 – Encouragement from the President

Posted on December 26, 2018

In the White House, President Nixon was very concerned for the Apollo 13 crew. Since Apollo 8’s successful lunar orbit, just one month before his inauguration, Nixon had developed a fascination with moon flight and a special admiration for the crew o...

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Tagged:Haise, Jack Swigert, Lovell, Marilyn Lovell, Nixon, 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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Tagged:Aldrich, Haise, Lovell, Swigert

Jan 9

Space Rocket History #285 – Apollo 13 – More Problems

Posted on January 9, 2019

From beneath the Lunar Modules floor there was a thud, then a hiss, then another thump that vibrated through the cabin. FIDO Jerry BostickFIDO Dave Reed Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator

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Tagged:Dave Reed, Haise, Jack Swigert, Jerry Bostick, Lovell

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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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 "Lovell"