[meteorite-list] On This Day in 1970: Critical Explosion Cripples Apollo 13

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 14 11:07:39 2005
Message-ID: <200504141505.j3EF5SY26850_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/april/14/newsid_2780000/2780767.stm

ON THIS DAY
BBC News

1970: Critical explosion cripples Apollo 13

An explosion on board Apollo 13 has caused one of the most critical
situations in American space history and put the lives of the three
astronauts on board in severe jeopardy.

The explosion happened in the fuel cells of the spacecraft's service
module approximately 56 hours after lift-off.

This resulted in the loss of Apollo 13's main power supply which means
oxygen and water reserves are now critically low.

The safety of the three astronauts, Captain James Lovell, Jack Swigert
and Fred Haise, is uncertain although Nasa is hoping emergency
contingency plans will ensure their safe return.

Certain death

The cause of the explosion is not yet clear although it is understood it
could have been the result of a meteorite crashing into the service module.

It is unlikely the exact cause will ever be ascertained as the service
module will burn up before the spacecraft's re-entry into the earth's
atmosphere.

The crew are currently surviving on the emergency battery power supply
of the lunar module, Aquarius.

If the accident had occurred after the lunar module had been detached
for the moon landing, the astronauts would have faced certain death.

The spacecraft's main computer has now been switched off to conserve
what little power remains in the command module, Odyssey, as this part
of the spacecraft will be required for re-entry into the earth's
atmosphere.

Plans have been made to "slingshot" Apollo 13 around the moon and fire
the spacecraft's last remaining booster engine to take it away from the
moon's orbit and bring it back on course to earth.

This is a highly risky operation and there is no back-up should anything
go wrong.

If all goes to plan Apollo 13 is due to splash down at approximately
1900 BST on Friday 17 April.

Geological experiments

The Apollo 13 mission was to have been man's third moon landing. The
spacecraft was due to land in the Fra Mauro area of the moon on Thursday
16 April.

Captain Lovell and Mr Haise were due to carry out geological experiments
on the moon's surface as part of an ongoing project to establish the
true age of the moon.

Rock samples taken from previous missions have been dated as being 4,500
million years old.

During the 33-hour moon landing Mr Swigert would have been responsible
for piloting the command module in lunar orbit.

Mr Swigert replaced Thomas Mattingly as command module pilot just hours
before the mission began after it was found that Mr Mattingly had no
immunity after exposure to German Measles.
Received on Thu 14 Apr 2005 11:05:26 AM PDT