It was discovered that the insulation was damaged during pre-flight tests that ultimately led to the catastrophic failure two days into the flight. This posed a new host of issues as it was designed to sustain two astronauts on the moon for two days and not for three astronauts to live in for nearly twice that time.Īfter investigations by NASA, the root of the malfunction was traced back to the Teflon insulation used on wires inside one of the spacecraft's oxygen tanks. The lunar module, the part of the spacecraft that was designed to land on the moon, was transformed into a "lifeboat" for the three astronauts. "With the oxygen stores depleted, the command module was unusable, the mission had to be aborted, and the crew transferred to the lunar module and powered down the command module," NASA said. "Let's solve the problem, but let's not make it any worse by guessing."įlight director Gene Krantz on April 13, 1970, after the explosion occurred on Apollo 13. "Okay now, let's everybody keep cool, we got the LM still attached, the LM spacecraft's good so if we need, uh, to get back home we've got a LM to do a good portion of it with ," Kranz said. We are venting something out into the- into space," Lovell said.Īs the ground teams worked to determine what could have caused a leak into space and what steps should be taken next, flight director Gene Kranz came across the telecom to deliver an important message in a calm and collected tone. "Looking out the hatch, that we are venting something. (NASA)Īlmost 15 minutes after the malfunction, Lovell glanced out the window and made a shocking discovery. Kranz (foreground, back to camera), one of four Apollo 13 flight directors, views the large screen at front as astronaut Fred Haise, Lunar Module pilot, is seen on the screen. Use full sentences to explain your thinking.The Mission Operations Control Room in the Mission Control Center at the Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center), Houston, was taken moments before the accident that crippled the Apollo 13 mission. HAVE YOUR SAY: Which part of the journey to the moon would you like to experience? Weightlessness, sleeping while floating or exercising in zero gravity? Can be purchased for $5 including GST at Refer to the accompanying 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing classroom workbook with 25 activities.
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