Original subtitles

crossing gantry for capsule ingress roger that inspired by the late

president kennedy in only seven years america has risen to the challenge of

what he called the most hazardous and dangerous and greatest adventure on

which man has ever embarked after trailing the russians for years with our

manned space program and after that sudden and horrible fire on the launch

pad during a routine test that killed American astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed

White, and Roger Chapp.

There were serious doubts that we could beat the Russians to the moon.

But tonight, a mere 18 months after the tragedy of Apollo 1, the entire world

watched in awe as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon.

The big news came just a moment ago.

Mission Control gave the spacecraft permission to go for the extravehicular

activity, that is, for the walk on the moon far earlier than anticipated, 9 p

.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Now, the important thing when you're penetrating the lunar module is your

attitude and your relative speed.

Now, let's say this is me here in the command module, and this is you.

All right.

In the left. This thing sticks out here in front. That's called a probe.

Is that true?

Absolutely.

And Tracy, I'll tell you, when you feel that thing slide in, everything's

clicking, it's like no other feeling in the world.

A little liquid propulsion.

What's the big occasion?

Hey, how's it going over there, Miss Control?

It's a nervous time. They're pacing around, smoking like chimneys. Gene

Kranz is gonna have puppies.

Chim level.

Hi. This is Tracy. How do you do, Tracy? This is the man. Gemini 7, Gemini 12,

Apollo 8. They were the first ones around. This guy did 10 laps.

With one hand on the wheel. You guys made yourselves at home. Hey, Marilyn.

This is the last champagne in the city of Houston. Very good, very good.

Everything else all right?

Everything's on course. Looks okay. Hey, Cadet Lovell.

Put this on ice in the back. The rest of the mixture gets cold.

You gonna get a haircut this summer?

I'm on vacation.

Oh, get a haircut.

I wouldn't mind being up there tonight.

God, who wouldn't?

Don't worry.

Our day's coming.

They're not going to cut the program before number 14.

You know, my cousin called. Uh-huh.

Asked who we bribed to get on Jim Lovell's crew.

I just told them they wanted to make sure he got the best.

Well, they got that right.

What network do we want?

I really appreciate you all coming to this dress rehearsal party for my Apollo

12 landing.

Sit down, Conrad.

I think we should all take a moment to recognize the exemplary,

hell, damn near heroic effort displayed by Neil Armstrong's backup for this

historic moonwalk. And of course, his crew. Let's hear it for Jim Lovell.

Hey, kids!

Jim,

you think it's too late for him to abort?

No, no, he still has time to get out. They just need somebody to wave him off.

Wave him off now!

38 year old american standing on the surface of the moon on

this july 20th 1969 that's one small step for man

one giant leap for mankind

You're drunk, Lovell.

Yeah, I'm not using the champagne.

Me neither.

I can't deal with cleaning up. Let's sell the house.

All right, let's sell the house.

We're back inside now.

Looking up at us. Isn't that something?

I bet Janie Armstrong doesn't get a wink of sleep tonight.

When you were on the far side on 8, I didn't sleep at all. I just vacuumed

over and over again.

Christopher Columbus and Charles Lindbergh and Neil Armstrong.

Neil Armstrong.

From now on, we live in a world where man has walked on the moon.

It's not a miracle.

We just decided to go.

On Apollo 8, we were so close, just 60 nautical miles down.

It was like I could just step out and walk on the face of it.

I'm going to go back there.

Where's my mountain?

Well, it's right up by the... Okay, you

see where the shadow crosses the white area there? That's the Sea of

Tranquility. And your mountain's right there on the edge of that. Your

mountain, Maryland.

Mount Maryland.

I don't see it.

Well, you gotta look harder.

The astronaut is only the most visible member of a very large team, and all of

us, right down to the guy sweeping the floor, are honored to be a part of it.

What did the man say? Give me a lever long enough and I'll move the world?

Well, that's exactly what we're doing here. This is divine inspiration, folks.

It's the best part of each one of us, the belief that anything is possible.

Things like a computer that can fit into a single room and hold millions of

pieces of information.

Or the Saturn V rocket.

This is the actual launch vehicle that will be taking Alan Shepard and his crew

on the first leg of the Apollo 13 mission.

When are you going up again, Jim?

I'm slated to be the commander of Apollo 14 sometime late next year.

If there is an Apollo 14.

Now, Jim, people in my state have been asking why we're continuing to fund this

program now that we've beaten the Russians to the moon.

Imagine if Christopher Columbus had come back from the New World and no one

returned in his footsteps.

Attention all personnel, clear level.

Are there any other questions?

How do you go to the bathroom in space?

Well, I tell you, it's a highly technical process of cranking down the

window and looking for a gas station.

Oh,

this is Geet Sladen.

You might be able to answer this lady's question better than I. Deke is one of

the original Mercury 7 astronauts, ladies and gentlemen, and now he's our

boss. He hands out the astronauts' flight assignments, so naturally we kick

back part of our salaries to Deke every month. How much this month, Deke? Uh,

Jim, can I have a minute? Something's come up.

Sure. Uh, Henry?

Hey!

But you are not wearing that out in this neighborhood. That's the end of it. I

don't want to hear anything. I'm not even wearing a bra.

You can see everything. Shut up, Susan.

Hey, everybody.

Jim. Trick or treat.

You know that Easter vacation trip we had planned for Acapulco?

Uh-oh.

Well, I was thinking there might be a slight change in destination.

Really?

Maybe, say, the moon.

Now Shepard's ear infection has flared up.

We've all been bumped up to the prime crew of Apollo 13.

Straight to the head of the line in the Framora Highlands.

Six months? You're moving up six months?

Dad, can I please wear this?

Sure. Jim. No, no, absolutely not.

They're not rushing things, are they? I mean, you're gonna be ready in six

months? We'll be ready.

Boy, I wouldn't want to be around Al Shepard tonight.

I gotta get over there. We're gonna have to get up to speed on this.

Go, go.

I'm gonna walk on the moon, Marilyn.

I know.

Can't believe it.

Naturally, it's 13.

Why 13?

It comes after 12, huh?

Apollo 13, you are go for pyroarm and docking.

All systems are nominal and on the line.

Okay, S-4B is stable.

Slot panels are drifting free. The drogue is clear.

Docking target is clear.

Yeah, I'm coming up on that now.

What? Mark?

75 feet. We're coming up on docking.

Let's shut down some thrusters on him.

See what he does with this one.

Whoa. Wait a minute. I lost something here. I can't translate up.

Houston, we are drifting down and away.

Do you want to just back off and take another run at this? No, no. I got it, I

got it. Let me just try and get her stable.

Houston, I'm going to reset the high gain.

I've got the target back in the reticle.

Okay, we're stable. Go ahead and recycle the valves. Forty feet.

They're all gray.

Twenty.

Ten feet.

Captured. That's it.

That's it.

Sweet move, Ken.

Beautiful, beautiful. Gentlemen, that is the way we do that. Oh, man, that woke

me up.

Apollo 13 backup crew, you're up in the simulator.

Nice job, gentlemen.

That's three hours of boredom followed by seven seconds of sheer terror.

Good job, guys.

You just won the Christmas turkey.

Nice job, brother.

You really outfoxed him, brother.

Yeah, but it wasn't perfect.

He used up too much fuel. Ah, you're above the curve.

Not by much. Listen, guys, I want to work it again.

Hey, we got to be up with the Dom Patrol. I had it for Beth Page. What,

0700? The wheel's up at 0700.

Yeah, I know, but my rate of turn is still a little too slow there. I really

think we should work it again.

Well, let's get it right.

Okay, set it up again, Frank.

Okay, 13 backup crew, it'll have to wait. Prime crew's up for another run.

Yeah, baby.

0-2-5.

How long will it take you to get to the moon?

Four days.

But that's pretty fast, see?

This is the Saturn IV B booster, and it shoots us away from the Earth as fast as

a bullet from a gun.

Until the moon's gravity actually grabs us and pulls us into a

circle around the moon, which is called an orbit, right?

Fred and I float down the tunnel into this guy, the lunar module, this spidery

-looking guy.

Only holds two people, and it's just for landing on the moon.

And I take the controls, and I steer it around, and I fly it down, adjusting it

here, the attitude there, pitch, roll, for a nice, soft landing on the moon.

Better than Neil Armstrong.

Way better than Pete Conrad.

Did you know the astronauts on the fire?

Yeah, yeah, I did. I knew the astronauts in the fire. All of them.

Could that happen again?

Well, I'll tell you something about that fire.

Um, a lot of things went wrong.

The, uh, the door.

It's called the hatch.

They couldn't get it open when they needed to get out.

That was one thing.

And, uh, well, a lot of things went wrong in that fire.

Did they fix it?

Oh, yes, absolutely.

We fixed it.

It's not a problem anymore.

I can't believe they still have you doing public appearances.

No.

Henry Heard was all over me. I know. I couldn't get away from him. The training

schedule, this type, they shouldn't be asking. No,

it's NASA.

Hey, you're Jim Lovell, aren't you?

It's the second time it's done that.

So I was looking at the kids' school schedule coming up.

It's a very busy week.

I'm thinking about not going to the launch.

The kids need me at home, honey.

Marilyn, we've had these kids for a while now.

They've never kept you from coming to the other launches. Yes, but now I have

your mother. She's just had this stroke. Oh, Mom's fine.

Honey, it's not like I've never been to a launch before. The other wives have

not done three.

I just don't think I can go through all that.

Just be glad when this one's over.

Well, you're gonna miss a hell of a show.

Hey, guys.

See you in a few weeks.

So, the number 13 doesn't bother you. Only if it's a Friday, Phil.

Apollo 13 lifting off at 1300 hours and 13 minutes and entering the moon gravity

on April 13th.

Ken Mattingly here has been doing some scientific experiments regarding that

very phenomenon.

Yes, well, I had a black cat walk over a broken mirror under the lunar module

ladder. It didn't seem to be a problem.

And we'll also consider a real helpful letter we got from a fellow who said we

ought to take a pig up with us for good luck.

Does it bother you that the public regards this flight as routine?

There's nothing routine about flying to the moon. I can vouch for that.

And I think that an astronaut's last mission, his final flight, well,

that's always going to be very special.

Why is this your last, Jim?

I'm in command of the...

The best ship with the best crew that anybody could ask for.

And I'll be walking in a place where there's 400 degrees difference between

sunlight and shadow.

I can't imagine ever topping that.

We have that scheduled for you at 0900 hours tomorrow.

That's not going to work, Walter.

Why?

Reto and I are going to be going over the lunar surface experiments tomorrow,

and Ken's going to be back in the simulator.

We're going to be going over the flight plan tonight as well. We're going to pay

a visit to this beautiful machine after you're hard down.

Thanks. Jim, we've got a problem.

I just got some blood work back from the lab.

Charlie Duke has the measles.

So we need a new backup.

We've all been exposed to it.

Well, I've had the measles.

Ken Mattingly has it.

You want to break up my crew two days before the launch?

When we can predict each other's moves and we can read the tone of each other's

voices. Ken Mattingly will be getting seriously ill precisely when you and

Hayes will be ascending from the lunar surface to rendezvous with him. Jim,

that's a lousy time for a fever. Now look, Jack Swigert has been out of the

loop for weeks. He's fully qualified to fly this mission.

He's a fine pilot, but when was the last time he was in a simulator?

I'm sorry, Jim, I understand how you feel.

Now, we can do one of two things here.

We can either scrub Mattingly and go with Swigert, or we can bump all three

of you to a later mission.

I've trained for the Framora Highlands.

And this is flight surgeon horseshit, Deke.

Jim, if you hold out for Ken, you will not be on Apollo 13.

It's your decision.

Let it ring.

I gotta take that.

Oh, why? Because I'm on the backup crew. The backup crew has to set up the guest

list and book the hotel room. Swagger?

Yeah.

Yes. Yes, sir.

I understand.

Thank you, sir.

Well, I... Damn.

Medical guys.

I had a feeling when they started doing all the blood tests that...

I mean, I know it's their ass if I get sick up there,

but I mean, Jesus!

Swigert, he'll be fine. He's, uh... He's strong.

It'll be a hell of a mission, one for the books.

You sure about this, Jim? I mean, why don't I go upstairs and talk to Deke?

I'm sure we can work this out.

This was my call.

Must have been a tough one.

Look, I don't have the measles.

I'm not gonna get the measles.

Ken, wait up.

Trajectory's holding steady.

We're right on the line.

Okay, we're in the program 64 105 G so we're feeling like gravity now Houston

we are at 400,000 feet passing entry interface

It's

a story here I got a corridor light we're coming in too shallow I'm going to

manual

Houston, switching to SES.

Roger, 13. Okay, we're at 3 Gs.

5 Gs.

We're coming in too steep.

I'm going to stay in this role, see if I can pull this out.

We're at 8 Gs.

9.

10.

We're at 12 Gs. 12 Gs, we're running out.

Damn it!

I gave him a false indicator light right at entry interface.

Even Mattingly didn't get it the first time.

How you feeling, Freddo?

Bar broiled.

So what happened?

Came in too steep.

We're dead.

No shit.

Yeah, yeah, we were into program 67 there, so...

Okay, guys, we're gonna do this again, obviously, but give us some magic.

Jim,

could we have a word?

Sure, D.

We're going to drop offline and debrief this one on our own.

So?

Well...

If I had a dollar for every time they killed me in this thing, I wouldn't have

to work for you, Dave.

Well, we have two days. We'll be ready.

Let's do it again.

Do it again.

We don't want Daddy to get any of our germs and get sick in outer space,

right? Hey, boys.

Not giving your mom a hard time, are you? No, sir.

Princess, you look beautiful.

Well, hey, that looks like Marilyn Lovell.

But it can't be. She's not coming to the launch.

I heard it was going to be a hell of a show.

Who told you that?

Some guy I know.

You can't live without me.

Okay, folks, let's say goodnight. We got a big day tomorrow for these guys.

Goodnight.

You hear about Ken?

Yeah.

Stand back, please.

Ah, Gunter Wendt.

I wonder where Gunter Wendt. Jim.

We walk on the moon. Yeah, yeah, we walk and we talk on the moon.

Good. Ready?

Yeah.

What?

Oh, sorry.

I'm going to give these guys a beautiful ride.

Sure you will, Jack.

You need more air?

You want some apple?

Marilyn, hey, Mary.

Oh, I hate this already.

You're not just about to pop, are you? No, I got 30 days till this blasts off.

This is for Gene.

Mrs. Krantz has pulled out the old needle and thread again.

The last one looked like he bought enough at Gypsy.

Well, you can't argue with tradition.

Copy that.

This is from your wife, Gene.

Thank you, Tom.

Starting to get light.

There we go.

I like it. I like that one, Gene.

Jim, you're all set.

There we go.

Hey, Gene, I guess we can go now.

Apollo 13 flight controllers, listen up.

Give me a go, no, go for launch.

Booster. Go.

Retro. Go. Vital.

We're go, flight. Guidance. Guidance, go.

Surgeon. Go, flight.

Econ. We're go, flight. GNC.

We're go.

Telmuse. Go. Control.

Go, flight.

Procedures. Go.

Inco. Go.

FAO. We are go. Network.

Go. Recovery.

Go. Capcom.

We're go, flight.

Launch Control, this is Houston.

We are go for launch.

Roger that, Houston.

Pad Leader, what's your status?

We are go.

fuel pump this is it few bumps that we're hauling the mail

we

are go for launch t-minus 15.

the clock is running

we

have

Okay guys, we got it.

How are we looking?

Looks good, Flight. Right down the middle.

That was some little joke.

Tower, Jet.

Houston, this is 13. We've got a center engine cut off. Go on the other floor.

All right. For that 13, we show the same.

booster can you confirm that center engine cut off roger that flight looks

like we lost it fighter what's that going to do to us stay on my flight i

need to know if the iu is correcting for the number five shutdown

yes

it was the story on engine five right this is good looks good we're still go

we'll be all right as long as we don't lose another one Roger that. 13, we're

not sure why the inboard was out early, but the other engines are a go, so we're

just going to burn those remaining engines for a little bit longer.

Roger that.

Our gimbals are good.

Our trim is good.

Looks like we just had a glitch for this mission.

Flight S will be cut off in 10 seconds.

13, this is Houston. The predicted cutoff is 12 plus 3, 4. Over.

Coming up on 12 minutes 34.

And... Seiko!

Here, hold my hand.

I can't believe you did this four times.

The worst part's over.

It is?

Listen, this doesn't stop for me until he lands on that aircraft carrier.

Oh, well, you just look so calm about it. Well, if the flight surgeon had to

okay me for this mission, I'd be grounded.

Hey!

Can we just have a word, will you?

Remember, if you're proud, happy, and thrilled.

How are you feeling?

We're very proud and very happy when we're thrilled.

Flight booster, I show S-4B shutdown.

TLI's on the money. Looks good, Flight.

Roger, Fido.

Okay, guys.

We're going to the moon.

Flight, we have reacquisition of signal at Hawaii. Okay,

Houston, CMP here.

I've exchanged couches with Jim. I'm in the pilot seat. I'm gonna go ahead and

get set for transposition and docking.

Freddo, you okay?

Okay, everybody, let's get turned around and pick up the lunar module.

Odyssey, you're go for pyro arm and docking. Repeat, go for docking, and we

recommend you secure cabin pressurization.

Roger that.

Okay, we're ready for CSM separation.

Okay, SMR-CS iso valves are all gray.

Okay, Swigert, command module pilot.

She's all yours.

Houston, we've got a good separation.

Odyssey, the S-4B is stable.

Translation looks good.

We confirm that, 13.

Okay, we're going to start to pitch around to line up with the LM.

You know, Federal Frank Borman was up chucking most of the way to the moon on

Apollo 8. I'm around to stay too much breakfast. Let's go to work.

And pitching up.

Pitch rate, 2.5 degrees per second.

Roger, Jack.

We see you pitching around.

Keep an eye on that telemetry. Roger that.

Swagger can't dock this thing. We don't have a mission.

How's that, Roger?

How's the alignment?

GDC, align.

Thrusting forward.

Wash your linemen now.

Yeah, don't worry, guys.

I'm on top of it.

All right, I'll let me know when you're ready.

Okay, let's hop like that.

How are we looking, Fred? We're not there yet.

Forty feet.

Come on, rookie. Park that thing.

Ten feet.

Captured.

That's it.

Talk back. Is Barbara pulled? Go ahead and retract.

Houston, we have a hard dock.

Roger, understand.

Good deal, Jack.

Okay,

Houston, we have lamb extraction.

We copied that, 13.

Now you're off to the Framara Highlands.

I gotta get out of this suit.

Houston, we are ready for the beginning of the PTC, and I think once we're in

that barbecue roll, Jack and I will eat.

Hey, I'm hungry.

Are you sure?

I could eat the ass out of a dead rhinoceros.

We got a smooth one, huh?

By the numbers so far, we just ran a minimum load test on the cooling system.

Let me clean this up.

Oh, it's too bad we can't demonstrate this on TV.

What a shame.

Okay, overboard dump coming up.

Here it comes. The Constellation Urine.

Now that's a beautiful sight.

Barbara!

Barbara, we are going to your father's broadcast.

No! I'm never coming out.

I hate Paul.

No one else can ever play another one of their records again.

She's still going on about the stupid Beatles breaking up?

They're not stupid, Barbara. You're stupid, Barbara.

I know you're in mourning. I'm not going, Mom. Dad won't even know if we're

there. The whole world is going to be watching this broadcast, young lady.

And so are we.

provide you with the appropriate background music.

So hit it there, Freddo.

But there seems to have been a last minute change in the program.

When I go up here on 19, I'm going to take my entire collection of Johnny Cash

along.

Hey, Marilyn. What's their broadcast?

All the networks dumped us.

One of them said we made Gone to the Moon about as exciting as taking a trip

to Pittsburgh.

My son's supposed to be on.

He's in outer space.

This is all the channels we get, Mrs. Lovell.

It's that damn TV Guide again.

Ruthless porters.

Savage baggage masters.

Do they know they're not on here?

I'll tell them when they get back.

Oh, well, if anyone from the IRS is watching, I forgot to file my

1040 return. I meant to do it today, but... That's no joke. They'll jump on

him.

Well,

folks, let's head on down to the lunar excursion module.

Follow me.

Now, when we get ready to land on the moon, Fred, Hayes, and I will float

through this access tunnel into the lunar module, leaving... Econ, that

stir's going to be on both H-2 and both O-2 tanks, is that correct?

Spacecraft will remain connected.

Well, folks, as you can probably tell, the Aquarius isn't much bigger than a

couple of telephone booths. The skin of the limb in some places is only as thick

as a couple of layers of tin foil, and that's all that protects us from the

vacuum of space.

We can get away with this because the limb is designed only for flight in

outer space.

Fred Hayes, renaissance man.

Okay, we'll head back up the tunnel now and back into the Odyssey.

All right, we've returned to the man... Stand by one, Houston.

Gotcha.

Houston, that bang you heard was Fred Hayes on the cabin repress valve. He

really gets our hearts going every time without one.

Okay, we're about to close out the Aquarius and return to the Odyssey.

Our next broadcast will be from Frau Mora on the surface of the moon.

They might air a few minutes of it on the news tonight.

You'd think so.

Between Jack's back taxes and the Fred Hayes show, I'd say that was

a pretty successful broadcast.

Thank you very much, Houston.

We've got a couple of housekeeping procedures for you. We'd like you to

roll right to 0-6-0 and null your rates.

Roger that. Rolling right. 0-6-0.

And then if you could give your oxygen tanks a stir.

Roger that.

Hey, we've got a problem here.

What did you do? Nothing. I stirred the tanks.

Whoa.

Hey.

Uh, this is Houston.

Uh, say again, please.

Houston, we have a problem.

We have a main bus B undervolt.

We've got a lot of thruster activity here, Houston. It just went offline.

Oh, there's another master alarm, Houston.

I'm checking the quad. Christ, that was no refresh value. Maybe it's in quad

zero. We've got a computer restart. I'm going to reconfigure the RCS.

We've got a pin's light. We've got multiple caution and warning, Houston.

We've got a reset restart.

All right, I'm going to SDS.

Jesus.

Flight, the heart rates are skyrocketing. Econ, what's your data

telling you?

O2 tank two not reading at all. Tank one is at 725 PSI and falling.

Fuel cells one and three are, uh... Oh, boy, what's going on here? Flight, let

me get back to you. Flight GNC?

Flight, they're all over the place. They keep you only close to gimbal lock. I

keep losing radio signal. Flight, their antenna must be... One at a time,

people. One at a time. One at a time.

Ecom, is this an instrumentation problem, or are we looking at real power

loss here?

It's reading a quadruple failure. That can't happen. It's got to be

instrumentation. Let's get that hatch button. The Linn line has been hit by a

meteor. And the tunnel's really torqued with all this loot.

Houston, we got a pretty large bang there associated with a master alarm.

Shit, it's main bus A.

Houston, we have a main bus A undervolt now, too.

It's reading 25 and a half. Main bus B is reading zip right now.

We got a wicked shimmy up here.

EECOM, GNC, these guys are talking about bangs and shimmies up there. Doesn't

sound like instrumentation to me.

Can't get this hatch to seal. Just do it.

We've been hit by a meteor. We'd be dead by now.

We're going to try to get us out of this lurch. Houston, you're in the mud. Did

you say switch to Omni Bravo?

Roger, and the signal strength on the high gate... It's biting me. What's the

story here, Jack? We keep flirting with gimbal lock.

We need a confirmation.

What's this? Do you have down?

Okay, Jim.

SMRCS, helium one.

Switch to Omni Charlie.

Houston, I'm switching over quad C to main A.

Roger that, 13.

Okay, Houston. Fuel cell one, fuel cell three. We got a main bus B under volt,

cryo pressure, suit compressor.

What don't we have?

AC bus one, AC bus two, command module computer, and O2 flow high.

I don't know. Maybe this is a caution and warning failure. Houston, we are

venting something out into space.

it's got to be the oxygen

roger

odyssey we copy your venting

Quiet down.

Quiet down.

Let's stay cool, people.

Procedures, I need another computer up in the RTCC.

I want everybody to alert your support teams.

Wake up anybody you need, get them in here.

Let's work the problem, people.

Let's not make things worse by guessing.

13, this is Houston. We are going around the room now. We're gonna get you some

answers. I tell you, if we keep venting like this, we're gonna keep hitting the

edge of that dead man.

Hey, take a look at the O2 on number one.

200 pounds and falling.

O2 tank 2, steel 0.

Tank 1, 218 psi and falling. Is that what you're getting? Confirm.

We're seeing the same, 13.

Can we review our status here, Si? Let's look at this thing from a standpoint of

status.

What have we got on the spacecraft that's good?

I'll get back to you, Gene.

We're not going to have power much longer.

This ship's bleeding to death.

Flight. Yeah, go, we come.

Flight, I recommend we shut down the reactant valves of the fuel cells.

What the hell good is that going to do?

If that's where the leak is, we can isolate it.

We can isolate it there and we can save what's left in the tank so we can run on

the good cell. You close them, you can't open them again. You can't land on the

moon with one healthy fuel cell.

Gene, the Odyssey is dying.

From my chair here, this is the last option.

Capcom, let's have them close reactant valves.

13, this is Houston.

We want you to close react valves on cells 1 and 3.

Do you copy?

Are you saying you want the whole smash?

Closing down the react valves for fuel cells shut down?

Shutting down the fuel cells. Did I hear you right?

Yeah, they heard me right.

Tell them we think that's the only way they can stop the leak.

Yeah, Jim Did

he

copy that do you copy Jim yes Houston we copy

We just

lost the moon

Hey Fredo, shut those down.

Let's see what this does.

This doesn't work.

We're not gonna have enough power left to get home.

Shit. God damn it.

Houston, O2 on one is still falling.

How long does it take to power up the LEM? Three hours by the checklist.

We don't have that much time.

Shit.

Okay, now, Jack, before the batteries completely die on us in here, let's

power down everything so we can save as much as we can for re-entry.

15 minutes of oxygen and that's it. The command module will be dead.

Okay.

Okay, guys, listen up. Here's the drill. We're moving the astronauts over to the

LEM. We've got to get some oxygen up there.

Tell me you control. I want an emergency power procedure. The essential hardware

only.

GNC Econ.

We'll be shutting down the command module at the same time. We'll have to

transfer the guidance system from one computer to the other. So I want those

numbers up and ready when our guys are in position.

Okay, we got to transfer all control data over to the LEM computer before the

command module dies. Lunar module just became a lifeboat.

Odyssey, this is Houston. We need you to power down immediately.

You're going to have to power up the LEM at the same time, so you better get

somebody over there. We already have Freddo in the LEM, Houston.

We've got serious time pressure here, Jim.

You've got to get the guidance program transferred, and you've got to do it

before you're out of power in the command module, or you're not going to

be able to navigate up there.

How much time? Can you give me a number?

Well, we're looking at less than 15 minutes of life support in the Odyssey.

We got 15 minutes, Freddo. It's worse than I thought.

Houston, beware. I've moved from the command module into the LEM.

Now, if Jack can't get that guidance computer data transferred before they go

dead in there... They won't even know which way they're pointed.

That's right.

It's a bad way to fly. I'll be in 210 if you need me. Okay.

I can't see any stones.

Man, there's a lot of debris floating around out there.

Okay, Houston, I've completed the steps on page 15. Now I'm ready to power down

the computer.

I'm going to need your gimbal angles, Jack, before you shut down the computer.

Okay, Jim.

I need this back to me before they power down. All right, all right, I got it, I

got it. Hold on.

Houston, our computer is up.

Fuel cell pumps off, O2 fans, tank two off.

Okay, Houston, check me.

I've completed these gimbal conversions, but I need a double check of the

arithmetic. Yeah, you can go, Jim.

Okay, the roll cal angle is minus two.

Lunar module roll is 355.57.

Pitch, 1678.

Correction, pitch, 167.78.

Jaw is 351.87.

Stand by, we're checking it.

Looks good, Flight.

All right.

Good here?

He's good, Andy.

Then we'll go on those numbers.

You're good. Lock him in, Freddo. Jack, turn off the IMU. Switch to FCS.

Stand by.

Truck.

It's a great day in New York, isn't it? It's Girl Watchers weather.

Oh, yeah.

I like those ingenious Girl Watchers who put on Con Edison helmets and dig

trenches in the streets.

Hey, speaking of girl watching things, do you know that our first bachelor

astronaut is on his way to the moon? Is it Swigert? Yes. Yeah.

First bachelor. He's the kind they say has a girl in every port. He has that

reputation.

I think he's sort of foolishly optimistic, though, taking nylons and

Hershey bars to the moon. I mean... Did you read the three million... What do

you say? Less viewers or fewer viewers?

Three million fewer viewers.

Three million fewer viewers watched the space shot than did the last one.

Colonel Borman is here. At ABC News, here is ABC science editor Jules

Bergman. The Apollo 13 spacecraft has lost all electrical power.

And astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Hayes, and Jack Swigert are making their way

through the tunnel to the lunar module, using it as a lifeboat, so they'll have

electrical power for their radios on the command module.

Apollo 13 is apparently also losing breathing oxygen.

Slow down.

An electrical failure. What exactly does that mean?

The emergency has ruled out any chance of a lunar landing and could endanger

the lives of the astronauts themselves.

If the LEM oxygen supply, plus whatever is left of the command module's oxygen,

can't last them until they can get back to Earth.

What do you mean there's no immediate danger? I just heard they're losing

oxygen. Can they get back? The LEM's descent rocket engine will be used in

aborting the mission and getting the astronauts safely back to Earth.

Recapping what has happened now, the Apollo 13 astronauts may be in grave

danger. No, don't give me that NASA bullshit. I want to know what's

happening with my husband.

All right, we want to switch control to the Aquarius now.

Roger that.

Houston, wait.

And you're down to about five minutes.

Whoa, the RCS isn't up yet. Houston, be aware.

Our RCS isn't up yet. We have no attitude control on Aquarius.

They don't have control?

Did we miss a step here?

Control? What the hell happened?

I don't know. We just want to ask.

I'm trying to pitch down, but we're yawning to the left.

Why can't I know this out?

It's like flying with a dead elephant on our back.

Flight guidance. We're getting awfully close to center here.

Aquarius, watch that middle gimbal. We don't want you tumbling off into space.

I'll inform Houston I'm well aware of the goddamn gimbals.

Roger that, Houston.

I don't need to hear the obvious. I got the frappin' eight ball right in front

of me. Andy, we're on Fox.

Uh, Aquarius, uh, this is Houston. We got you both on Vox. You want what? You

want us to go to Vox, Andy?

You have a hot mic.

We're reading everything you say.

Sorry, Jim.

And it's only by a very narrow margin that we're going to get Lovell, Hayes,

and Swigert back alive.

Marilyn? Very close.

Not so much delineated by the... I'm sorry, Jeffrey's calling for you. I

think by the terseness of craft and the grim lines of Jim McDivitt.

This has been a very close call, and we're not out of the woods yet, not by a

long shot.

Jeffrey?

Why are so many people here?

Oh, well, you know, your dad's flying his mission.

He said he was going to get me a moon rock.

Well... Something broke on your daddy's spaceship.

And he's gonna have to turn around before he even gets to the moon.

Is it the door?

We've had to learn how to fly all over again, but we are doing better up here

now.

Roger that, Aquarius.

Have him close it out.

Jack, we can close out your procedure now.

Now, do we know for sure that we can power this thing back up?

It's gonna get awfully cold in here.

Copy that, Jack.

We'll just have to deal with that later.

Computer off.

We're clear.

We're going to land.

We confirm shutdown, Jack.

Lunar module now in control.

Roger that, Houston.

This is Odyssey.

Signing off.

Fred, we're going to have to execute some sort of a burn here. It's a matter

of when.

Did they shut us all down in there?

Yeah.

Didn't think we'd be back in here so soon.

Houston, how far off course do you project we are? Over.

Okay, people, listen up. I want you all to forget the flight plan.

From this moment on, we are improvising a new mission.

Oh, come on. Sorry.

We'll get to do a look at that.

How do we get our people home?

They are here.

Turn around, straight back, direct abort. No, sir.

No, sir, no, sir. We get them on a free return trajectory.

It's the option with the fewest question marks for safety.

I agree with Jerry.

Use the moon's gravity, slingshot them around.

No, the LEM will not support three guys for that amount of time. It barely holds

two. I mean, we've got to do a directive work. We do an about-face, we bring the

guys right home right now. Get them back soon, absolutely.

We don't even know if the Odyssey's engine's even working, and if there's

been serious damage to this spacecraft. They blow up and they die. That is not

the answer. We're talking about time, not whether or not these guys... Come

on, I'm not going to sugarcoat this for you.

Hey, hold it.

Let's hold it down.

Hold it down, people. The only engine we've got with enough power for a

director board is the SPS on the service module.

Fort Lovell has told us it could have been damaged in an explosion, so let's

consider that engine dead.

We light that thing up, it could blow the whole works. It's just too risky.

We're not going to take that chance.

In fact, the only thing the command module is good for is re-entry, so that

leaves us with the LEM, which means free return trajectory.

Once we get the guys around the moon, we'll fire up the LEM engine, make a

long burn, pick up some speed, and get them home as quick as we can.

Gene, I'm wondering what the Grumman guys think about this.

We can't make any guarantees.

We designed the limb to land on the moon, not fire the engine out there for

course correction. Well, fortunately, we're not landing on the moon, are we?

I don't care what anything was designed to do. I care about what it can do.

So let's get to work. Let's lay it out, okay?

Captain, he says it'll be ready in time.

After this burn, we've got to build some time in the flight plan for them to get

some sleep.

Run it by the FAO.

Run it by the FAO. Do we know how long we're going to fire that PC? He

specifically wanted a quote from a flight director.

Who wanted a quote?

The president.

The president? Nixon. He wants odds.

We are not losing the crew.

Gene, I've got to give them odds.

Five to one against, three to one? I don't think they're that good. We are

not losing those men.

Control, how long are they going to have to burn the engine at PC plus two?

Look, turn them three to one.

We expect loss of signal in less than one minute. When we pick you back up, we

will have your PC plus two burn data. Okay, roger that, Houston. We'll hear

from you again at acquisition of signal.

You want to look?

Oh, look at that.

Mere tranquilitatis.

Feeling buzz as old neighborhood.

Coming up on Mount Maryland.

Jim, you gotta take a look at this.

I've seen it.

in the sun that you see stars that are more brilliant than anything you've ever

seen on the clearest nights here on earth and then uh you pass into the

lunar sunrise over the lunar surface and uh it must be an awe-inspiring sight i i

i can't wait to see it myself the problem now is not so much question of

an adequate oxygen supply but it is the rate of consumption of water which is

likely

needed for the cooling operation

Look, it's Frau Morrow.

I can see her landing site.

Wow.

Look at that Tsiolkovsky crater.

I can't believe how bright the ejected blanket is.

It's like snow.

It's beautiful.

That's Mayor Ambrium to the north.

Good to see you too, Houston.

We're picking you up at a velocity of 7,062 feet per second at a distance from

the moon of 56 nautical miles.

Stand by for your PC plus tube burn data.

Gotta tell you, I'd need you to take this baby down, though. Do some

prospecting.

Damn, they were close.

Gentlemen, what are your intentions?

I'd like to go home.

We got a burn coming up.

We're going to need a contingency if we lose calm with Houston.

Frodo, let's get an idea where we stand on the consumables.

Jack, get into the Odyssey and bag up all the water you can before it freezes

in there.

So you're telling me you can only give our guys 45 hours?

That brings them to about there.

Gentlemen, that's not acceptable.

Gene, Gene, you gotta talk about power here.

Whoa, whoa, guys, power is everything.

Power is everything.

What do you mean?

Without it, they don't talk to us, they don't correct their trajectory, they

don't turn the heat shield around.

We've got to turn everything off.

Now.

They're not going to make it to re-entry.

What do you mean, everything?

With everything on, the LEM draws 60 amps.

At that rate, in 16 hours, the batteries are dead, not 45.

And so is the crew. We've got to get them down to 12 amps.

How many?

You can't run a vacuum cleaner on 12 amps, John.

We've got to turn off the radars.

Cabin heater, instrument displays, the guidance computer, the whole smack.

Whoa, guidance computer? What if they need to do another burn? Gene, they

won't even know which way they're pointed. The more time we talk down

here, the more juice they waste up there. I've been looking at the data for

the past hour.

That's the deal? That's the deal.

Okay, John.

The minute we finish the burn, we'll power down the Lund. All right.

Now, in the meantime, we're gonna have a frozen command module up there.

In a couple days, we're gonna have to power it up, use nothing but the reentry

batteries. It's never been tried before. Hell, we've never even simulated it

before, Gene.

Well, we're gonna have to figure it out.

I want people in our simulators working reentry scenarios.

I want you guys to find every engineer who designed every switch, every

circuit, every transistor, and every light bulb that's up there. Then I want

you to talk to the guy in the assembly line who actually built the thing.

Find out how to squeeze every amp out of both of these goddamn machines.

I want this mark all the way... way back to Earth with time to spare.

We never lost an American in space. We're sure as hell not going to lose one

on my watch.

Failure is not an option.

Ken?

Ken?

What? Good,

you're not dead.

I'm trying to get in touch with you for 45 minutes.

Jesus, John, what are you doing here? I gotta get you in the simulators. We

gotta ship to land.

What? It's been an explosion.

Oxygen tanks are gone, two fuel cells gone, command module shut down.

What about the crew?

Crew's fine so far, trying to keep them alive in the limb.

We're gonna have to shut that down pretty soon, too.

We got a lot of people working the numbers on this one, Ken.

Nobody's too sure how much power we're gonna have when we hit reentry.

The command module's gonna be frozen up pretty good by then.

We see the sound meter rise over 20 at any point. Power up is no good.

We see it spikes, that's sign-on-R for the guidance computer. Our guys can't re

-enter, okay?

How much power do we have to play with?

Barely enough to run this coffee pot for nine hours. Go!

Yeah, uh, Ken Mattingly just got here. Copy.

He's here.

They've been losing heat since the accident.

They're gonna start getting a lot of water condensation on the control

panels. Ken, you know what's going on? Uh, John's brought me up to speed. What

do we have left in the batteries? We don't really know.

We gotta get started on some shortcuts for power-up. Yeah, you know how short?

Well, it's all in the sequencing, John. If we can skip whatever we don't

absolutely need and turn things on in the right order, maybe... I agree.

Start on a procedure? Well, the engineer's a try, but I mean... Sure,

sure. We gotta get you in there.

Okay.

Frank, I need the sim cold and dark. Give me the exact same conditions we've

got in there now, and I need present status of every instrument. You got it.

I need a flashlight.

That's not what they have up there. Don't give me anything they don't have

on board. Let's get this show on the road. Put them in space, fellas.

Okay, Houston, the quad heater circuit breakers are open.

Copy that. One, we're using the forward omni when the earth's in the window, and

we're switching to aft omni when we see the moon.

We copy that, 13.

Aquarius, we don't want you to make any more waste dumps. The venting may push

you off course.

Oh, Christ.

What's up?

No more waste dumps.

We're just gonna have to store it.

Jack, gonna need some more urine bags.

Okay, Houston, that leaves us with just the computer, which I'm shutting down

now.

And that's it.

We just put Sir Isaac Newton in the driver's seat.

The base is running a temperature and none of them has slept since the

explosion. I can't order these guys to go to sleep.

Did you sleep up there? It's going to get awful cold in there for those guys.

Gene, we have a situation brewing the carbon dioxide.

We had a CO2 filter problem on the lumen module.

Five filters on the limb, which were meant for two guys for a day and a half.

So I told the doctor... They're already up to eight on the gauges. Anything over

15 and you get impaired judgment, blackouts, the beginnings of brain

asphyxia. How about the scrubbers on the command module? They take square

cartridges. The ones on the limb are round.

Tell me this isn't a government operation.

It just isn't a contingency we've remotely looked at.

Those CO2 levels are going to be getting toxic.

Well, I suggest you gentlemen invent a way to put a square peg in a round hole.

Rapidly.

Okay, people, listen up.

The people upstairs handed us this one, and we got to come through.

We gotta find a way to make this fit into the hole for this

using nothing but that.

Let's get it organized. Okay, okay, let's build a filter.

Better get some coffee going, too, someone.

Hayes' family lived in El Lago, Texas.

His wife, Mary, is from Biloxi, Mississippi.

When Fred Hayes was growing up in Biloxi, he may have looked ahead to a

fine family, but he never dreamt of a fine family.

Henry, don't you ever sleep?

I have a request from the news people.

Uh-huh. They're out front here, and they want to put a transmitter up on the

lawn.

Transmitter? Kind of a tower for live broadcast.

I thought they didn't care about this mission.

They didn't even run Jim's show.

Well, it's more dramatic now. Suddenly people are... Oh, if landing on the moon

wasn't dramatic enough for them, why should not landing on it be?

Look, I, um... I realize how hard this is, Marilyn, but the whole world is

caught up in it.

No, Henry.

Those people don't put one piece of equipment on my lawn.

If they have a problem with that... They can take it up with my husband.

He'll be home on Friday.

Hey, Frodo.

It's too cold in there.

It's a nice one to marry.

You don't look too good, Frodo.

I'll survive.

There's some aspirin in the medical kit. I took some.

Jim, I'm all right.

It was an accident.

Mary getting pregnant.

You should have seen the look on my face when she told me.

Well, that has a tendency to happen.

Yeah.

Wonder if it's a boy or a girl.

You're going to find out soon enough.

Sure.

I never dreamed I'd ever get to do something like this.

Come up here on a real mission.

Most of the guys I graduated high school with never even left home.

Here I am.

Yeah.

Here you are.

It hurts when I urinate.

Well, you're not getting enough water. I'm drinking my ration the same as you.

I think old Swagger gave me the clap.

He's been pissing in my relief tube.

Well, that'll be a hot one at the debriefing for the flight station.

It's another first for America's space program.

Listen, I've been going over some stuff, and I'm a little worried about this cold

affecting our battery efficiency.

You know, we put heat in the glycol to save water and power, so that's not

helping us any. So it could cause us antivirus on the back. That's a

possibility. I've been going over the numbers again.

Have they called up with a reentry plan yet? Because we're coming in too

shallow. We're working on something, Jack. Just hold on. I can't remember the

ratio of the temperature.

We've got no references on board. Well, let's see if Houston can pull up the mil

specs on it. Listen, listen, listen. They gave us too much Delta-B. They had

us burn too long. At this rate, we're going to skip right out of the

atmosphere, and we're never going to get back.

What are you talking about?

How did you figure that?

I can add.

Got half the PhDs on the planet working on this. Houston says we're right on the

money. And what if they had made a mistake, all right, and there was no way

to reverse it? Do you think they would tell us? There's no reason for them to

tell us. What do you mean they're not going to tell us? That's bullshit. All

right, there's a thousand things that have to happen in order. We are on

number eight.

You're talking about number 692.

And in the meantime, I'm trying to tell you we're coming in too fast. I think

they know it, and I think that's why we don't have a goddamn reentry plan, all

right? That's duly noted. Thank you, Jack.

This piece of shit's gonna get you home. All right. That's because that's the

only thing we got left, Jack.

Now, what are you saying, Fred?

Well, I think you know what I'm saying.

Now, wait a minute.

All I did was stir those tanks. What was that gauge reading before you hit the

switch? Hey, don't tell me how to fly the damn CM, all right? You don't even

know, do you?

They brought me in here to do a job. They asked me to stir the damn tanks,

and I stirred the tanks. Jack, stop kicking yourself in the ass. This is not

my fault!

No one is saying it is.

If I'm in the left-hand seat, when the call comes up, I stir the tanks.

Yeah, well, tell him that. I just asked you what the gauge was reading. And you

don't know! All right, look, we're not doing this, gentlemen. We are not going

to do this. We're not going to go bouncing off the walls for ten minutes

because we're just going to end up right back here with the same problems.

Trying to figure out how to stay alive.

Aquarius, this is Houston.

Are we on Vox? No, we're not on Vox.

Yeah, Houston, this is Aquarius. Go ahead.

Yeah, Houston, we were just looking at that. Our CO2 measurement has jumped

four notches in the last hour.

That can't be right. I went over those numbers three times.

Jim, that sounds about right.

We're expecting that.

Well, that's very comforting to know. Houston, what do we do about it?

Jim, we're working on a procedure down here for you.

Do you copy?

Oh, Christ. All right, Houston, we're standing by for those procedures.

Christ, I know why my numbers are wrong.

I only figured it for two people.

Maybe I should just hold my breath.

The deadly CO2 gas is literally poisoning the astronauts with every

breath. Get it out. Heads up. Heads up.

Heads up, people. Look out now.

What's this?

That's what they gotta make.

Well, I hope you got the procedures for me. Right here.

That's it?

Affirmative, Andy.

Jack's got one right here.

Okay, we have an unusual procedure for you here. We need you to rip the cover

off. I want you to rip the cover off the flight plan.

With pleasure.

A lithium hydroxide canister. Two lithium hydroxide canisters, I'm sorry.

A roll of gray tape.

That's duct tape.

She's an LCG bag. Two LCG bags.

Red suit hoses.

Got the white plant coat.

Excuse me. Can you give me a timetable?

What about their level of carbon dioxide?

It's, uh, climbing.

You're saying that they're almost out of breathable air. No, wait a second.

That's not what he said. He said we're working.

You want to cut duct tape three feet long.

Just use your arm. It's a good arm length. Okay, Houston, I see what you're

getting at. Hold on.

Okay, Jack, tear that piece of tape down the middle lengthwise.

All right. Hold on.

While the astronauts appear to have enough oxygen to keep them alive, one

thing they have too much of is carbon dioxide.

With each breath, the three men expel more of the poisonous gas into the lunar

module cockpit, and the scrubbers intended to keep the atmosphere

breathable are quickly becoming saturated.

Shit, I tore it.

Shit.

Uh, Houston, uh, what do we do if we, uh, rip the bag? Can we tape it? They

just tore the bag.

Oh, no.

Uh, stand by.

What'd you tell them to do? Well, they should have one more back there.

But they've still got... a long way to come and they are now working on their

backup facilities, their emergency facilities, and the problem is if

anything more goes wrong, they're in real trouble.

And as most of you are aware, there is no rescue possible in space flight.

Any rescue system the space agency has long since calculated, any since, uh,

any rescue system the space agency calculated...

One sock. Once you have the sock in

place, we're gonna want you to, uh, bunch the entire filter assembly to the

bulkhead. Right above the limb can. We're getting close to 15.

So how does this flight compare to other emergency situations you've faced?

Well, I'd have to say that this is the most serious situation we've ever

encountered in manned spaceflight.

Houston, filters in place.

Suit circle relief to close.

CO2 canister select to secondary.

All right.

I can hear air moving.

Just bring normal fellas.

Where is, uh, please advise on CO2 status?

Uh, yeah, Houston, we're taking a look at those numbers right now.

Houston, the CO2 level has dropped to nine and it is still falling.

That is good to hear, Aquarius. And you, sir, are a steely-eyed missile man.

The overload is.

There's way too much power there. There must be a sneak circuit someplace

between steps seven and ten.

All right, which one has the leak?

Don't know that yet, John. If the sequence was wrong, we'd just have to go

back and try them one at a time.

You need a break, Ken?

If they don't get one, I don't get one.

Well, if it won't work, get me another one.

My son's supposed to be home.

I know, Mrs. Lovelorn. Hi, Blanche.

They can't fix a damn thing in this place.

Blanche, it's Marilyn.

Hi, Grandma.

I was going to say Jimmy.

I know, I know.

We came to tell you something.

There's been an accident.

Jimmy's okay. He's all right.

But he's not going to get to walk on the moon.

Well, they said he was.

I know. I know.

That was before.

Now there's been an explosion.

And they're all okay. They're all right.

But now they're just going to try to figure out a way to get them home.

And it's a little bit dangerous.

Are you scared?

Well, don't you worry, honey.

If they could get a washing machine to fly, my Jimmy could land it.

We contacted President Nixon, and he's going to grant you an extension on your

income taxes, since you are most decidedly out of the country.

Roger that, Houston.

That's wonderful news.

Tell them they have to sleep.

He's just running a fever of 104.

Uh, 13.

Listen, we've had another request from the flight surgeon that you fellas get

some more sleep.

he only feels about this.

I am sick and tired of the entire Western world knowing how my kidneys are

functioning.

Flight, I just lost level.

Uh, 13, this is Houston.

Uh, Jim, we just had a dropout on your biomed sensors.

I'm not wearing my biomed sensors, Houston.

Okay, Jim.

Copy that.

Flight, now I'm losing all three of them.

It's just a little medical mutiny, Doc.

I'm sure the guys are still with us.

Let's cut them some slack, okay?

Gene, it's not the velocity.

It's the angle.

I mean, maybe they're still venting something and that's throwing out the

trajectory, but we are definitely shallowing again.

We are up to a 5.9.

Damn it. At this rate, they nick the Earth's atmosphere and bounce off into

space. We need another burn to get them back in the corridor.

Fire the engines and get them on course. Copy that.

Houston, Aquarius.

Uh, Jim, we've got another course correction.

What's up?

Something about another course correction.

Uh, we copy, uh, Houston.

Uh,

be advised, it's gonna take Freddo and I a while to power up the computer for

the, uh, alignment platform.

We have to fire the engine.

Uh, negative on that, Jim.

Can't, uh, spare power for the computer.

We gotta do this blind.

Uh, Houston, without the computer, what do we use for orientation?

Sid, come on. We gotta be able to give these guys something up there.

Without power, we can't give them reading.

We're not talking about power. We're talking about references. No, no,

there's no references. We have a bunch of debris up there.

Houston, what's the story with this burn?

We're trying to hash something out down here, Aquarius.

Stand by.

Well, now look, Houston, all we need to hold attitude is one fixed point in

space.

Is that not correct?

Well, Houston, we've got one.

If we can keep the Earth in the window, flying manually, the COAS crosshairs

right on its terminator.

All I have to know is how long do we need to burn the engine?

The shorter the better.

Roger that, Jim.

Can they fly it manually and still shut it down on time without the computer?

I guess that's the best we can do, Glenn.

We're out of time.

In order to enter the atmosphere safely...

the crew must aim for a corridor just 2.5 degrees wide.

If they're too steep, they'll incinerate in the steadily thickening air. If

they're too shallow, they'll ricochet off the atmosphere like a rock skipping

off a pond.

The reentry corridor is, in fact, so narrow that if this basketball were the

Earth and this softball were the Moon and the two were placed 14 feet apart,

the crew would have to hit a target no thicker than this piece of paper.

Okay, people, on your toes. We're doing this one blind. Gene, I want you to

understand we've never tried this before. Burn, cold soak.

Burn, cold soak.

Burn, manual control.

Look, it will ignite, will it not? I just want you to know the engine's never

been tried like this. That's all I'm trying to tell you.

Look, I know what you're trying to do. I guarantee you I won't hold you

personally responsible.

If it lights, it lights.

But love will do the rest.

Okay.

This is gonna take all three of us.

Freddo, you handle the pitch, but on the translation controller.

It's all backwards, so if the earth starts drifting down, you need to thrust

aft, not forward.

I'll do the same on mine with everything else.

We're gonna burn a 10% thrust for 39 seconds. Jack, you time us?

Got it.

Give us a count of the last 10 seconds up to 39, and let's not miss this.

You up to this, Freddo?

I'm with you.

Standing by for corridor control burn.

Okay, Jim. You can fire when ready. You are go for the manual burn.

Text plus button at ten seconds.

Mark. Come on, baby.

One more burn.

Eight, seven, six, five, four.

How long does it go?

Two.

She's burning. Oh, yeah.

Pass her arm off.

Okay, here we go.

Bring it around, Freddo.

I'm trying, but it's dragging.

Ten seconds.

All right, drop it down, Freddo. Hold what you got. I'll roll it. Back off.

God, I can't get it stable.

She's dancing all over the place.

Come to the right a little bit.

Fifteen seconds.

That's mine, that's me

Houston, we have shutdown.

That's close enough, Jim.

Good work.

Knew it!

Knew it! How about that limb, huh?

How about it?

Guess you keep your job. You betcha.

13, stand by. We're evaluating our power usage on that burn.

Well, let's hope we don't have to do that again.

Gentlemen, we've given our guys enough to survive till re-entry.

Well done.

Now we got to get them in.

Tell me about the power-up procedures.

Here's the order of what I want to do.

I want to power up guidance, ECS, communications, warm up the pyros for

the parachutes and the command module thrusters.

The thrusters are going to put you over a budget on amps, Ken.

Well, they've been sitting at 200 below for four days, John. They gotta be

heated. Fine, then trade off the parachutes. Something.

Well, if the chutes don't open, what's the point?

Ken, you're telling me what you need. I'm telling you what we have to work

with at this point. I'm not making this stuff up.

They're gonna need all these systems, John.

We do not have the power, Ken.

We just don't have it.

Okay, I'm gonna go back and reorganize the sequencing again and find more

power.

Let's start from scratch.

Clear the board.

I don't know whether we're going to find it.

Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell has more time in space, almost 24 days already,

than any other man.

And I asked him recently if he ever was scared.

Oh, well, I've had an engine flame out a few times in an aircraft and was kind of

curious as to whether it was going to light up again, things of that nature.

But they seem to work out.

Is there a specific instance in an airplane emergency when you can recall

fear?

Well, I tell you, I remember this one time. I'm in a Banshee at night in

combat condition, so there's no running lights on the carrier.

It was the Shangri-La, and we were in the Sea of Japan, and my radar had

jammed, and my homing signal was gone because somebody in Japan was actually

using the same frequency, and so it was leading me away from where I was

supposed to be.

And I'm looking down at a big black ocean. So I flip on my map light, and

then suddenly, zap, everything shorts out right there in my cockpit. All my

instruments are gone, my lights are gone, and I can't even tell now what my

altitude is.

I know I'm running out of fuel, so I'm thinking about ditching in the ocean.

And I look down there, and then in the darkness, there's this green trail. It's

like a long...

carpet that's just laid out right beneath me and it was the algae right it

was that phosphorescent stuff that gets churned up in the wake of a big ship and

it was it was it was just leading me home and now if my cockpit lights hadn't

shorted out there's no way i'd have ever been able to see that so uh you uh you

never know what what events are going to transpire to get you home

okay spacecraft commander jim

level No stranger to emergency is he.

That's a good one, Fred.

I'm okay.

What the hell was that?

Let's hope it was just the burst disc.

Uh, Houston, can you confirm a burst helium disc?

Houston, is that going to affect our entry angle at all?

Negative. Your entry angle is holding at 6.24, Aquarius.

Houston, we sure could use the re-entry procedure

up here.

When can we expect that?

That's coming real soon, Aquarius.

Houston, we just can't throw this together at the last minute.

So here's what you're going to do.

You're going to get the procedure up to us, whatever it is, and we're going to

go over it step by step so there's no foul-ups.

I don't have to tell you we're all a little tired up here.

The world's getting awfully big in the window.

Jim, this is Deke.

It's Deke.

They don't know how to do it.

Maybe Jack's right.

Hello there, Deke. What's the story?

Jim, we're gonna get that power-up procedure to you. We're gonna get it as

soon as we possibly can.

Ken Mattingly's in the simulator right now.

Ken's working on it.

Look.

I know this sequence works, John. The sequence looks good. We're just over

budget on the average.

By how much?

Three or four amps.

God damn it, John. Is it three or four?

Four. Four!

We know they have some power left in the LEM batteries, right?

Yeah.

We have an umbilical that provides power from the command module to the LEM.

Right, it's backup for the LEM power supply.

I'm listening.

So, reverse it.

Reverse the flow and see if we can draw these four amps from the LEM batteries

before we cut it loose. Why can't we do that?

We don't have a procedure for that, do we? You're going to lose a lot in the

transfer, Ken. Yeah, yeah, but all we're talking about here is four amps.

I want whatever you guys got on these power procedures.

Gene, they're all ready. I don't want the whole damn Bible. Just give me a

couple chapters. We gotta get something up to these guys. They're working on it

now. I'll call over to the simulator and get an estimate. God damn it! I don't

want another estimate!

I want the procedures!

Now!

IMU is up.

Fine so far. Say again? You're under the limit. Keep going.

Okay.

Floodlights to fixed.

Okay. Bring up the guidance.

Here we go.

CMC attitude IMU.

CMC source.

CMC mode.

Ken? Go ahead.

Is your computer on now?

Up and running.

How do we look?

John?

I think we got it, buddy.

Arthur, my notes are clear on that last sequence, right?

Excuse me, gentlemen. I'm getting a little blurry there.

Good to see you, Ken.

This is the sequence.

Has it tried it on the hardware yet? We didn't have time.

Aquarius, Houston.

Yeah, we read you, Ken.

Are the flowers blooming in Houston?

Uh, that's a negative, Jim.

I don't have the measles.

Jim, is, uh, Jack in there with you?

Oh, yeah, uh, stand by one. Uh, we gotta get him on com.

I think it would really help if you could, um, just distract her

when the heavy predictions come in.

Yeah, we'll give it a shot. Thanks.

Um, Blanche?

Blanche, these nice young men are gonna watch the television with you. This is

Neil Armstrong, and this is Buzz Aldrin.

Hi.

Are you boys in the space program, too?

Okay, uh, Jack, uh, give me a read-back on that last procedure.

Uh, stand by, Ken.

Ken, I'm, uh... Well, I'm having trouble reading my own writing, I guess.

A little more tired than I thought.

Don't worry, Jack. I'll talk you through it.

Okay, find the main bus breakers on panel 11.

Yeah, main bus breakers. Got it.

Ken, there's an awful lot of condensation on these panels.

What's the word on these things shorting out?

We'll just take that one at a time, Jack.

It's like trying to drive a toaster through a car wash.

Flight, we're still shallowing up a bit in the reentry corridor.

It's almost like they're underway.

Now, how could they be underway?

We didn't land on the moon.

Rocks, that's a firm.

Uh, one more thing, Jim. While Jack's working on the power-off, we'd like you

and Freddo to transfer some ballast over the command module.

Say again, Houston?

Ballast? Uh, that's a firm.

We gotta get the weight right. We were expecting you to be toting a couple

hundred pounds of moon rocks.

Right, Houston.

Now, Jack.

Yeah, go ahead, Ken.

Okay, now, panel five, circuit breaker, caution and warning.

Main B, close.

Main B, close.

Master alarm, off.

Okay, Jack.

Panel seven, B mag number two, power to warm up. B mag number two, power to warm

up. Done.

Sequential logic one and two on.

Sequential logic.

As her husband prepares to jettison his lunar module lifeboat, Marilyn Lovell

waits with her children, her neighbors, and we are told Apollo 11 astronauts

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.

Only the Lovell's eldest son, Jay, is absent as he holds vigil with his

classmates at the St. John's Military Academy in Wisconsin.

ABC News science editor, Jules Bergman.

With a crippled command module and surviving by using the LEM systems,

there can be no easy maneuver.

And their LEM lifeboat is doing things and working longer than it was ever

intended to.

It's a race against time until splashdown.

Okay, Jack, we're ready to see if the computer will accept uplink to three

entry data now.

Okay, the IMU is up. We got our eight balls back.

Okay,

Ken, uplink to LEM entry, command module to accept, right?

That's a firm.

Go ahead and try it.

Uplink completed.

Yeah, that's more like it.

Let's go.

Take a look at your hands. How we doing?

We got her back up, Ken.

Boy, I wish you were here to see it.

I'll bet you do.

Way to go, Jack.

Flight, this is Retro.

Go, Retro.

Flight, we are looking at a typhoon warning.

Say again, Retro? Flight, we are looking at a typhoon warning on the edge of the

prime recovery area. Now, this is just a warning flight. It could miss them.

Only if their luck changes.

Jim, we're ready for SM jettison.

All right, Jack, on three.

One, two, upward thrust.

We're loose.

Reverse thrust.

There it is. I see it.

Oh.

Houston, we're getting a first look at the service module now. One whole side

of the spacecraft is missing.

Right by the high-gain antenna, a whole panel is blown out.

Right up to our heat shield.

Copy that, Aquarius.

Looks like it got the engine bell, too. Can you see that?

The heat shield.

The heat will build up to as much as 3 or 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

On a lunar entry flight, the heat approaches 4,000 degrees. So, Blanche,

Blanche, did Jim make Eagle Scout or not? Yes, he did.

He did. If the heat shield is even slightly cracked, the extreme cold could

have split it wide open.

Worst of all, if the pyrotechnics that control the parachutes have been

damaged, the chutes may not open at all.

causing the spacecraft to hit the water not at a gentle 20 miles per hour, but

at a suicidal 300.

Perhaps never in human history has the entire world been united by such a

global drama.

In New York City, thousands of people have gathered to watch updates to the

mission in Times Square.

Many countries offered help, and the State Department said it would ask for

it if it were needed.

The House and Senate passed resolutions calling on the American people to pray

tonight for the astronauts.

In Rome, Pope Paul led 50,000 people in prayers for the safe return of the

astronauts. In Jerusalem, prayers at the Wailing Wall.

It's about time to bail out of this ship, Freddo.

Freddo.

You okay?

I'm freezing.

Can you hold out just a little longer?

As long as I have to.

It's a little while longer, Freddo.

It's a little while longer.

We're gonna hit that water in the South Pacific.

Open up that hatch.

It's 80 degrees out there.

80 degrees.

You are a mess.

Hey,

let me give you a hand there, Freddo.

Everyone strapped in, Ken? We're getting real close.

Copy that. Flight 13, Houston.

We're coming up on Limb Jettison.

Stand by.

Have you got everybody in the Odyssey?

Yeah, Ken, I'm gonna check those pyro batteries one more time.

Okay, pyro bats look good. I don't think we're gonna have to tie the other

batteries.

Sorry, Jack. It's an old habit.

I'm kind of used to the pilot seat.

She's yours to fly.

Okay, Odyssey, I want to double-check some reentry procedures right after we

jettison the LEM, which is coming up in 30 seconds.

What is that?

Oh, I was getting a little punchy, and I didn't want to cut the LEM loose with

you guys still in it.

It's good thinking.

Stand by, Houston.

We have lunar module jet...

She

sure was a good ship.

Mary? It's almost time, honey.

Let me put it this way. Their trajectory may be off, their thrusters may be

frozen, their guidance system might be malfunctioning, their heat shield could

be cracked, and their parachutes might be three blocks of ice.

Clearly, we have some obstacles to overcome. Okay, well, now I'm asking

you, when will we know?

Blackout lasts for three minutes. If they're not back in four,

we'll know.

Velocity now reading 34,802 feet per second. Range to go 2,625 nautical

miles. Copy that.

Okay, Ken, we are aligned for re-entry. Jim, we're gonna need that computer re

-entry program.

Fred, how the battery's looking?

Okay.

That A looks good. Re-entry interface in one minute and 30 seconds.

No volts.

The amps are okay.

That C... Shit, no volts, only two amps.

It may die before the main chute's open.

Roger. Let's tie all the batteries on the main A and main B. Flight, they're

still shallowing a bit up there.

Do you want to tell them?

Anything we could do about it? Not now, Flight.

Then they don't need to know, do they?

Copy that.

Is the typhoon still present in the splash down there?

Yeah.

We've got the parachute situation, the heat shield, the angle of trajectory of

the typhoon. There's just so many variables, I'm a little at a loss. I

know what the problems are, Henry.

This could be the worst disaster NASA's ever experienced.

With all due respect, sir, I believe this is going to be our finest hour.

Expect entry interface in 45 seconds.

And on my mark, your velocity will be...

Gentlemen, it's been a privilege flying with you.

Glad we haven't lost the radio contact.

Roger that.

Expect to regain signal in three minutes.

Will depend on the heat shield.

The Iwo Jima and our live camera is there.

The Navy recovery and rescue helicopter is already airborne, circling, waiting

for first radar contact.

Three minutes until time of drogue deployment.

Standing by for any reports of acquisition.

One minute and 30 seconds to end of blackout.

No re-entering ship has ever taken longer than three minutes to emerge from

blackout. This is the critical moment. Will the heat shield hold?

Will the command module survive the intense heat of re-entry?

If it doesn't, there will only be silence. Mommy, you're squishing me. I'm

sorry, sweetie.

Okay, flight, that's three minutes. We are standing by for acquisition.

Copy that.

Odyssey, Houston, do you read me?

Odyssey, this is Houston. Do you read?

Expected time of reacquisition, the time when the astronauts were expected to

come out of blackout, has come and gone.

About all any of us can do now is just listen and hope.

We're about to learn whether or not that heat shield, which was... Damaged, as

you remember, by the explosion three days ago, as withstood the inferno of

reentry.

Odyssey, this is Houston.

Do you read me?

Odyssey, Houston, do you read me?

Three minutes, 30 seconds, stand by.

Odyssey, Houston, do you read me?

Honestly, this is Houston. Do you read me?

That's four minutes standing by.

Honesty, Houston, do you read?

Hello, Houston, this is Honesty.

It's good to see you again.

Odyssey Houston, welcome home.

Glad to see you.

Houston, we're at stable one. The ship is secure.

This is Apollo 13 signing off.

Good job.

Our mission was called a successful failure in that we returned safely but

never made it to the moon.

In the following months, it was determined that a damaged coil built

inside the oxygen tank sparked during our cryo stir and caused the explosion

that crippled the Odyssey.

It was a minor defect that occurred two years before I was even named the

flight's commander.

Fred Hayes was going back to the moon on Apollo 18.

But his mission was canceled because of budget cuts. He never flew in space

again.

Nor did Jack Swigert, who left the astronaut corps and was elected to

Congress from the state of Colorado.

But he died of cancer before he was able to take office.

Ken Mattingly orbited the moon as command module pilot of Apollo 16 and

flew the space shuttle, having never gotten the measles.

Gene Kranz retired as director of flight operations just not long ago.

and many other members of Mission Control have gone on to other things,

but some are still there.

And as for me, the seven extraordinary days of Apollo 13 were my last in space.

I watched other men walk on the moon and return safely, all from the confines of

Mission Control and our house in Houston.

I sometimes catch myself looking up at the moon, remembering the changes of

fortune in our long voyage.

thinking of the thousands of people who worked to bring the three of us home.

I look up at the moon and wonder, when will we be going back, and who will that

be?