Mystery of Apollo 13 Mission | Lost in Space | Dhruv Rathee

Summary

The Apollo 13 mission, launched on April 11, 1970, aimed to land on the moon but faced a critical in-flight failure when an oxygen tank exploded. Stranded 400,000 km from Earth, the three astronauts, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert, along with ground control, had to improvise to survive. Using the lunar module as a lifeboat and creating a makeshift carbon dioxide filter, they safely returned to Earth, marking a historic rescue mission that highlighted the importance of teamwork, leadership, and innovation.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The Apollo 13 mission was launched on April 11, 1970, aiming to land on the moon, marking the third NASA mission to attempt a moon landing.
• 🌕 The mission occurred shortly after the historic first moon landing by Neil Armstrong, with the astronauts being highly confident due to the success of the previous missions.
• 💥 A critical explosion occurred when the spacecraft was approximately 330,000 km from Earth, causing an oxygen tank to burst and another to leak, severely compromising the mission.
• 🛰️ The astronauts and mission control had to quickly adapt to the emergency, with the primary goal shifting from moon landing to ensuring the safe return of the crew.
• 🌍 The failure of the mission led to Apollo 13 setting a record for the farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans, at 400,000 km away.
• 🔥 The explosion was traced back to a damaged oxygen tank that had been dropped and not properly inspected, leading to overheating and a spark that caused the blast.
• 🌑 The lunar module was repurposed as a 'lifeboat' to support the astronauts during their long journey back to Earth, despite being designed for a shorter duration and different purpose.
• 🔧 A critical issue of rising carbon dioxide levels was addressed through innovative thinking and the creation of a makeshift air filter using available materials on board.
• 🚨 The mission highlighted the importance of teamwork, leadership, and out-of-the-box thinking in overcoming unexpected challenges and ensuring the survival of the crew.
• 🎬 The Apollo 13 mission, despite its failure to land on the moon, is remembered for its dramatic rescue and has been the subject of books and films, showcasing the bravery and resourcefulness of the astronauts.

Q & A

When was the Apollo 13 mission launched?

The Apollo 13 mission was launched on 11th April 1970.

How many astronauts were on board Apollo 13?

There were three astronauts on board Apollo 13: Commander Jim Lovell, Lunar Module pilot Fred Haise, and Command Module pilot Jack Swigert.

What was the cause of the explosion on Apollo 13?

The explosion on Apollo 13 was caused by a damaged oxygen tank that had been subjected to extreme temperatures during a pre-flight test, which led to a spark and the subsequent explosion.

What was the primary mission objective of Apollo 13?

The primary mission objective of Apollo 13 was scientific exploration of the moon, including inspecting and surveying the moon's soil and developing human capability to work in the moon's environment.

How far from Earth did Apollo 13 travel at its furthest point?

At its furthest point, Apollo 13 was 400,000 km away from Earth, setting a record for the farthest distance traveled by humans from Earth.

What was the role of the lunar module during the Apollo 13 mission after the explosion?

After the explosion, the lunar module was used as a lifeboat to support the astronauts for an extended period, providing them with a place to live and engines to help guide them back to Earth.

What was the makeshift solution created to deal with the high concentration of carbon dioxide in the lunar module?

The astronauts and mission control created a makeshift solution using plastic bags, cardboard, suit hoses, and duct tape to adapt the square lithium hydroxide canisters from the command module to fit the circular ports in the lunar module.

How did the Apollo 13 mission impact future NASA missions?

The Apollo 13 mission led to the adoption of many safety measures by NASA to prevent similar accidents. It also marked a turning point in the history of space travel, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, leadership, and innovative problem-solving.

What was the condition of the oxygen tanks on Apollo 13 that contributed to the explosion?

One of the oxygen tanks on Apollo 13 had been damaged during a repair process and was not properly inspected. It was subjected to extreme temperatures that damaged the insulation of the electrical wires, leading to a spark and the explosion.

How did the public's perception of the Apollo 13 mission change after the explosion?

Initially, the public's interest in the Apollo 13 mission was low, with television networks not broadcasting the mission. However, after the explosion, the mission became headline news, and the world watched with bated breath as the astronauts and NASA worked to bring them home safely.

What was the final outcome of the Apollo 13 mission?

Despite the mission's failure to land on the moon, all three astronauts survived and returned to Earth safely. The mission is remembered for its historical rescue efforts and the bravery of the astronauts.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Launch and Early Mission of Apollo 13

The script begins with the launch of Apollo 13 on April 11, 1970, from Kennedy Space Center. It was the third mission aimed at landing humans on the moon, and the astronauts were optimistic due to the success of the previous missions. However, disaster struck when an oxygen tank exploded, and another started leaking, causing the spacecraft to veer off course. The astronauts communicated the emergency to Houston, and it became clear that the mission would not proceed as planned. The narrative also touches on the historical context of the space race during the Cold War and the public's waning interest in moon missions after the successful Apollo 11 landing.

05:01

🛰️ Apollo 13's Spacecraft and Crew

This paragraph delves into the design of Apollo 13's spacecraft, which consisted of four main components: the Command Module, Service Module, Lunar Module, and Launch Escape System. It explains the roles of each component and how they were intended to function during the mission. The paragraph also introduces the three astronauts aboard: Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert, who were not the originally planned crew but were assigned due to unforeseen circumstances. The narrative captures the excitement and anticipation of the launch, which was witnessed by a significantly smaller crowd compared to previous missions, reflecting the declining public interest in space travel.

10:03

💥 Explosion and Crisis Management

The third paragraph describes the explosion that occurred in the service module of Apollo 13, which led to a critical situation as the oxygen tanks were compromised. It details the initial disbelief at Mission Control and the subsequent realization of the severity of the situation. The astronauts were faced with the challenge of finding a way back to Earth, and the decision was made to use the lunar module as a lifeboat. The paragraph also discusses the various options considered for the return journey and the measures taken to conserve resources, including shutting down non-essential systems and the astronauts' struggle to survive with limited supplies.

15:04

🌌 Lunar Module as Lifeboat and Carbon Dioxide Crisis

This section narrates how the lunar module was repurposed as a lifeboat for the astronauts, who had to endure a longer return journey due to the spacecraft's damaged state. It highlights the challenges of ensuring sufficient oxygen and managing the rising carbon dioxide levels within the spacecraft. The ground team and astronauts collaborated to devise an innovative solution using available materials to create a makeshift device that could filter the carbon dioxide, preventing a life-threatening buildup. The paragraph underscores the importance of teamwork, quick thinking, and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.

20:05

🌍 Safe Return and Legacy of Apollo 13

The final paragraph recounts the tense moments as Apollo 13 re-entered Earth's atmosphere and the communication blackout that followed. It describes the successful recovery of the astronauts and the safe splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. The narrative reflects on the mission's impact on space exploration, the adoption of new safety measures by NASA, and the subsequent success of other Apollo missions. It also mentions the end of the Apollo program and invites viewers to explore further in another video about the reasons behind the cessation of moon missions.

Keywords

💡Apollo 13

Apollo 13 was the seventh crewed mission in the United States Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The mission, which took place in April 1970, is known for its aborted lunar landing due to an explosion that damaged the spacecraft's service module. The astronauts on board, James A. Lovell, John L. Swigert, and Fred W. Haise, were forced to abort the landing and instead focused on returning safely to Earth. The script describes the mission's challenges, including the explosion and the subsequent efforts to ensure the astronauts' survival, highlighting the bravery and resourcefulness of the crew.

💡Kennedy Space Center

The Kennedy Space Center is a launch headquarters operated by NASA, located on the east coast of Florida. It is the primary launch site for crewed space missions and has been used for every United States human space flight since 1968. In the context of the video, the Kennedy Space Center is mentioned as the launch site for the Apollo 13 mission, emphasizing its role in the history of space exploration and the pivotal moment when the mission began.

💡Mission Control

Mission Control is the facility at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, responsible for the指挥 and management of crewed space missions. It is the central hub where flight controllers monitor the spacecraft and communicate with astronauts during missions. In the video script, Mission Control is depicted as the ground-based team that communicates with the Apollo 13 astronauts, providing critical support and guidance during the crisis, showcasing the importance of teamwork and communication in space missions.

💡Service Module

The Service Module is a component of the Apollo spacecraft that housed the main rocket engine, fuel, and supplies for the Command and Service Module (CSM). It was essential for propulsion and life support during space travel. In the video, the Service Module is highlighted as the location of the explosion that jeopardized the Apollo 13 mission, illustrating the critical role this module played in the spacecraft's systems and the mission's outcome.

💡Lunar Module

The Lunar Module was designed to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon's surface and back. It consisted of two parts: the descent stage, which remained on the Moon, and the ascent stage, which returned the astronauts to the Command Module. In the script, the Lunar Module becomes a lifeboat for the Apollo 13 astronauts, as they use it to survive the return journey to Earth, demonstrating its versatility and the ingenuity of NASA's engineers.

💡Command Module

The Command Module, also known as the CM, was the living quarters for the astronauts during the Apollo missions and the only part of the spacecraft designed to return to Earth. It contained the astronauts' seats, controls, and systems necessary for re-entry. In the video, the Command Module is crucial for the astronauts' survival, as they return to it for re-entry into Earth's atmosphere after the Lunar Module served as a lifeboat, highlighting its importance in ensuring the crew's safe return.

💡Launch Escape System (LES)

The Launch Escape System was a component of the Apollo spacecraft designed to quickly separate the Command Module from the rest of the rocket in case of a launch emergency. It was equipped with a solid-fueled rocket motor to carry the Command Module away from the launch vehicle. In the script, the LES is mentioned as a safety feature that was fortunately not needed for Apollo 13, emphasizing the various safety measures in place for space missions.

💡Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Carbon Dioxide is a byproduct of human respiration and can be dangerous in high concentrations. In the context of the video, the buildup of CO2 in the spacecraft due to the failure of the lithium hydroxide canisters is a critical issue. The astronauts and ground control had to devise a makeshift solution to filter the CO2, which was a significant challenge during the Apollo 13 mission and a testament to the crew's resourcefulness under pressure.

💡Saturn V Rocket

The Saturn V was the most powerful rocket ever built, used by NASA's Apollo program to send astronauts to the Moon. It was composed of three stages and stood taller than any other rocket in the world. In the video, the Saturn V is the vehicle that launched Apollo 13, emphasizing its role in the history of space exploration and the scale of the mission.

💡Space Race

The Space Race was a 20th-century competition between the United States and the Soviet Union for dominance in spaceflight capabilities. It was driven by political and technological ambitions during the Cold War. The video script mentions the Space Race as the backdrop for the Apollo program, including Apollo 13, highlighting the geopolitical context that spurred the mission and the urgency to demonstrate technological prowess.

💡John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, known for his role in initiating the Apollo program with a goal to land a man on the Moon by the end of the 1960s. His promise, mentioned in the script, was a driving force behind the Apollo missions, including Apollo 13, and symbolizes the political will and vision that propelled the United States into space exploration.

Highlights

Apollo 13 launched on 11th April 1970, aiming for the moon with three astronauts on board.

This was the third NASA mission to send humans to the moon, following the success of Apollo 11.

Astronauts were highly confident due to the success of the previous missions.

A loud bang was heard when the spacecraft was about 330,000 km away from Earth, indicating a serious problem.

One oxygen tank burst, and another was leaking, posing a significant threat to the mission.

The spacecraft had shifted significantly off course due to the blast.

Apollo 13 set a record for the farthest distance from Earth traveled by humans.

The primary concern became whether the astronauts could return to Earth alive.

Carbon dioxide levels in the module were rising, threatening the crew's survival.

President John F. Kennedy's promise to land a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s was fulfilled by Apollo 11 and 12.

Public and government interest in space spending decreased after Kennedy's promise was fulfilled.

The Apollo 13 mission was crucial for NASA to prove the continued value of space exploration.

The spacecraft's design consisted of four main components: Command module, Service module, Lunar module, and Launch Escape System.

The crew had to use the Lunar Module as a lifeboat after the explosion, which was not originally designed for this purpose.

A critical issue was the shortage of lithium hydroxide canisters to remove carbon dioxide, requiring an improvised solution.

The astronauts had to conserve resources, including limiting water intake to a mere 200 ml per day.

The spacecraft successfully returned to Earth, with the command module entering the atmosphere and landing in the Pacific Ocean.

The Apollo 13 mission, despite its failure to land on the moon, is remembered for its historical rescue and the bravery of the astronauts.

NASA implemented new safety measures following the investigation of the Apollo 13 incident.

Transcripts

Hello, friends!

On 11th April 1970,

a rocket launched for the Apollo 13 mission from Kennedy Space Center in America.

Three astronauts were on it,

going to the moon.

But the interesting thing was that

not even a year had passed since the day

when Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon for the first time.

This was already the third NASA mission

to send humans to the moon.

Seeing the success of the last two missions,

the astronauts in this rocket were very confident about their mission

and their dream.

Their dream was to set foot on the moon.

But at that time, they were unaware that

their dream would never come true.

In April 1970,

when their spacecraft was about 330,000 km away from the Earth,

they heard a loud bang, suddenly.

A huge bang that shook the entire spacecraft.

Within a few seconds, the warning lights and alarms start going on.

Loudly.

It was found that one of the oxygen tanks had burst.

And the other oxygen tank was leaking rapidly.

"Okay Houston, we've had a problem here."

"This is Houston, say again, please."

"Houston, we have a problem."

The mission control on the ground couldn't believe it.

They believed that the instruments were malfunctioning.

But the astronauts in the spacecraft could see through the window

that the air was leaking.

On the other hand, they see that because of the blast,

the spacecraft had shifted from its path so much that

it was going kilometres away from the Earth every second.

Within a few hours, the astronauts in Apollo 13

were so far away from the Earth that

it became a new record.

To date, no human has gone so far from the Earth

as these three astronauts did

during the Apollo 13 mission.

Forget landing on the moon,

the question back then was

whether they could return to Earth alive.

This is the distressing story of Apollo 13.

"Carbon dioxide levels in the module are rising.

"The crew were beginning to suffer.

It was a dire state.

It was a really, really emergency situation."

In 1961, American President John F. Kennedy

promised the world that

before the end of the decade,

he would have humans on the moon.

"...achieving the goal,

before this decade is out,

of landing a man on the moon,

and returning him safely to the Earth."

This promise should be seen in the context of the Cold War.

At that time, America and the Soviet Union were engaged in a race.

A space race.

Who will be the leader in the field of technology?

In 1969,

both Apollo 11 and Apollo 12 missions were successful.

Astronauts did not only step on the moon

but also safely returned to Earth.

Kennedy's promise was fulfilled.

But it had a side effect:

right after it, the people's and government's interest

in spending money on space

decreased drastically.

It's obvious that people were excited

to see a man step on the moon for the first time.

But people cannot be so excited for the second, third, and fourth time.

"The interest in the moon is fading fast.

People believed that Apollo 13

would just be another routine flight."

For this reason, the American government cut NASA's budget.

And many future missions that were planned for the new few years,

like Apollo 20, were cancelled.

That's why the Apollo 13 mission

came at a crucial time in the history of space travel.

NASA had to prove to the American government that

it was still worth spending money on space.

That's why the primary mission objective of Apollo 13 was

not only to inspect and survey the moon's soil

but to also develop the human capability

to work in the moon's environment.

"The main mission objective of Apollo 13

is scientific exploration of the moon.

We hope to find out a lot about the origin of the moon

and from that the origin of our own planet Earth."

The design of Apollo 13's spacecraft

was similar to that of the previous space missions.

Mainly, there were four main components

Command module, service module,

lunar module, and launch escape system.

The spacecraft was launched on a Saturn V rocket.

All three astronauts were seated in the command module,

which was the main part of the spacecraft.

But it was a small part.

The command module is just this cone shape

which is only 11 feet long

and has a diameter of 13 feet.

All the instrument panels, navigation gear,

radios, life support system,

and small engines were all in this command module.

The second most important part was the service module,

which had most of the oxygen for the astronauts.

It had some more engines too

and fuel cells to generate electricity.

The command and service module is often

collectively called the command and service module

or CSM in short form.

They are connected during the entire mission

until the astronauts return to Earth.

And only during the re-entry to Earth

are they separated from each other.

The third part was the lunar module,

which was actually supposed to land on the moon.

And once the work on moon was over,

it was supposed to get attached to the CSM module once again.

The fourth part, the Launch Escape System,

was not so important for the mission.

Its only task was to protect the astronauts from an accident during the launch.

It works like this.

If there's an accident during the rocket launch,

and the rocket catches fire,

it safely ejects the astronauts

and takes them away from the accident.

You can see in this video,

where this abort system was being tested.

But if everything goes well in the launch,

then the LES is not needed

and it is ejected and thrown away.

On 11th April 1970,

since Apollo 13 launched safely and successfully

the LES was not needed.

3 astronauts were on the spacecraft.

Commander Jim Lovell,

the pilot of the Lunar Module, Fred Haise,

and the third, pilot of the Command Module, Jack Swigert.

Coincidentally, according to the original plan,

none of these three were chosen for this mission.

Originally, three different astronauts were chosen for this mission.

But they all had different problems because of which

they were not able to participate in this mission.

For this reason, the crew of these three astronauts takes off from the Earth.

To see this rocket launch

there were around 200,000 spectators on the ground.

This was a small number

compared to the Apollo 11 lift-off the previous year.

That had 7 million spectators for the rocket launch.

NASA again realized

how quickly people lost their interest in space exploration.

But if we talk about the mission,

this spacecraft took off smoothly towards its destination.

It was supposed to take 3 days for them to reach the Fra Mauro crater of the moon.

This is a big hole on the moon's surface.

A crater.

Which is believed to contain a lot of information

not only about the moon but also about the Earth.

The biggest problem during the first 2 days of the flight was when

astronaut Jack Swigert realized that

he had forgotten to file his income tax return.

He asked the mission control on Earth

whether he could get an extension.

He got a good-humoured reply that

that he could get a 60-day extension.

This conversation proves that

everything was going right.

During the first two days, there were no problems in the mission.

At 46 hours 43 minutes of the mission,

the capsule communicator on duty at that time said that

the spacecraft was in a good shape

and that they were bored sitting there.

"This is Apollo Control at 46 hours, 43 minutes."

"Spacecraft is in real good shape as far as we're concerned, Jim.

We're bored to tears down here."

Things were going so smoothly that

people were getting bored.

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Now let's get back to the topic.

The third day of the mission,

13th April,

the crew is told that

they have to do some tests on the lunar module.

And apart from this,

they have to do a broadcast for the television.

Where they will use the cameras

to show the interiors of the command module and service module to the world.

Now the audience's interest in this was so low that

no television network showed this broadcast at that time.

Commander Lovell's wife

went to the VIP section of the mission control to watch this broadcast.

About 6 and a half minutes after the end of the TV broadcast,

the flight controllers on the ground

asked astronaut Swigert

to check the oxygen level.

There was nothing unusual in this.

It was just a routine check of the oxygen tanks in the service module.

And while this check was being done,

suddenly, a huge explosion occurred.

Many warning lights and alarms went off.

As I told you at the beginning of the video,

the astronauts in the spacecraft were largely in shock.

Commander Lovell contacted Mission Control and said,

"Houston, we've have had a problem."

It turned out that one tank of oxygen was completely empty

and the oxygen level in the other tank was going down rapidly.

Mission Control on the ground first thought that

the instruments must be showing the wrong data,

but that was the truth.

Everyone needed to take action urgently

if they wanted to save the lives of these astronauts.

The TV channels that had called this mission boring

and were not showing it on the news

made this the news headlines suddenly.

"Apollo 13 to the moon

is in serious jeopardy this morning.

And it is not going to make a moon landing."

The oxygen tanks in the spacecraft

were sphere-shaped.

In these, oxygen was stored in liquid form.

There was a heater at the center

which converted the liquid oxygen into gas.

On Apollo 13, there were two such tanks in the service module.

The tank number 2

was originally installed in Apollo 10

but was removed from there for modification.

And a minor accident happened with it.

It accidentally fell down during repair

and was damaged.

The tube inside it was damaged

but no one saw it during the inspection.

While testing it,

people noticed that the tank

would not be completely empty.

To get rid of the remaining oxygen,

heaters were used to boil it completely.

Later, it was found that the thermometer inside it

could show a maximum temperature of 30°C.

But when the heater was used to heat the oxygen in the tank,

the temperature would reach as high as 538°C.

No one noticed this extreme heating

because it did not register in the thermometer.

Due to this extreme heating,

the insulation of the electrical wires in the tank were damaged.

Before the mission, NASA's managers and engineers

had approved the tank after a thorough investigation

but they were unable to see the internal damage.

And because of this,

during the Apollo 13 mission

during the routine check of the tank on the third day

due to those electric wires,

there was a spark and the tank explodes.

It was only by chance that the tank was attached to the exterior of the spacecraft.

Had it been attached inside the spacecraft and exploded there

then all the astronauts would have been k!lled instantly.

But because it was on the outside,

the explosion occurred outside.

And only a 13-foot panel was damaged in the service module.

What else was damaged in the spacecraft?

The astronauts were not so sure.

Now everyone had to make an important decision.

Which way could they take to return to Earth?

The fastest way to return to Earth was to

rotate the spacecraft.

But to do this,

the main engine of the service module had to be started.

The main engine was located near the blast in the CSM module.

No one knew whether the engine was damaged or not.

The second way to return to Earth was to

go towards the moon

and circle around the moon

to return to the Earth.

For this, the engine of the service module would not be required.

But the risk was that

it would take 4-5 days to return to Earth.

Did the astronauts have enough oxygen and water left?

NASA's flight director chose the second option.

To take the long way back.

The astronauts were told to shut down the CSM module immediately.

And while returning,

they were told to use the lunar module as a lifeboat.

Though this decision was a safe option, it did have several problems.

The lunar module was designed in such a way that

only two astronauts could sit in it

for about 20 hours.

Because as I told you,

its original purpose was to land on the moon

and get attached to the CSM module again.

But now, it was expected that

these three people would sit in the lunar module

for 4-5 days.

The engines of the lunar module were not designed in a way that

they could be fired repeatedly.

To a large extent, this was also a risky manoeuvre.

To conserve supplies and energy,

the astronauts were told to shut down all non-essential systems in the spacecraft,

including the heaters that were installed.

It was very important to save electricity.

As per this plan, the astronauts sat in the Lunar Module

and for the first time, the engines of the Lunar Module were fired.

When an engine is started, it is called a Burn.

So, they do the first Burn

to get on the new path.

With the help of this burn,

they reached the other side of the moon.

The far side of the moon.

They became the first humans in the world

to go so far from the Earth.

And this record remains unbeatable even now.

At their furthest point, they were 400,000 km away from the Earth.

If they stayed on this path,

they could reach the Earth about 153 hours after launch.

But this time margin was very risky.

If they reached Earth after so long,

then only 1 hour of surplus food, water and oxygen would remain for the astronauts.

NASA team on the ground believed that this margin is very narrow.

That's why the astronauts were told to

burn the lunar module engine for the second time.

The engineers in the mission control had done many calculations

to find out whether the lunar module engine

will be able to handle the second burn or not.

These calculations proved correct

when the second burn is done,

the flight time of 153 hours

was reduced to 143 hours.

An 11-hour long margin of survival.

Before the astronauts could relax,

another problem arose.

The high concentration of carbon dioxide.

In spaceships, apart from oxygen tanks,

there are canisters of lithium hydroxide to remove carbon dioxide.

When astronauts breathe in oxygen,

they breathe out carbon dioxide.

If that carbon dioxide is not removed,

it will result in a large amount of carbon dioxide which can be problematic.

That is why canisters of lithium hydroxide are used

so that carbon dioxide reacts with it

and becomes lithium carbonate.

But the problem here was that

the canisters of lithium hydroxide in the lunar module

were enough for only two people to survive for 2 days.

But here, there were 3 people

who wanted to survive for 4 days.

The good thing here was that

there were some canisters in the command module too.

But their filter was square

and the ones in lunar module had a circular shape.

The experts on the ground had 24 hours to solve this problem.

Astronauts from the spacecraft communicated to tell them

about all things present around them.

Plastic bags, cardboard, some suit hoses, some duct tape,

They wanted to create something that could be the solution to this problem.

After a few hours of experimenting,

they make a contraption to make this work.

After giving step-by-step instructions,

a new device was created with the things present there,

with which the level of carbon dioxide decreases again.

Commander Lovell in his book Lost Moon states that

"the contraption wasn't very handsome, but it worked."

The thing they made looked like this.

In this entire rescue mission, even the smallest details were taken care of.

Astronauts were instructed

not to drink more than 200 ml of water in a day.

Because if they drink more water,

they will need to ur!nate.

And in this way, the quantity of their ur!ne

could change the direction of the spaceship.

That's why they needed to survive by drinking so little water.

These 3 astronauts lost 14 kgs of weight in total.

Astronaut Haise gets a urinary tract infection.

After 4 days, when Apollo 13's spacecraft reaches Earth,

astronauts realize that they need to burn once more.

In their calculations,

they hadn't taken into account the cooling vapour present in the spacecraft.

This caused the spacecraft to wander off the track.

Commander Lovell carried out another burn of the lunar module

which brings the spacecraft back on track.

Thankfully, the spacecraft could withstand the third burn too.

Even though this lunar module was designed to withstand only one burn.

The whole world was holding their breaths and watching the news channels.

And were waiting for the astronauts to return to Earth.

The family members and friends of the astronauts

were watching this play out on TV together.

Now the biggest question was

when this broken spacecraft enters the Earth's atmosphere

will the spacecraft be about to sustain the heat impact?

Will the astronauts be able to survive?

For this part, the astronauts had to return to the command module

because only the command module was made for re-entry on the Earth.

As soon as the command module entered the Earth's atmosphere

there was a communication blackout.

This was normal because

due to ionization of the air,

the radio waves get blocked

and communication cannot be done

between the NASA employees present on the ground

and the astronauts in the spacecraft.

Usually, this communication blackout is for 2 to 3 minutes.

It was expected that the communication blackout here

would be for a maximum of 3 minutes.

3 minutes were over,

but there was no answer from the other side.

10 seconds pass.

30 seconds.

60 seconds.

Even after 4 minutes,

there was no communication from the spacecraft.

Could the astronauts survive or not?

4 minutes and 27 seconds later,

finally, communication was received from the other side.

The people watching it on television could finally breathe again.

All three astronauts survived.

The parachute was deployed in the command module

and it slowly fell into the Pacific Ocean.

"Teamwork was necessary.

Good leadership.

Initiative to think outside of the box.

When things go wrong,

how do we repair them?

Those are the three things

that were absolutely necessary."

The three astronauts return home safe and sound.

Although this mission failed,

none of the three astronauts set foot on the moon.

But still, this Apollo 13 mission

made its mark on the pages of history.

Showing this historical rescue mission of the Apollo 13

and the bravery of the astronauts.

Several books are written on it

and films are made.

After the investigation of this incident,

many safety measures are adopted by NASA.

So that there could be no such accidents in future missions.

After Apollo 13,

Apollo 14, Apollo 15,

Apollo 16, and Apollo 17

all these missions were successful.

On 7th December 1972,

Apollo 17 was the last mission

by NASA under the Apollo program.

The astronauts in this mission spent 3 days on the surface of the moon.

And this was the last time till today

when humans went to the moon.

What is the reason behind this?

You will get the answer to this question in my Apollo 11 video.

In that video, I discussed Neil Armstrong's mission.

You can click here to watch it.

Thank you very much!