NASA's Finest Hour | 13 Factors That Saved Apollo 13 - Part 2 | Free Documentary History

Free Documentary - History・2 minutes read

Apollo 13 faced a life-threatening crisis in space due to a malfunction, shifting the mission focus to survival and safe return to Earth using innovative solutions and procedures despite various challenges. The crew overcame obstacles such as carbon dioxide buildup, power supply issues, and spacecraft damage to execute a flawless re-entry, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and problem-solving in space exploration.

Insights

  • NASA's Apollo 13 mission faced a life-threatening crisis due to a malfunction, shifting the focus from lunar exploration to crew survival, showcasing the agency's dedication to ensuring astronaut safety above all else.
  • Innovative solutions, such as adapting lithium hydroxide canisters and creating makeshift adapters, were crucial in reducing carbon dioxide levels in the lunar module, highlighting the astronauts' resourcefulness and NASA's ability to overcome unexpected challenges in space missions.

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Recent questions

  • What was the significance of Apollo 13?

    Apollo 13 faced a life-threatening crisis when a malfunction caused oxygen leakage, shifting the mission focus to crew survival rather than lunar exploration. NASA worked tirelessly to bring the crew back safely to Earth, utilizing emergency procedures and adaptations to overcome challenges like carbon dioxide buildup and power supply issues.

  • How did NASA address carbon dioxide buildup in Apollo 13?

    NASA engineers quickly adapted command module canisters for use in the lunar module to prevent carbon dioxide poisoning. A makeshift adapter was created using spacesuit hoses, plastic bags, cardboard, and duct tape to connect the canisters, successfully reducing carbon dioxide levels in the lunar module.

  • What challenges did the crew face during Apollo 13's return?

    The crew had to perform precision burns to correct the spacecraft's trajectory for re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Despite challenges with power supply and the lack of a heat shield on the lunar module, the astronauts flawlessly executed the burn maneuver, ensuring a safe return to Earth.

  • How did NASA ensure crew comfort during Apollo 13?

    NASA established passive thermal control to stabilize temperature in the spacecraft, evenly distributing the sun's heat to maintain equipment and crew warmth. This was crucial for addressing challenges like carbon dioxide buildup and ensuring the crew's mental faculties remained sharp.

  • What lessons were learned from Apollo 13?

    Lessons from Apollo 13, such as insulation improvements in the command module to prevent short circuits, led to advancements in spacecraft safety. The mission highlighted the importance of adaptability, emergency procedures, and meticulous planning to overcome unforeseen challenges in space exploration.

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Summary

00:00

Apollo 13: Crisis and Survival in Space

  • Apollo 11 successfully landed on the moon on July 20th, 1969, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first men to set foot on the moon.
  • Four months later, Apollo 12 landed on the lunar surface with astronauts Peter Conrad and Albin walking on the moon on November 19, 1969.
  • In April 1970, NASA launched Apollo 13, but 56 hours into the mission, a malfunction left the spacecraft leaking oxygen, putting the crew of three astronauts in a life-threatening crisis.
  • The mission priority of Apollo 13 shifted to survival rather than lunar exploration, with NASA working tirelessly to bring the crew back safely to Earth.
  • A ruptured oxygen tank led to emergency procedures, requiring the crew to transfer to the lunar module, acting as a lifeboat due to its independent systems.
  • The lunar module's descent engine was used to put the spacecraft on a return trajectory back to Earth, with the crew needing to manually align the spacecraft without stars due to debris.
  • NASA reconfigured the lunar module to sustain three men for over 90 hours, utilizing wet pack food for water and electrolytes, crucial for mental faculties.
  • The crew completed a critical burn to return to Earth, choosing a safer four-minute burn to preserve fuel for potential course corrections.
  • Passive thermal control was initiated to evenly distribute the sun's heat on the spacecraft, crucial for maintaining equipment and crew warmth.
  • Mission control successfully established passive thermal control, rotating the spacecraft to stabilize temperature and ensure crew comfort, while also addressing the challenge of carbon dioxide buildup.

18:36

"Adapting Canisters Saves Astronauts from Death"

  • Carbon dioxide buildup in the space capsule can be lethal, causing drowsiness and eventual death.
  • Apollo spacecraft have a scrubbing system using lithium hydroxide to remove carbon dioxide from the air.
  • The lunar module faced a carbon dioxide overload due to carrying more crew for a longer duration.
  • Different shapes of lithium hydroxide canisters in the command and lunar modules prevented easy swapping.
  • NASA engineers had to quickly adapt command module canisters for use in the lunar module to prevent carbon dioxide poisoning.
  • An adapter was created using spacesuit hoses, plastic bags, cardboard, and duct tape to connect the canisters.
  • The makeshift adapter successfully reduced carbon dioxide levels in the lunar module.
  • The crew had to perform a precision burn to correct the spacecraft's trajectory for re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.
  • A backup procedure using the Earth's terminator and COAS was employed to align the spacecraft for the burn.
  • The three astronauts executed the burn maneuver flawlessly, ensuring a safe re-entry despite challenges with power supply.

36:11

Apollo 13: Re-entry Challenges and Solutions

  • The lunar module lacked a heat shield, leading to its abandonment before re-entry.
  • The service module was jettisoned, revealing extensive damage to the spacecraft.
  • A new procedure was developed to power up the command module from scratch due to freezing temperatures.
  • Lessons from the Apollo 1 fire led to insulation improvements in the command module, preventing short circuits.
  • An oxygen tank failure caused a fire, leading to a review board investigation post-Apollo 13.
  • Concerns arose about the integrity of the command module's heat shield for re-entry.
  • The crew successfully powered up the command module, returning safely to Earth after abandoning the lunar module.
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