Apollo 13: The Incredible Story of Survival in Space

This is the gripping tale of the Apollo 13 mission, a journey to the moon that turned into a fight for survival. Launched with high hopes, the mission faced a catastrophic explosion just two days in, leaving the astronauts stranded millions of miles from Earth. It's a story of human resilience against impossible odds.

The Dream of the Moon

In 1961, US President John F. Kennedy made a bold promise: to land a man on the moon before the decade was out. This was part of the larger Space Race against the Soviet Union, a competition to see who would lead in technology. Following the successes of Apollo 11 and 12, where astronauts not only landed on the moon but also returned safely, the public's initial excitement began to wane. This led to budget cuts for NASA and the cancellation of future missions, making Apollo 13 a critical mission to prove the value of space exploration.

The primary goals for Apollo 13 were not just to survey the moon's surface but also to test human capabilities in the lunar environment. The spacecraft itself was similar to previous missions, consisting of four main parts: the Command Module (CM), the Service Module (SM), the Lunar Module (LM), and the Launch Escape System. The astronauts were housed in the Command Module, the main living and control area. The Service Module contained most of the oxygen and fuel cells. The Lunar Module was designed to land on the moon and then rendezvous with the Command Module. The Launch Escape System was a safety feature to pull the astronauts away from the rocket in case of an emergency during launch.

Disaster Strikes

On April 13, 1970, about 210,000 miles from Earth, disaster struck. An oxygen tank in the Service Module exploded. Warning lights and alarms blared throughout the spacecraft. An oxygen tank had ruptured, and the second tank was rapidly losing air. Mission Control initially suspected instrument failure, but the astronauts confirmed they could see air leaking from the spacecraft. The explosion had also knocked the spacecraft off course, pushing it further away from Earth with every passing second. The Apollo 13 astronauts were now further from Earth than any human had ever been, and the question wasn't about landing on the moon, but whether they could return home alive.

Key Takeaways

• A faulty oxygen tank, damaged during a previous mission's testing, was the cause of the explosion.
• The astronauts had to use the Lunar Module as a lifeboat, a vehicle not designed for such an extended mission with three people.
• Ingenious problem-solving by both the astronauts and Mission Control was key to their survival.

The Fight for Survival

NASA's flight directors faced a difficult decision: how to get the astronauts back. The fastest route involved using the Service Module's main engine, but its location was too close to the explosion site, making its condition unknown. The alternative was to loop around the moon and return, a slower path that would take four to five days. This option was chosen, but it meant the astronauts would have to rely on the Lunar Module as a lifeboat for an extended period. The LM was designed for two astronauts for about 20 hours, not three for several days.

To conserve power and resources, the astronauts were instructed to shut down all non-essential systems, including heaters. They had to ration water strictly, with each astronaut allowed only 200 milliliters per day to avoid needing to urinate, which could affect the spacecraft's trajectory. The astronauts lost a significant amount of weight, and one even developed a urinary tract infection.

Ingenuity and Resilience

Several critical challenges arose. The first was a course correction burn using the Lunar Module's engine. The astronauts successfully completed this, swinging around the far side of the moon and setting a course for Earth. This marked the first time humans had travelled so far from Earth. However, their calculated return time was too long, leaving them with insufficient oxygen and supplies. Another burn was needed to shorten the flight time. Engineers on the ground worked tirelessly to calculate if the LM's engine could handle this extra stress, and thankfully, it could.

Another major hurdle was the buildup of carbon dioxide. The LM had CO2 scrubbers designed for two people, but three astronauts were breathing inside. The Command Module had different-shaped scrubbers. Mission Control engineers devised a way to connect the two using plastic bags, cardboard, and duct tape – a makeshift CO2 removal system. The astronauts, following instructions from Earth, built this device, which ultimately saved their lives.

The Return

As Apollo 13 approached Earth, the astronauts had to transfer back to the Command Module from the Lunar Module. The Command Module, battered and with limited power, was their only hope for atmospheric re-entry. During re-entry, a communication blackout is normal due to the ionization of the air. However, this blackout lasted longer than expected, causing immense anxiety on Earth. After what felt like an eternity, communication was re-established. The Command Module, with its parachutes deployed, splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean.

Although the mission failed to land on the moon, the Apollo 13 incident became a legendary tale of human ingenuity, courage, and the will to survive. It led to significant improvements in NASA's safety protocols for future missions. The subsequent Apollo missions, 14 through 17, were all successful, with Apollo 17 in December 1972 being the last time humans walked on the moon.