Counting Down to Apollo

One American's account of watching humanity reach the Moon

Tag: aquarius

They’re Home
Apollo 13 April 17, 1970

They’re Home

Apollo 13 splashed down in the Pacific today. Three parachutes. Three men alive. Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise are home. When the parachutes deployed and the capsule hit the water, Betty cried. I wasn't far behind. Six days of this. They made it.
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Day Three — Cold and Dark
Apollo 13 April 15, 1970

Day Three — Cold and Dark

The temperature inside Apollo 13 is down to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. The crew cannot sleep properly. They're dehydrated — rationing water. They're running on fumes and determination and the people at Mission Control who will not give up on them. One more day.
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Day Two — The Lifeboat
Apollo 13 April 14, 1970

Day Two — The Lifeboat

The crew of Apollo 13 has moved into the Lunar Module Aquarius. It's a lifeboat. Designed for two men, two days. Three men, four days. Mission Control is rewriting every procedure in real time. I called in sick to work. I cannot leave the radio.
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