Apollo 13 | Slingshot | 2

Against The Odds

Wondery

Cassie De Pecol, History, Society & Culture, Dolby, Mike Corey, Dolby Atmos, Atmos

4.7 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 July 2023

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

After an explosion cripples the Apollo 13 spacecraft, NASA’s Mission Control in Houston scrambles to come up with a plan to save the crew. Step one involves stabilizing Apollo 13 to preserve as much precious air, water, and power as possible. Step two involves figuring out a flight plan to get the three astronauts back home as soon as possible.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	One, two, three.
0:07.0	Electrical engineer Seymour Liebergott,
0:10.5	unfurls a massive circuit diagram across his console inside NASA's Mission Control Room.
0:17.0	It shows everything he's in charge of.
0:20.0	The inner workings of Apollo 13's life support systems, and right now,
0:25.0	most of those systems are failing.
0:28.0	It's close to 9.30pm on April 13th, 1970,
0:33.0	about 15 minutes since the astronauts reported hearing a loud bang.
0:38.0	Now, two of Apollo 13's three fuel cells are dead.
0:43.0	Even worse, the oxygen supply for the astronauts is dropping fast.
0:49.0	Liebergott runs his fingers along the unfurled paper, searching desperately for a solution.
0:56.0	In his headset, he hears the gruff voice of his boss, chief flight director Jean Cranes.
1:03.0	Seymour, the crew keeps asking what to do.
1:06.0	What do we tell them?
1:07.0	I'm working on it. Just one more minute.
1:10.0	But Liebergott isn't sure another minute will help.
1:13.0	The whole situation seems surreal.
1:16.0	This is NASA. Things don't fail at NASA, but they are failing.
1:23.0	After more agonizing minutes, he responds to Cranes.
1:27.0	Jean, let's have them start powering down non-essential systems.
1:31.0	They can use their checklists.
1:33.0	Cranes relays the orders.
	...

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