Apollo 13 Quotes
NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy.
[last lines]
Jim Lovell: [narrating] Our mission was called "a successful failure," in that we returned safely but never made it to the moon. In the following months, it was determined that a damaged coil built inside the oxygen tank sparked during our cryo stir and caused the explosion that crippled the Odyssey. It was a minor defect that occured two years before I was even named the flight's commander. Fred Haise was going back to the moon on Apollo 18, but his mission was cancelled because of budget cuts; he never flew in space again. Nor did Jack Swigert, who left the astronaut corps and was elected to Congress from the state of Colorado. But he died of cancer before he was able to take office. Ken Mattingly orbited the moon as Command Module Pilot of Apollo 16, and flew the Space Shuttle, having never gotten the measles. Gene Kranz retired as Director of Flight Operations just not long ago. And many other members of Mission Control have gone on to other things, but some are still there. As for me, the seven extraordinary days of Apollo 13 were my last in space. I watched other men walk on the Moon, and return safely, all from the confines of Mission Control and our house in Houston. I sometimes catch myself looking up at the Moon, remembering the changes of fortune in our long voyage, thinking of the thousands of people who worked to bring the three of us home. I look up at the moon and wonder, when will we be going back, and who will that be?
Jim Lovell: [narrating] Our mission was called "a successful failure," in that we returned safely but never made it to the moon. In the following months, it was determined that a damaged coil built inside the oxygen tank sparked during our cryo stir and caused the explosion that crippled the Odyssey. It was a minor defect that occured two years before I was even named the flight's commander. Fred Haise was going back to the moon on Apollo 18, but his mission was cancelled because of budget cuts; he never flew in space again. Nor did Jack Swigert, who left the astronaut corps and was elected to Congress from the state of Colorado. But he died of cancer before he was able to take office. Ken Mattingly orbited the moon as Command Module Pilot of Apollo 16, and flew the Space Shuttle, having never gotten the measles. Gene Kranz retired as Director of Flight Operations just not long ago. And many other members of Mission Control have gone on to other things, but some are still there. As for me, the seven extraordinary days of Apollo 13 were my last in space. I watched other men walk on the Moon, and return safely, all from the confines of Mission Control and our house in Houston. I sometimes catch myself looking up at the Moon, remembering the changes of fortune in our long voyage, thinking of the thousands of people who worked to bring the three of us home. I look up at the moon and wonder, when will we be going back, and who will that be?
Television Reporter: Is there a specific instance in an airplane emergency when you can recall fear?
Jim Lovell: Uh well, I'll tell ya, I remember this one time - I'm in a Banshee at night in combat conditions, so there's no running lights on the carrier. It was the Shrangri-La, and we were in the Sea of Japan and my radar had jammed, and my homing signal was gone... because somebody in Japan was actually using the same frequency. And so it was - it was leading me away from where I was supposed to be. And I'm lookin' down at a big, black ocean, so I flip on my map light, and then suddenly: zap. Everything shorts out right there in my cockpit. All my instruments are gone. My lights are gone. And I can't even tell now what my altitude is. I know I'm running out of fuel, so I'm thinking about ditching in the ocean. And I, I look down there, and then in the darkness there's this uh, there's this green trail. It's like a long carpet that's just laid out right beneath me. And it was the algae, right? It was that phosphorescent stuff that gets churned up in the wake of a big ship. And it was - it was - it was leading me home. You know? If my cockpit lights hadn't shorted out, there's no way I'd ever been able to see that. So uh, you, uh, never know... what... what events are to transpire to get you home.
Jim Lovell: Uh well, I'll tell ya, I remember this one time - I'm in a Banshee at night in combat conditions, so there's no running lights on the carrier. It was the Shrangri-La, and we were in the Sea of Japan and my radar had jammed, and my homing signal was gone... because somebody in Japan was actually using the same frequency. And so it was - it was leading me away from where I was supposed to be. And I'm lookin' down at a big, black ocean, so I flip on my map light, and then suddenly: zap. Everything shorts out right there in my cockpit. All my instruments are gone. My lights are gone. And I can't even tell now what my altitude is. I know I'm running out of fuel, so I'm thinking about ditching in the ocean. And I, I look down there, and then in the darkness there's this uh, there's this green trail. It's like a long carpet that's just laid out right beneath me. And it was the algae, right? It was that phosphorescent stuff that gets churned up in the wake of a big ship. And it was - it was - it was leading me home. You know? If my cockpit lights hadn't shorted out, there's no way I'd ever been able to see that. So uh, you, uh, never know... what... what events are to transpire to get you home.
[US income tax returns are due in 2 days, but Swigert is 200,000 miles away]
Jack Swigert: Uh, well, if anyone from the, uh, from the IRS is watching, I... forgot to file my, my, my 1040 return. Um, I meant to do it today, but, uh...
Sy Liebergot: [back at Mission Control] That's no joke. They'll jump on him!
Jack Swigert: Uh, well, if anyone from the, uh, from the IRS is watching, I... forgot to file my, my, my 1040 return. Um, I meant to do it today, but, uh...
Sy Liebergot: [back at Mission Control] That's no joke. They'll jump on him!
Henry Hurt: I, uh, I have a request from the news people.
Marilyn Lovell: Uh-huh?
Henry Hurt: They're out front here. They want to put a transmitter up on the lawn.
Marilyn Lovell: Transmitter?
Henry Hurt: Kind of a tower, for live broadcast.
Marilyn Lovell: I thought they didn't care about this mission. They didn't even run Jim's show.
Henry Hurt: Well, it's more dramatic now. Suddenly people are...
Marilyn Lovell: Landing on the moon wasn't dramatic enough for them - why should NOT landing on it be?
Henry Hurt: Look, I, um, I realize how hard this is, Marilyn, but the whole world is caught up in this, it's historic-...
Marilyn Lovell: No, Henry! Those people don't put one piece of equipment on my lawn. If they have a problem with that, they can take it up with my husband. He'll be HOME... on FRIDAY!
Marilyn Lovell: Uh-huh?
Henry Hurt: They're out front here. They want to put a transmitter up on the lawn.
Marilyn Lovell: Transmitter?
Henry Hurt: Kind of a tower, for live broadcast.
Marilyn Lovell: I thought they didn't care about this mission. They didn't even run Jim's show.
Henry Hurt: Well, it's more dramatic now. Suddenly people are...
Marilyn Lovell: Landing on the moon wasn't dramatic enough for them - why should NOT landing on it be?
Henry Hurt: Look, I, um, I realize how hard this is, Marilyn, but the whole world is caught up in this, it's historic-...
Marilyn Lovell: No, Henry! Those people don't put one piece of equipment on my lawn. If they have a problem with that, they can take it up with my husband. He'll be HOME... on FRIDAY!
CAPCOM 2: 13, we just got another request from the Flight Surgeon for you to get some sleep. Don't like these readings down here.
Jim Lovell: [Tearing off his biomeds] Let's see how he likes this. I am sick and tired of the entire western world knowing how my kidneys are functioning!
Dr. Chuck: [after Lovell's heartrate flatlines] Flight, we just lost Lovell!
CAPCOM 2: 13, Houston. Jim, we just had a bottoming out on your biomeds.
Jim Lovell: I'm not wearing my biomeds.
CAPCOM 2: [after Gene Kranz shrugs it off] Ok, Jim. Copy that.
[Jack and Fred now tear away their own biomeds]
Dr. Chuck: [after all three crew members flatline] Flight, now I lost all three of them!
Gene Kranz: It's just a little medical mutiny, Doc. I'm sure the boys are still with us. Let's cut them a little slack, ok?
Jim Lovell: [Tearing off his biomeds] Let's see how he likes this. I am sick and tired of the entire western world knowing how my kidneys are functioning!
Dr. Chuck: [after Lovell's heartrate flatlines] Flight, we just lost Lovell!
CAPCOM 2: 13, Houston. Jim, we just had a bottoming out on your biomeds.
Jim Lovell: I'm not wearing my biomeds.
CAPCOM 2: [after Gene Kranz shrugs it off] Ok, Jim. Copy that.
[Jack and Fred now tear away their own biomeds]
Dr. Chuck: [after all three crew members flatline] Flight, now I lost all three of them!
Gene Kranz: It's just a little medical mutiny, Doc. I'm sure the boys are still with us. Let's cut them a little slack, ok?
Reporter: So... the number 13 doesn't bother you?
Fred Haise, Sr.: Only if it's a Friday, Phil.
Reporter: Apollo 13 - lifting off at 1300 hours and 13 minutes, and, entering the moon's gravity on April 13th.
Jim Lovell: Uh, Ken Mattingly has been doing some... scientific experiments regarding that very phenomenon, haven't you?
Ken Mattingly: Well, uh, yes, well I uh, had a black cat walk over a broken mirror under the lunar module ladder, didn't seem to be a problem.
Fred Haise, Sr.: We also consider a real helpful letter we got from a fellow who said we ought to take a pig up with us for good luck.
Fred Haise, Sr.: Only if it's a Friday, Phil.
Reporter: Apollo 13 - lifting off at 1300 hours and 13 minutes, and, entering the moon's gravity on April 13th.
Jim Lovell: Uh, Ken Mattingly has been doing some... scientific experiments regarding that very phenomenon, haven't you?
Ken Mattingly: Well, uh, yes, well I uh, had a black cat walk over a broken mirror under the lunar module ladder, didn't seem to be a problem.
Fred Haise, Sr.: We also consider a real helpful letter we got from a fellow who said we ought to take a pig up with us for good luck.
Marilyn Lovell: Jeffrey?
Jeffrey Lovell: Why are so many people here?
Marilyn Lovell: Well, you know, your dad's flying his mission.
Jeffrey Lovell: He said he was going to get me a moon rock.
Marilyn Lovell: Right. Well, something broke on your daddy's spaceship. And he's going to have to turn around before he even gets to the moon.
Jeffrey Lovell: Was it the door?
Jeffrey Lovell: Why are so many people here?
Marilyn Lovell: Well, you know, your dad's flying his mission.
Jeffrey Lovell: He said he was going to get me a moon rock.
Marilyn Lovell: Right. Well, something broke on your daddy's spaceship. And he's going to have to turn around before he even gets to the moon.
Jeffrey Lovell: Was it the door?
[after a dispute has broken out between Haise and Swigert]
Jim Lovell: All right, we're not doing this, gentlemen. We are *not* doing this. We're not going to go bouncing off the walls for ten minutes, 'cause we're just going to end up back here with the same problems! Try to figure out how to stay alive!
William 'Bill' Pogue, CAPCOM: [over communications mic] Aquarius, this is Houston.
Jim Lovell: [shouts] Are we on Vox?
Fred Haise, Sr.: No, we're not on Vox.
[Lovell turns on his mic]
Jim Lovell: [calmly] Yeah, Houston, this is Aquarius.
Jim Lovell: All right, we're not doing this, gentlemen. We are *not* doing this. We're not going to go bouncing off the walls for ten minutes, 'cause we're just going to end up back here with the same problems! Try to figure out how to stay alive!
William 'Bill' Pogue, CAPCOM: [over communications mic] Aquarius, this is Houston.
Jim Lovell: [shouts] Are we on Vox?
Fred Haise, Sr.: No, we're not on Vox.
[Lovell turns on his mic]
Jim Lovell: [calmly] Yeah, Houston, this is Aquarius.
Jack Swigert: [about to turn power back on in the capsule] Ken, there's an awful lot of condensation on these panels. What's the story of them shorting out?
Ken Mattingly: Umm... We'll just have to take that one at a time, Jack.
Jack Swigert: [to himself] Like trying to drive a toaster through a car wash.
Ken Mattingly: Umm... We'll just have to take that one at a time, Jack.
Jack Swigert: [to himself] Like trying to drive a toaster through a car wash.
Jack Swigert: [Swigert bumps his head on the ceiling of the crowded lunar module] Oww! Goddamn this piece of shit!
Fred Haise, Sr.: Hey! this piece of shit's going to get you home! That's 'cause that's the only thing we've got left, Jack.
Jack Swigert: Well, what are you saying, Fred?
Fred Haise, Sr.: Oh, I think you know what I'm saying...
Jack Swigert: Now wait a minute... all I did was stir those tanks...
Fred Haise, Sr.: What was that gauge reading before you hit the switch?
Jack Swigert: Hey, don't tell me how to fly the damned CM, all right? They brought me in here to do a job, they asked me to stir the damned tanks, and I stirred the tanks!
Fred Haise, Sr.: You didn't know what you were doing, do you?
Jim Lovell: Jack, quit kicking yourself in the ass.
Jack Swigert: This is NOT MY FAULT!
Jim Lovell: No one is saying it is. If I'm in the left-hand seat when the call comes up, *I* stir the tanks.
Jack Swigert: Yeah, well, tell *him* that.
Fred Haise, Sr.: I just asked you what the gauge was reading. AND YOU DON'T KNOW!
Jim Lovell: All right, we're not doing this, gentlemen. We are *not* going to do this. We're not going to go bouncing off the walls for ten minutes, 'cause we're just going to end up back here with the same problems! Try to figure out how to stay alive!
Fred Haise, Sr.: Hey! this piece of shit's going to get you home! That's 'cause that's the only thing we've got left, Jack.
Jack Swigert: Well, what are you saying, Fred?
Fred Haise, Sr.: Oh, I think you know what I'm saying...
Jack Swigert: Now wait a minute... all I did was stir those tanks...
Fred Haise, Sr.: What was that gauge reading before you hit the switch?
Jack Swigert: Hey, don't tell me how to fly the damned CM, all right? They brought me in here to do a job, they asked me to stir the damned tanks, and I stirred the tanks!
Fred Haise, Sr.: You didn't know what you were doing, do you?
Jim Lovell: Jack, quit kicking yourself in the ass.
Jack Swigert: This is NOT MY FAULT!
Jim Lovell: No one is saying it is. If I'm in the left-hand seat when the call comes up, *I* stir the tanks.
Jack Swigert: Yeah, well, tell *him* that.
Fred Haise, Sr.: I just asked you what the gauge was reading. AND YOU DON'T KNOW!
Jim Lovell: All right, we're not doing this, gentlemen. We are *not* going to do this. We're not going to go bouncing off the walls for ten minutes, 'cause we're just going to end up back here with the same problems! Try to figure out how to stay alive!
Sy Liebergot: Flight... I recommend we shut down reactant valves to the fuel cells.
Gene Kranz: What the hell good is that gonna do?
Sy Liebergot: If that's where the leak is, we can isolate it. We can save what's left in the tanks and we can run on the good cell.
Gene Kranz: You close 'em, you can't open 'em again! You can't land on the moon with one healthy fuel cell!
Sy Liebergot: Gene, the Odyssey is *dying*. From my chair here, this is the last option.
Gene Kranz: What the hell good is that gonna do?
Sy Liebergot: If that's where the leak is, we can isolate it. We can save what's left in the tanks and we can run on the good cell.
Gene Kranz: You close 'em, you can't open 'em again! You can't land on the moon with one healthy fuel cell!
Sy Liebergot: Gene, the Odyssey is *dying*. From my chair here, this is the last option.
[Lovell and Haise are trying to get control of the lunar module]
Jim Lovell: We're all out of whack. We try to pitch down but we yaw to the left. Why can't I null this out?
Fred Haise, Sr.: She wasn't designed to fly attached like this. Our center of gravity is the command module.
Jim Lovell: It's like flying with a dead elephant on our back.
Jim Lovell: We're all out of whack. We try to pitch down but we yaw to the left. Why can't I null this out?
Fred Haise, Sr.: She wasn't designed to fly attached like this. Our center of gravity is the command module.
Jim Lovell: It's like flying with a dead elephant on our back.
R.E.T.R.O. White: Flight, we are looking at a typhoon warning on the edge of the prime recovery zone.
Gene Kranz: Say again, RETRO?
R.E.T.R.O. White: Flight, we are looking at a typhoon warning on the edge of the prime recovery zone. Now, this is just a warning, it could miss them...
Gene Kranz: Yeah, only if their luck changes.
Gene Kranz: Say again, RETRO?
R.E.T.R.O. White: Flight, we are looking at a typhoon warning on the edge of the prime recovery zone. Now, this is just a warning, it could miss them...
Gene Kranz: Yeah, only if their luck changes.
Fred Haise: It hurts when I urinate.
Jim Lovell: Well, you're not getting enough water.
Fred Haise: No, I'm drinkin' my rations, same as you... I think old Swigert gave me the clap. Been pissin' in my relief tube.
Jim Lovell: Well, that'd be a hot one at the debriefing for the flight surgeons... Another first for America's spacemen.
Jim Lovell: Well, you're not getting enough water.
Fred Haise: No, I'm drinkin' my rations, same as you... I think old Swigert gave me the clap. Been pissin' in my relief tube.
Jim Lovell: Well, that'd be a hot one at the debriefing for the flight surgeons... Another first for America's spacemen.
Gene Kranz: Come on, I want whatever you guys got on the power-up procedures. We've got to get something up to these guys.
Deke Slayton: Gene, they're working on it.
Gene Kranz: I don't want the want the whole damn bible, just give me a couple of chapters. We've got to give these guys something.
Deke Slayton: They're working on it now.
NASA engineer: I'll get over there and get an estimate.
Gene Kranz: Goddamnit! I don't want another estimate! I want the procedure! Now!
Deke Slayton: Gene, they're working on it.
Gene Kranz: I don't want the want the whole damn bible, just give me a couple of chapters. We've got to give these guys something.
Deke Slayton: They're working on it now.
NASA engineer: I'll get over there and get an estimate.
Gene Kranz: Goddamnit! I don't want another estimate! I want the procedure! Now!
Ken Mattingly: [after another power-up simulation fails] I know this sequence works, John.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: The sequence looks good, we're just over budget on the amperage.
Ken Mattingly: By how much?
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Three or four amps.
Ken Mattingly: Goddamn it, John! Is it three or four?
John Young: Four.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Four!
Ken Mattingly: [sighs] Four more amps...
[He ponders for a moment]
Ken Mattingly: We know they have some power left in the LEM batteries, right?
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Yeah.
Ken Mattingly: We have an umbilical that provides power from the Command Module to the LEM.
John Young: Right. It's a backup for the LEM power supply.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: I'm listening.
Ken Mattingly: So, reverse it. Reverse the flow and see if we can draw these four amps from the LEM batteries before we cut it loose. Why can't we do that?
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: [Looks at John] We don't have a procedure for that, do we?
John Young: You're gonna lose a lot in the transfer, Ken.
Ken Mattingly: Yeah, yeah. But all we're talking about here is four amps.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: The sequence looks good, we're just over budget on the amperage.
Ken Mattingly: By how much?
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Three or four amps.
Ken Mattingly: Goddamn it, John! Is it three or four?
John Young: Four.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Four!
Ken Mattingly: [sighs] Four more amps...
[He ponders for a moment]
Ken Mattingly: We know they have some power left in the LEM batteries, right?
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Yeah.
Ken Mattingly: We have an umbilical that provides power from the Command Module to the LEM.
John Young: Right. It's a backup for the LEM power supply.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: I'm listening.
Ken Mattingly: So, reverse it. Reverse the flow and see if we can draw these four amps from the LEM batteries before we cut it loose. Why can't we do that?
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: [Looks at John] We don't have a procedure for that, do we?
John Young: You're gonna lose a lot in the transfer, Ken.
Ken Mattingly: Yeah, yeah. But all we're talking about here is four amps.
Ken Mattingly: Uh, one more thing, Jim. While Jack is working on the power-up, we'd like you and Freddo to transfer some ballast over to the command module.
Jim Lovell: Say again, Houston? Ballast?
Ken Mattingly: That's affirm. We want to get the weight right, we were expecting you to be toting a couple hundred pounds of moon rocks.
Jim Lovell: [flatly] Right, Houston...
Jim Lovell: Say again, Houston? Ballast?
Ken Mattingly: That's affirm. We want to get the weight right, we were expecting you to be toting a couple hundred pounds of moon rocks.
Jim Lovell: [flatly] Right, Houston...
Jeffrey Lovell: Dad, did you know the astronauts in the fire?
Jim Lovell: [pause] Yeah, I knew them. Knew all of them.
Jeffrey Lovell: Could that happen again?
Jim Lovell: Well, I'll tell you something about that fire, a lot of things went wrong. The door, called the hatch? They couldn't get it open when they needed to get out, that was one thing. Well, a lot of things went wrong.
Jeffrey Lovell: Did they fix it?
Jim Lovell: Oh, absolutely, they fixed it. It's not a problem anymore.
Jim Lovell: [pause] Yeah, I knew them. Knew all of them.
Jeffrey Lovell: Could that happen again?
Jim Lovell: Well, I'll tell you something about that fire, a lot of things went wrong. The door, called the hatch? They couldn't get it open when they needed to get out, that was one thing. Well, a lot of things went wrong.
Jeffrey Lovell: Did they fix it?
Jim Lovell: Oh, absolutely, they fixed it. It's not a problem anymore.
Ken Mattingly: Here's the order of what I want to do. I want to power up Guidance, E.C.S., Communications, warm up the pyros for the parachutes and the command module thrusters.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: The thrusters are gonna put you over budget on amps, Ken.
Ken Mattingly: Well, they've been sitting at two hundred below for four days, John. They've got to be heated.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Fine. Then trade off the parachutes, something.
Ken Mattingly: Well, if the chutes don't open, then what's the point?
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Ken, you're telling me what you need. I'm telling you what we have to work with at this point.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: The thrusters are gonna put you over budget on amps, Ken.
Ken Mattingly: Well, they've been sitting at two hundred below for four days, John. They've got to be heated.
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Fine. Then trade off the parachutes, something.
Ken Mattingly: Well, if the chutes don't open, then what's the point?
John Aaron, EECOM Arthur: Ken, you're telling me what you need. I'm telling you what we have to work with at this point.
Marilyn Lovell: [Barbara has locked herself in her room] Barbara!
[Knocks on the door]
Marilyn Lovell: Barbara, we're going to hear your father's broadcast!
Barbara Lovell: No! I'm never coming out! I hate Paul! None of us are ever going to play another one of their records again!
Susan Lovell: She's still going on about the stupid Beatles breaking up?
Barbara Lovell: They're not stupid, *you're* stupid!
[Knocks on the door]
Marilyn Lovell: Barbara, we're going to hear your father's broadcast!
Barbara Lovell: No! I'm never coming out! I hate Paul! None of us are ever going to play another one of their records again!
Susan Lovell: She's still going on about the stupid Beatles breaking up?
Barbara Lovell: They're not stupid, *you're* stupid!
Gene Kranz: Gentlemen, at this moment, I want you all to forget the flight plan. From this moment on, we are improvising a new mission: How do we get our people home?
[Goes to the chalkboard, draws a big circle representing Earth, another smaller circle representing the moon, then draws a line from the Earth to just short of the moon]
Gene Kranz: They are here. Do we turn them around, straight back, direct abort?
[NASA controllers instantly start arguing]
Jerry Bostick - FIDO White: No, sir! No, sir! We get them on a free-return trajectory. It's the option with the fewest question marks for safety.
Gene Kranz: I agree with Jerry. We use the moon's gravity, slingshot them around.
R.E.T.R.O. White: No, the LEM will not support three guys for that amount of time. I mean, we've got to do a direct abort. We do an about-face, we bring the guys right home, right now.
Booster White: Get them back soon, absolutely.
Jerry Bostick - FIDO White: Look, we don't even know if the Odyssey's engine's even working. If there's been serious damage to this spacecraft...
GUIDO White: They blow up and they die!
R.E.T.R.O. White: That is not the argument! We're talking about time!
[Controllers argue again]
Gene Kranz: Okay, hold it. Let's hold it down. The only engine we got with enough power for a direct abort is the SPS on the service module. From what Lovell has told us, that could have been damaged in an explosion, so let's consider that engine dead. We light that thing up, it could blow the whole works. It's just too risky. We're not going to take that chance. About the only thing the command module is good for is reentry, so that leaves us with the LEM, which means free-return trajectory. Once we get the guys around the moon, we'll fire the LEM engine, make a long burn, pick up some speed, and get them home as quickly as we can.
[Goes to the chalkboard, draws a big circle representing Earth, another smaller circle representing the moon, then draws a line from the Earth to just short of the moon]
Gene Kranz: They are here. Do we turn them around, straight back, direct abort?
[NASA controllers instantly start arguing]
Jerry Bostick - FIDO White: No, sir! No, sir! We get them on a free-return trajectory. It's the option with the fewest question marks for safety.
Gene Kranz: I agree with Jerry. We use the moon's gravity, slingshot them around.
R.E.T.R.O. White: No, the LEM will not support three guys for that amount of time. I mean, we've got to do a direct abort. We do an about-face, we bring the guys right home, right now.
Booster White: Get them back soon, absolutely.
Jerry Bostick - FIDO White: Look, we don't even know if the Odyssey's engine's even working. If there's been serious damage to this spacecraft...
GUIDO White: They blow up and they die!
R.E.T.R.O. White: That is not the argument! We're talking about time!
[Controllers argue again]
Gene Kranz: Okay, hold it. Let's hold it down. The only engine we got with enough power for a direct abort is the SPS on the service module. From what Lovell has told us, that could have been damaged in an explosion, so let's consider that engine dead. We light that thing up, it could blow the whole works. It's just too risky. We're not going to take that chance. About the only thing the command module is good for is reentry, so that leaves us with the LEM, which means free-return trajectory. Once we get the guys around the moon, we'll fire the LEM engine, make a long burn, pick up some speed, and get them home as quickly as we can.
William 'Bill' Pogue, CAPCOM: Aquarius, watch that middle gimbal. We don't want you tumbling off into space.
Jim Lovell: Freddo, inform Houston I'm well aware of the God-damned gimbals!
Fred Haise, Sr.: [calmly] Roger that, Houston.
Jim Lovell: I don't need to hear the obvious, I've got the frappin' 8-ball right in front of me!
INCO White: Hey, we're on VOX.
William 'Bill' Pogue, CAPCOM: Aquarius, this is Houston. We've got you both on VOX.
Fred Haise, Sr.: You want what, you want us to go to VOX?
William 'Bill' Pogue, CAPCOM: You have a hot mic, we're reading everything you say.
Fred Haise, Sr.: [sheepish] Sorry, Jim.
[Fred switches the microphones to push-to-talk]
Jim Lovell: Freddo, inform Houston I'm well aware of the God-damned gimbals!
Fred Haise, Sr.: [calmly] Roger that, Houston.
Jim Lovell: I don't need to hear the obvious, I've got the frappin' 8-ball right in front of me!
INCO White: Hey, we're on VOX.
William 'Bill' Pogue, CAPCOM: Aquarius, this is Houston. We've got you both on VOX.
Fred Haise, Sr.: You want what, you want us to go to VOX?
William 'Bill' Pogue, CAPCOM: You have a hot mic, we're reading everything you say.
Fred Haise, Sr.: [sheepish] Sorry, Jim.
[Fred switches the microphones to push-to-talk]
Marilyn Lovell: [Jim is standing outside, looking up at the moon, covering and uncovering it with his thumb. Marilyn comes out with a garbage bag] You're drunk, Lovell.
Jim Lovell: Yeah, I'm not used to the champagne.
Marilyn Lovell: Me neither...
[She picks at a few glasses on a table, then drops the bag in exasperation]
Marilyn Lovell: I can't deal with cleaning up, let's sell the house.
Jim Lovell: All right, we'll sell the house.
[Still looking up at the moon]
Jim Lovell: They're back inside now. Looking up at us. Isn't that something?
Marilyn Lovell: [Settles into a lawn chair] I'll bet Jenny Armstrong doesn't get a wink of sleep tonight. When you were on the far side on 8, I didn't sleep at all. I just vacuumed over and over again.
Jim Lovell: Yeah, I'm not used to the champagne.
Marilyn Lovell: Me neither...
[She picks at a few glasses on a table, then drops the bag in exasperation]
Marilyn Lovell: I can't deal with cleaning up, let's sell the house.
Jim Lovell: All right, we'll sell the house.
[Still looking up at the moon]
Jim Lovell: They're back inside now. Looking up at us. Isn't that something?
Marilyn Lovell: [Settles into a lawn chair] I'll bet Jenny Armstrong doesn't get a wink of sleep tonight. When you were on the far side on 8, I didn't sleep at all. I just vacuumed over and over again.
Jerry Bostick - FIDO White: Looks like Mrs. Kranz pulled out the ol' needle and thread again...
Technician: Last one looked like he bought it off a gypsy.
Jerry Bostick - FIDO White: Well I guess you can't argue with tradition.
Technician: [Gene puts on a flight vest with an Apollo 13 patch on it, everyone begins applauding] Hey Gene, I guess we can go now!
Gene Kranz: Save it for splashdown fellas...
Technician: Last one looked like he bought it off a gypsy.
Jerry Bostick - FIDO White: Well I guess you can't argue with tradition.
Technician: [Gene puts on a flight vest with an Apollo 13 patch on it, everyone begins applauding] Hey Gene, I guess we can go now!
Gene Kranz: Save it for splashdown fellas...
Jack Swigert: I've been going over the numbers again. Have they called up with a re-entry plan yet? 'Cause we're coming in too shallow, we're coming in too damn fast.
Jim Lovell: We're working on something, Jack, just hold on.
Jack Swigert: Listen, listen, they gave us too much delta vee, they had us burn too long. At this rate, we're going to skip right out of the atmosphere and we're never going to get home.
Fred Haise, Sr.: What are you talking about? How'd you figure that?
Jack Swigert: I can add.
Jim Lovell: Jack, they've got half the Ph.D.'s on the planet working on it.
Fred Haise, Sr.: Houston says we're right on the money.
Jack Swigert: And what if they had made a mistake, all right? And there was no way to reverse it, you think they would tell us? There's no reason for them to tell us!
Fred Haise, Sr.: What do you mean they're not going to tell us? That's bullshit!
Jim Lovell: All right, there's a thousand things that have to happen in order. We are on number eight. You're talking about number six hundred and ninety-two.
Jack Swigert: And in the meantime, I'm trying to tell you we're coming in too fast. I think they know it, and I think that's why we don't have a God-damned reentry plan.
Jim Lovell: That's duly noted, thank you Jack.
Jim Lovell: We're working on something, Jack, just hold on.
Jack Swigert: Listen, listen, they gave us too much delta vee, they had us burn too long. At this rate, we're going to skip right out of the atmosphere and we're never going to get home.
Fred Haise, Sr.: What are you talking about? How'd you figure that?
Jack Swigert: I can add.
Jim Lovell: Jack, they've got half the Ph.D.'s on the planet working on it.
Fred Haise, Sr.: Houston says we're right on the money.
Jack Swigert: And what if they had made a mistake, all right? And there was no way to reverse it, you think they would tell us? There's no reason for them to tell us!
Fred Haise, Sr.: What do you mean they're not going to tell us? That's bullshit!
Jim Lovell: All right, there's a thousand things that have to happen in order. We are on number eight. You're talking about number six hundred and ninety-two.
Jack Swigert: And in the meantime, I'm trying to tell you we're coming in too fast. I think they know it, and I think that's why we don't have a God-damned reentry plan.
Jim Lovell: That's duly noted, thank you Jack.
