Friday, April 13, 2012

Unlucky Apollo 13

April 17, 1970 - The crew of Apollo 13 has their first and only opportunity to directly survey the explosive damage to the Service Module before re-entering Earth's atmosphere. Without the Lunar Module drafted into service as a tenuous lifeboat following the oxygen tank explosion the crew would have perished. The damage sustained "It’s worth noting," writes Amy Shira Teitel, "NASA has never since launched, nor does it plan to launch, another mission designated ’13.’ AS13-59-8500 [NASA/JSC].
Amy Shira Teitel
Vintage Space

When Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970, the world wasn’t all that excited. Going to the Moon had become routine; the Vietnam war and Paul McCartney leaving the Beatles were bigger stories in America. The one aspect of the mission that did have people talking was its numeric designation: 13. Man’s greatest scientific endeavor was about to go head to head with one of its most enduring superstitions. 

Read my full article on Discovery News, HERE.

No comments: