April 14, 1970
NASA Has A Plan
In the early morning of April 14, NASA officials conducted a press conference to brief the nation on the situation with the Apollo 13 mission.
The spokesman said “at the moment we consider the situation under control and relatively safe. We believe we have sufficient power and oxygen between the two modules to bring the men back.”
They said they’re focus is on the safe return of the astronauts.
Apollo 13 Editorial Cartoon by Lew Harsh from April 14, 1970. Times-Tribune Archives
“The lunar module would serve as a sort of lifeboat for the crew of Apollo 13” said mission control spokesman Terry White.
Mission control had Fred Haise and James Lovell climb into the lunar module, Aquarius, and turn on the power. John Swigert remained in the crippled command module, Odyssey.
The power from the lunar module will provide backup electricity for the ride home.
Later in the day, NASA released more information on how the astronauts will be getting home.
With using the lunar module as the power source, they are looking at a superfast return.
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- The Scranton Times – April 14, 1970
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- The Tribune – April 14, 1970
At 9:40 p.m., the astronauts will increase the ship’s speed and perform flight maneuvers that will have the ship splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near New Zealand on Friday, April 17.
NASA officials added that the ship has a water supply of 75 hours and an oxygen supply of 125 hours.
Asked by the press if the astronauts will make it back, Old Forge native and one of the mission controllers Glynn Lunney said “Yes, barley.”
Related Material –
Apollo 13 In Real Time – a website that uses data, images, sound and video to recreate the mission – https://apolloinrealtime.org/13/
Apollo 13 video collection – collection of videos dealing with the mission – https://archive.org/details/jsc-pao-video-collection?and[]=Apollo+13+Resource+Reel&sin=&sort=-publicdate
Houston We Have A Podcast – a collection of Apollo related podcasts from the Johnson Space Center – https://www.nasa.gov/johnson/HWHAP/apollo50th
Apollo 13 Images of the Moon in 4k – https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13537
Old Forge Native looks back on mission control job during moon landing – Caitlin Heaney West – July 15, 2019
To The Moon and Chappaquiddick – Episode One of the Historically Hip podcast featuring Brian Fulton and Caitlin Heaney West – July 11, 2019
Brian Fulton has been the librarian at The Times-Tribune for the past 15 years. On his blog, Historically Hip, he writes about the great concerts, plays/musicals and celebrity happenings that have taken place throughout NEPA. He is also the co-host of the local history podcast, Historically Hip. He competed and was crowned grand champion on an episode of NPR quiz show “Ask Me Another.” Contact: bfulton@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9140; or @TTPagesPast
