Apollo 13 Research Paper Essay Example

hours into the flight, an explosion crippled the Command Module, which occurred 59 seconds after Jack Swigert was instructed to stir the oxygen tanks. When the master alarm went off, the crew realized they were in danger (NASA). Apollo 13 started tumbling and crashing through space as the crew desperately tried to regain control. A few minutes later, Commander Jim Lovell saw that oxygen was venting into space through window 1 on the command module (Kluger).

The ship's battery was depleting quickly, leading Fred Haise and Jack Swigert to acknowledge the problem. In addition, mission control decided that going to the moon was no longer feasible and instructed the crew to power down the Odyssey in order to save energy for re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Consequently, the crew transitioned from the Command Module Odyssey to the Lunar Module Aquarius, which was designed for temporary use and could only accommodate two astronauts (Cole).

Due to the events that occurred, Aquarius was now transporting three individuals, which affected the air quality that the astronauts were breathing in. To combat the excess carbon dioxide, the astronauts had to improvise and create a filter using items found on board Apollo 13 (NASA). Fortunately, this filter successfully prevented any further increases in carbon dioxide. As the crew approached closer to Earth, they jettisoned the service module. This action involved releasing both the Lunar and Service Module, leaving them in the Odyssey as they prepared to return home (Kluger). During the re-entry process, the spacecraft experienced a blackout period.

During this period of time, all communication via radio with mission control was lost (Cole). Apollo 13 managed to

regain the signal for a duration of thirty-three seconds longer than the usual four minutes, and each crew member survived. The incidents that took place aboard Apollo 13 resulted in substantial modifications to the space program. A group was appointed to thoroughly investigate the reason behind the accident that led to the crew's mission being aborted (Kluger). It was concluded that a damaged coil was responsible for the explosion. This flaw had been identified two years before the spacecraft even departed from Earth. NASA devised an emergency plan for circumstances like what Apollo 13 endured.

According to NASA, the review board ensured the safe return of Apollo missions fourteen to eighteen homes. Crewmembers Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise from Apollo 13 taught valuable lessons to numerous missions that followed. Despite its challenges, the Apollo 13 mission left behind several legacies that allowed future missions to avoid similar mistakes. Before Apollo 13, America's main goal in reaching the moon was to surpass Russia; however, after achieving this goal successfully, the nation no longer felt compelled to go back.

After witnessing the ordeal of Apollo 13, people's perception of flying to the moon changed. It no longer seemed routine or as unexciting as a trip to Pittsburgh (Cole). Despite not reaching their intended destination, the crew's safe return made the mission famously known as the successful failure. Subsequently, astronauts successfully landed on and returned from the moon without any complications. Countless individuals collaborated and faced diverse challenges to ensure the Apollo 13 crew's safe return. Lovell poignantly expressed his curiosity about when we will go back to the moon and who will embark

on that journey (Lovell).