Space Rocket History

As If there were not enough problems, Houston still had not completed the command module power up checklist.

From beneath the Lunar Modules floor there was a thud, then a hiss, then another thump that vibrated through the cabin.

Swigert counted down five, four, three, two, one.” Lovell pressed the big red engine button set in the bulkhead and once again felt the vibration below his feet. “Ignition,” Lovell said to his crew-mates.

In the White House, President Nixon was very concerned for the Apollo 13 crew. Since Apollo 8’s successful lunar orbit, just one month before his inauguration, Nixon had developed a fascination with moon flight and a special admiration for the … Continue reading →

At the manned spacecraft center in Houston, Don Arabian was in Building 45 when battery number two in Aquarius’ descent stage exploded.

There was now cause for optimism in Mission Control. At the TELMU station, where the Lunar Module’s environmental signs were being continually monitored, the readings of the carbon dioxide concentrations aboard Aquarius were steadily dropping all day long.

Mariner 4’s primary objective was to conduct closeup scientific observations of Mars and to transmit these observations to Earth. Additional goals included performing field and particle measurements in interplanetary space, and providing experience and knowledge of engineering capabilities for interplanetary … Continue reading →

In a healthy spacecraft, the CO2 meter should climb no higher than 2 or 3 millimeters of mercury. When it rose above 7, the crew was instructed to change their lithium hydroxide canisters. If it was allowed to rise above … Continue reading →

In the satellite room of the carrier Iwo Jima, the communications man sat back and removed his headset. He knew, that Apollo 13 was in fact coming their way.

Lovell’s disappointment with Kranz’s decision to not run another star check was quickly becoming academic since the time to conduct it was running out anyway.

“They’re all coming out,” Swigert said, straining for a glimpse through Lovell’s window.  “You said it,” Lovell said. “There’s Nunki, there’s Antares. We may have enough here for that confidence check.” 

According to the profiles Bill Peters and his electrical specialists calculated, it was possible to power the LEM with just 12 amps. Under normal conditions it needed about 55 amps of current to run.

“The first burn, Griffin explained, would be a long one. Pushing the descent throttle all the way to the full position, Lovell would leave it there for more than six minutes before shutting the engine down. This maneuver, which for … Continue reading →

Electricity was in short supply. A fully functioning, up-and running LEM required about 55 amps of current to operate.

Lovell toggled the “master arm” switch to On and glanced around to see if everything else was in order. Guidance control was set to “Primary Guidance”; thrust control was on “Auto”; engine gimbals were enabled; the propellant quantity, temperature, and … Continue reading →

Aquarius, can you see any stars yet?

Kraft wanted to fire the descent engine now, get the ship back on its free-return slingshot course, and when it emerged from behind the moon and reached the PC+2 point, execute any maneuvers that might be required to refine the … Continue reading →

When Scott tried to release the lunar module, he did not hold the button long enough so the lander got hung on the capture latches.

Cronkite did not look good. He called Schirra over and thrust a sheet of wire-service copy at him. Schirra scanned the text hurriedly, and with each sentence his heart sank. This was bad. This was worse than bad. This was … Continue reading →

EECOM, Sy Liebergot looked away from his monitor; the end, he knew, was at last here. Liebergot, through no fault of his own, was about to become the first flight controller in the history of the manned space program to … Continue reading →