13 Minutes Presents: The Space Shuttle

Apollo 13: 6. Earth in view

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Apr 12, 2020
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ANECDOTE

Off Course

  • Chuck Dietrich noticed Apollo 13's trajectory was off after the PC+2 burn, risking a deadly skip off the atmosphere.
  • Their planned perigee was 87 miles, but a safe re-entry required a perigee of around 20 miles.
INSIGHT

Manual Course Correction

  • Apollo 13's crew faced a unique challenge: performing a course correction without their computer.
  • They used the Earth's terminator and the sun for alignment, and Jim Lovell's wristwatch for timing.
ANECDOTE

A Calm Correction

  • Fred Haise downplayed the difficulty of the manual burn.
  • He stated they didn't deviate even one degree, contrasting with the dramatized movie portrayal.
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