Minute 058: We Just Lost the Moon

In the Command Module, Jim Lovell tries to digest this order to shut down the fuel cells.

“– the fuel cells? Did I hear you right?” asks Lovell.

“Yeah, they heard me right,” says Kranz to CAPCOM. “Tell them we think that’s the only way they can stop the leak.”

“Yeah, Jim,” says CAPCOM, “uh, we think that closing the REACT valves may stop the leak.”

Lovell says nothing, but glances over to Haise.

“Did he copy that?” asks Kranz.

“Do you copy, Jim?” asks CAPCOM.

“Yes, Houston,” replies Lovell, “we copy.”

He looks at his crewmates. “We just lost the Moon,” says Lovell.  Swigert looks at the panel. Haise looks at Lovell. The ship makes a groaning noise.

“Okay, Fredo,” says Lovell, “shut those down.”

Haise looks at the switches. “Let’s see what this does,” he says, pressing the 1 and 3 switches to OFF.

The three astronauts look at the pressure gauge, which continues to fall.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
NASA Director: Joe Spano
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson