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Apollo 13 of Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) from 1970
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Damage to Apollo 13
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Damage to Apollo 13 |
| Explanation |
In April of 1970 [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ ch-13-1.html ], after an oxygen tank exploded and crippled their service module, the Apollo 13 [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/ap13acc.html ] astronauts were forced to abandon plans to make the third human lunar landing [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a13/a13main.html ]. The extent of the damage [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/ ap13chrono.html ] is revealed in this grainy, grim photo [ http://images.jsc.nasa.gov/images/pao/AS13/ 10075514.htm ], taken as the service module was [ http://www.qsl.net/w7ftt/apollo13.html ] drifting away -- jettisoned only hours prior to the command module's reentry and eventual safe splashdown. An entire panel on the side of the service module [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/tmp/1970-029A.html ] has been blown away and extensive internal damage is apparent. Visible below the gutted compartment is a radio antenna and the large, bell-shaped nozzle of the service module's rocket engine. |
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Saturn The Giant
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Saturn The Giant |
| Explanation |
Forty years ago today (May 25, 1961) U.S. president John Kennedy announced [ http://history.nasa.gov/moondec.html ] the goal of landing Americans on the Moon by the end of the decade. Kennedy's ambitious speech triggered [ http://www.wamu.org/special/moon.html ] a nearly unprecedented peacetime technological mobilization and one result was the Saturn V [ http://www.hrw.com/science/si-science/earth/spacetravel/ spacerace/SpaceRace/sec300/sec380.html ] moon rocket [ http://kids.msfc.nasa.gov/Rockets/ ]. Its development directed by rocket pioneer Wernher Von Braun, the three stage Saturn V stood [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-350/ch-3-1.html ] over 36 stories tall. It had a cluster of five first stage [ http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2000-000559.html ] engines fueled by [ http://users.commkey.net/Braeunig/space/propel.htm ] liquid oxygen and kerosene which together were capable of producing 7.5 million pounds of thrust. Giant Saturn V rockets ultimately hurled [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4204/ contents.html ] nine Apollo missions [ http://history.nasa.gov/apollo.html ] to the Moon and back again [ http://www.literature.org/authors/verne-jules/ round-the-moon/ ] with six landing on the lunar surface [ http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/alsj/ ]. The first landing, by Apollo 11 [ http://history.nasa.gov/ap11ann/ introduction.htm ], occurred on July 20, 1969 achieving Kennedy's goal. Bathed in light, this Saturn V [ http://www.apollosaturn.com/frame-sv.htm ] awaits an April 11, 1970 launch on the third lunar landing mission, Apollo 13 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010519.html ]. |
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Lunar Farside from Apollo 13
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Lunar Farside from Apollo 13 |
| Explanation |
In April of 1970, after an explosion damaged their spacecraft, the Apollo 13 [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo13info.html ] astronauts were forced to abandon their plans to make the third manned lunar landing. Still, while coasting around the moon in their desperate attempt to return to earth they were able to photograph the moon's far side. The large, dark, smooth looking feature on the left in this picture is known as the "Mare Moscoviense". It was created by a lava flow filling in a large impact crater on the lunar surface. As suggested by the name, the Mare Moscoviense was first photographed by an early Soviet lunar probe. For more information about the picture see the NASA photo caption. [ http://139.169.29.11/images/pao/AS13/10075506.htm ] |
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Damage to Apollo 13
| Title |
Damage to Apollo 13 |
| Explanation |
In April of 1970, after an oxygen tank exploded and damaged their service module, the Apollo 13 [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo13info.html ] astronauts were forced to abandon their plans to make the third manned lunar landing. The extent of the damage is revealed in this photo, taken as the crippled module was drifting away - jettisoned prior to their reentry and eventual safe splashdown. An entire panel on the right side of the module is seen to have been blown away and damage to internal structures is apparent. For more information about the picture see the NASA photo caption. [ http://139.169.29.11/images/pao/AS13/10075514.htm ] |
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