Minute 061: A Bad Way to Fly

Lovell and Haise are going through quick procedures to get the LM up and running, while the CSM fires its thrusters to try and steady the two spacecraft. “Uh, Houston, ” says Lovell, “Be aware that I’ve moved from the Command Module into the LM.” Meanwhile, Gene Kranz talks to fellow Flight Director Glynn Lunney. “Now, if Jack can’t get that guidance computer data transferred before they go dead in there –” says Gene. “– he won’t even know which way they’re pointed,” finishes Lunney. “That’s right,” agrees Kranz. “That’s a bad way to fly,” says Lunney. “I’ll be in Two Ten if you need me,” says Kranz. “Okay,” says Lunney. Kranz leaves the MCC. The CSM’s Reaction Control System continues to fire random bursts, trying to maintain course. “Houston,  this is Thirteen,” says Swigert, “Are you back with me now?” Haise is thrown against the ceiling of the LM. “Aquarius, this is Houston,” says CAPCOM, “You now have about twelve minutes to power up.” “I can’t see any stars!” says Haise, trying to get a fix with the LM’s sextant. “Man, there’s a lot of debris floating around out there.” “Okay, Houston, I’ve completed the steps on Page Fifteen – now I’m ready to power down the computer,” says Swigert in the Command Module. Lovell hears him from the LM and shouts, “I’m going to need your gimbal angles, Jack! Before you shut down the computer!” “Okay, Jim!” replies Swigert. Back in Mission Control, the controllers are having a conference around CAPCOM’s workstation. “They need this back to me before they power down,” says TELMU, handing CAPCOM a pad. “Houston,” says Lovell, “our computer is up.” “Roger that, standby – ” says CAPCOM. Lovell is writing course alignment angles on a flight worksheet. “Now, Jack,” continues CAPCOM, “we need to proceed through steps twelve through seventeen quickly. Because you’re down to, uh –” 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 Glynn Lunney: Marc McClure