Minute 114: A Toaster Through a Car Wash

Jack Swigert is reluctant to touch the wet control panel. “What’s the word on these things shorting out?” asks Swigert Mattingly looks at John Aaron. Aaron shrugs. “We’ll just take that one at a time, Jack,” says Mattingly. “It’s like trying to drive a toaster through a car wash,” says Swigert, pressing the switch. The floodlights come on in the Command Module. The docked spacecraft are approaching Earth. “Main bus B is closed,” says Swigert. “Okay, Thirteen. We’re coming up on entry interface,” says Mattingly. “Flight,” says Flight Dynamics Officer Jerry Bostick. “We’re still shallowing up a bit in the re-entry corridor. It’s almost like they’re under weight.” “Now how could they be under weight?” asks Gene Kranz. “We didn’t land on the Moon,” says RETRO. “Rocks?” asks Gene. “That’s affirm,” says RETRO. “One more thing, Jim,” says Mattingly. “While Jack’s working on the power-up, we’d like you and Freddo to transfer some ballast over to the Command Module.” “Say again, Houston. Ballast?” asks Lovell. “That’s affirm,” says Mattingly. “We gotta get the weight right. We were expecting you to be toting a couple of hundred pounds of moon rocks.” IN THIS MINUTE: Bill Paxton as Fred Haise Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell Brett Cullen as CAPCOM Chris Ellis as Deke Slayton Loren Dean as John Aaron Ben Marley as John Young Todd Louiso as FAO – White Team Joe Spano as NASA Director Ed Harris as Gene Kranz Marc McClure as Glynn Lunney Clint Howard as Sy Liebergot Googy Gress as RETRO White Christian Clemenson as Flight Surgeon Dr. Chuck Ned Vaughn as CAPCOM 2 Max Grodénchik as FIDO Gold Walter von Huene as Technician Kenneth White as Grumman Rep Jean Speegle Howard as Blanch Lovell Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell Mark Wheeler as Neil Armstrong Larry Williams as Buzz Aldrin Michele Little as Jane Conrad