Minute 123: Farewell, Aquarius, and We Thank You

Aquarius drifts away from the Command Module. “She sure was a good ship,” says Haise, looking out the window. “Farewell, Aquarius. And we thank you,” says Mattingly. Aquarius tilts away from the CM windows. Back on Earth, a woman walks down the hallway of a suburban home, and knocks on a bedroom door. Mary Haise is sitting on a bed. “Mary,” says the woman. “It’s almost time, honey.” Meanwhile, Helicopter 66 takes off from the USS IWO JIMA. On the bridge, a radio operator calls “Flight 966, 406” a two helicopters leave the flight deck. TITLE:USS IWO JIMA, SOUTH PACIFIC – APRIL 17, 1970 Back in Houston, NASA PAO Henry Hurt is talking to a reporter. “Let me put it this way,” says Henry Hurt, “The trajectory may be off, their thrusters may be frozen, their guidance system might be malfunctioning, their heatshield -” IN THIS MINUTE: Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell Bill Paxton as Fred Haise Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert Gary Sinese as Ken Mattingly Tracy Reiner as Mary Haise Xander Berkeley as Henry Hurt Herb Jefferson, Jr as Reporter