Space Rocket History Archive

Jan 31 2025 274 ep. 31 mins 6.1k

Space Rocket History Archive Podcast artwork

The history of rocketry and space exploration.

Science History Technology

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Continue Listening to Space Rocket History on the Main Feed. Space Rocket History Podcast Homepage.

Space Rocket History #273 – Apollo 13 – Free Return – Part 3

Dec 30 2024 33 mins

Lovell toggled the “master arm” switch to On and glanced around to see if everything else was in order. Guidance control was set to “Primary Guidance”; thrust control was on “Auto”; engine gimbals were enabled; the propellant quantity, temperature, and pressure looked good; the ship was maintaining the correct attitude. Homepage with pictures.

Space Rocket History #272 – Apollo 13 – Free Return – Part 2

Dec 30 2024 33 mins

Aquarius, can you see any stars yet? Homepage with pictures

Space Rocket History #271 – Apollo 13 – Free Return – Part 1

Nov 30 2024 35 mins

Kraft wanted to fire the descent engine now, get the ship back on its free-return slingshot course, and when it emerged from behind the moon and reached the PC+2 point, execute any maneuvers that might be required to refine the trajectory or increase its speed. Homepage with pictures.

Space Rocket History #270 – Apollo 13 – The News Breaks

Nov 30 2024 36 mins

Cronkite did not look good. He called Schirra over and thrust a sheet of wire-service copy at him. Schirra scanned the text hurriedly, and with each sentence his heart sank. This was bad. This was worse than bad. This was . . . unheard of. He had a thousand questions, but there wasn’t time to ask…… Homepage with pictures

Space Rocket History #269 – Apollo 13 – “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” – Part 4

Oct 31 2024 33 mins

EECOM, Sy Liebergot looked away from his monitor; the end, he knew, was at last here. Liebergot, through no fault of his own, was about to become the first flight controller in the history of the manned space program to lose the ship that had been placed in his charge. Homepage with pictures.

Space Rocket History #268 – Apollo 13 – “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” – Part 3

Oct 31 2024 33 mins

As near as Lovell could tell, it would be a while before the ship’s endgame would play out. He had no way of calculating the leak rate in the tank, but if the moving needle was any indication, he had a couple hours at least before the 318 pounds of oxygen were gone. Homepage with pictures

Space Rocket History #267 – Apollo 13 – “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” – Part 2

Sep 29 2024 30 mins

By the time Flight Director Kranz heard Lovell’s report, of “Houston, we’ve had a problem. ” three controllers had reported related problems. Kranz was wondering which problem Lovell was reporting, as he started relaying the long list of warning indications from the spacecraft displays. Homepage with Pictures

Space Rocket History #266 – Apollo 13 – “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” – Part 1

Sep 29 2024 33 mins

Swigert: I believe we’ve had a problem here! CapComm: This is Houston. Say again, please. Lovell: Houston, we’ve had a problem. Homepage with Pictures:

Space Rocket History #265 – Apollo 13 – Translunar Coast – The Calm Before the Storm

Aug 31 2024 33 mins

As Lovell prepared for the thruster adjustments, Haise finished closing down the LEM and drifted through the tunnel back toward the command module and Swigert threw the switch to stir all 4 cryogenic tanks. Homepage with Pictures