Apollo 13 ((new)) 💯

The fatal flaw involved the tank’s thermostatic switches. They were rated for 28 volts, but the ground test equipment used 65 volts. The excessive voltage welded the switches shut, meaning the heater inside the tank stayed on continuously. During ground tests, temperatures inside the tank reached over 1,000°F (538°C), destroying the Teflon insulation on the fan motor wires. When Swigert flipped the switch in space, those bare wires shorted, creating a spark that ignited the pure oxygen atmosphere inside the tank.

The problem? The LM was not equipped for three people. The carbon dioxide scrubbers were designed for two. The water supply was limited. The cabin was freezing (dropping to near 38°F / 3°C) to conserve power. Apollo 13

For the first two days, the mission proceeded smoothly. The spacecraft was a "good ship," as Lovell described it. The crew performed a televised tour of the interior, joking around and demonstrating weightlessness. The broadcast, however, was largely ignored on Earth. The world would only tune in when the routine shattered. The fatal flaw involved the tank’s thermostatic switches

The crew said goodbye to Aquarius , releasing it into space just before hitting Earth's atmosphere. During ground tests, temperatures inside the tank reached

The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST (a coincidence that later seemed ominous to superstitious observers). The crew consisted of three veteran astronauts:

Round lithium hydroxide canisters from Odyssey did not fit the square slots in Aquarius .

The film is celebrated for its commitment to authenticity. Howard famously used a "Vomit Comet" aircraft to film scenes in actual zero gravity , avoiding the clunky wirework typical of the era. Human Ingenuity: