APOLLO 13 MISSION HEAR IN^ BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES UNITED STATES SENATE NINETY-FIRST CONGRESS SECOSD SESSION I APRIL 24, 1970 Printed for the use @fthe Commibtw on Aeronautical and Scpace Sciences US. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 44-195 0 WASHINGTON : 1970 COMMITTEE ON AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES CLINTON P. ANDERSON, New Mexico, Chairman RICHARD B. RUSSELL, Georgia MARGARET CHASE SMITH, Maine WARREN G. MAGNUSON, Washington CARL T. CURTIS, Nebreska STUART SYMINGTON, Missouri MARK 0. HATFIELD, Oregon JOHN STENNIS, Mississippi BARRY GOLDWATER, Arizona STEPHEN M. YOUNG, Ohio WILLIAM B. SAXBE, Ohio THOMAS J. DODD, Connecticut RALPH T. SMITH, Illinois HOWARD W. CANNON, Nevada SPESSARD L. HOLLAND, Florida JAMESJ. GEHRIO,&ffDtredor EVERARDH. SMITH,Jr., Professional staffMember Dr. GLENP. WILSON, Professional Staff Member CRAIOVOORHEES, ProJessionat Staff Member WILLIAMPARKER, Professional Staff Member SAMBOUCHARD, A88t8tant Chief Clerk DONALD H. BRENNAN,Research Assfitant (n) CONTENTS FRIDAY,APRIL 24, 1970 Paec Opcning statement, Senator Clinton P. Anderson, chairman---. .~. .- - .~. Opcning statomcnt, Senator Margaret Chaw Smith. - -..~ ~ -.. ~. .- - -..~ - Statenicnt of Ilr. Thomas 0. Paine, AdministIrator, National Aeronautic.: and Space Administration; accompanied by Astronaut James A. Lovcll, Commander of Apollo 13; Astronaut John L. Rwigert, Jr., Command Module Pilot of Apollo 13; l>r. Rocco A. Petronc, Apollo Program Director; and Glynn 8. Lunncy, Apollo 13 Mission Director- - __ -.~. - - 2 Summary of actions following accident _.. -.. -. -. - ~.- -~ .. .- -.- .~. 2 Review Board investigation of accident - - ~ -.- - -.- - -.- -.. -. - - .. - 3 Impact of futurc manned flights _._..___.____._____._._. ~ ~_._._- 4 Apollo 13 effect on future programs__-_____._______._____ __._.___ 4 Statement of lh. Rocco A. Petrone, Apollo Program Director-- - - - - -.- - - 5 Problems noted 54 hours into mission _.____._~ 5 Intensive investigation__. __ ___ __ -.~ -.. -. __ -. __ -.- .. ___ - __ - - G Expect carly resolution of problem_-_ -. -.- -.- -.- -.- - - - - - - - .. - 10 Statement of Glynn S. Lunncy, Apollo 13 Mission Director ____________- 11 Lunar module as lifeboat _.-. -.- __ __ __ _~_-. __ - __ .-- - - - ___ 11 Summary of events______.______---------.-------------------.- 14 Consumables status__________.._.------.----.--------.--------- 17 Sequence for cntry________..__..---~-.~---..-~..----------.-.-- 19 Statement of Astronauts James A. Lovell, Commander of Apollo 13; and John L. Swigert, Jr., Command Module Pilot of Apollo 13 __________._21 Report of low morale completely false___ - - - -.- - - - - -. 21 Summarizes action after explosion - -. - - - - - - -.. - - - - - 22 Describes feelings over situation- - -. - - - - - -.- - - - - - -.- - - - - - - - 23 Transfer spacecraft control to lunar module__ - -.- - -.- - - - - - - - 23~~ Comments on environmental system- - - - - - - - - - -.- - - - - - - - -.- 24 Employs Apollo 8 technique- - __ - - - __ - - - - -.- - - - - - - 25 Shows film of spacecraft interior__ -.- - - - -.- - - - -.- 26 Questions by Committee members- - - - .. - - -. - - -.. - - - - - - - 28 Keeping cool under adverse conditions- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28 Space program stimulus to education ____ ~ - - - - - - - - - - 28 Questions design changes of Apollo 13.._- - - - -.- - - .. - - - - -.- - 29 No safety shortcuts caused by budget cuts__________.___._________ 29 Meteoroid damage chances- - __ ~ ._~29 Man will travel solar system __________..__~_____ ~..____. ~___.___ 30 Foreign cooperation during Apollo 13 mission- -.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31 Abort procedures 34 Emergency procedures outlined _____ - .-. - - - - - -.- - - - - - - - - .. - - ~ - .- -. 35 Answers “last moon mission” remarks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36 Increase in pressure------~---------------.-----.-~------------- 36 No unnecessary risk ___________.____________________________---36 Technology transfer benefits- - - - - .- .. - - - - - - -.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 37 Reaction to adversity prompts confidence- - - - - - - - - - - - .. - - - - - - - - 39 Educational background of witnesses ____ - - - - - - - -.-. .. - - - - - - - - 39 Apollo 13 Review Board- - - - - -.. ___ __-~ -.- _____ __ ____ - - --- ~..- 45 Status of Apollo 14 mission- ___.-.___. __ -~ -. -. __ __ - _..__ __ -.- - 45 Early cutoff of engine__________.___.---.------------.-..--..-.- 46 NASA Control Center- __ - -~ _______ ._______~ .__.46 Value of space investment- - ._._~__.._ .________.____._.__-.-- ~_.47 Possible cause of blaze _____._._._~.._____.__._ ~ .__. ._..___-._.- 47 Complete qualification test- __ - __~.___ ._.___~ _._.. .--__ .--.---. ~ 48 ~ -.- ~ -.- - -. - - - .- International space cooperation- - ___ 48 Difficulty with oxygen tank _______ ~_._.___.___ ~ _._.___._ ~ _____._49 Significance of lunar experiment___.___ ~ _____._. .~___-__ -------.- 49 Space program applications to pollution- - - -.- - - ~ - .. .. - - . - - - 5 0 Appendix: Establishment of Apollo 13 Review Board ____--~- 52 (In) IV Page 21 11 2 5 21 6 7 8 n 10 13 14 16 17 19 20 APOLLO 13 MISSION FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 1970 UNITEDSTATES SENATE, COMMITTEEON AERONAUTICALAND SPACESCIENCES. Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to call, at 10:05 a.m., in room 1202, New Senate Office Building, the Honorable Clinton P. Anderson (chairman) presiding. Present: Senators Anderson, Symington, Stennis, Young, Holland, Smith of Maine, Curtis, Hatfield, Goltlmater, and Saxbe. James J. Gehrig, staff director; Evcrard H. Smith, Jr., Dr. Glen P. Wilson, Craig Voorhces, sntl Willinrii Pnrkor, professional staff members; Sam Boilchard, tkssistant chief clerk; Dorialtl H. Brcnnan, rescarch assistant; Mary Rita Robbins, Rhea Bruno, Patricia Robinson, Ruby L. Hamblen and Crirol L. Wilson, clerical assistants. OPENING STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN The CHAIRMAN.The hearing will come to order. Exactly one week ago we were holding our breaths praying for the safe return of Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and John Swigert. Today it is our honor to welcome Captain Lovell and Mr. Swigrrt to appear before this committee. Unfortunately, Mr. Haiso is slightly ill and unable to be with us today. I wish to convey my heartiest congratulations to the entire NASA organization for the successful return of tho Apollo 13 crew. Their performance during a period of great difficulty demonstrated the superb capabilities of the NASA team and of the Apollo system. Apollo 13 will be considered by some as a failure, because it did not accomplish its objective of a lunar landing and return with new scientific information. But in a real and larger sense, it was a human success-a triumph of thr hnman spirit, an exoneration of the human mind, a tribute to human perseverance, a victory for all mankind. The purposc of this meeting is to discuss with NASA officials the Apollo 13 mission and its problems. We are anxious to learn what happened, and what must be done to reestablish the Apollo launch schedule. Towards this end, we will begin today with testimony from Dr. Thomas 0. Paine, Administrator of NASA, then we will hear Dr. Rocco A. Petrone, Apollo Program Director, Mr. Glynn S. Lunney, Apollo 13 Mission Director, and Astronauts Lovell and Swiger t . At a later date, after the review board has completed its investiga- tion and made its recommendations, the committee will meet again with Dr. Paine and other NASA officials to discuss the future of the manned lunar exploration program. Senator Smith? (1) 2 STATEMENT BY SENATOR SMITH Senator SMITHof Maine. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I \voiild like to join in paying tribute to the astronauts of Apollo 13 for their very great courage and coolness in times of great stress. Also, Mr. Chairman, I would like to pay tribute to the entire NASA team for what T consider one of the greatest achievements made in the space program, for the way initial adversity was turned into dramatic success. The CHAIRMAN.Dr. Paine? STATEMENT OF DR. THOMAS 0. PAINE, ADMINISTRATOR, NA- TIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ; ACCOM- PANIED BY ASTRONAUT JAMES A. LOVELL, COMMANDER OF APOLLO 13; ASTRONAUT JOHN L. SWIGERT, JR., COMMAND MOD- ULE PILOT OF APOUO 13; DR. ROCCO A. PETRONE, APOLLO PRO- GRAM DIRECTOR; AND GLYNN S. LUNNEY, APOLLO 13 MISSION DIRECTOR Dr. PAINE.Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, we appre- ciate this opportunity to appear before you to give you a preliminary report on the Apollo 13 mission, America’s fifth lunar expedition and third landing attempt. SUMMARY OF ACTIONS FOLLOWING ACCIDENT This morning we will summarize for you our current understanding of: The accident aboard the spacecraft Odyssey while outward bound for the moon 55 hours and 54 minutes after launch; The immediate steps taken by flight controllers at Mission Control in Houston and the flight crew to contain the situation; The ensuing 300,000-mile voyage around the moon and back to earth using the lunar module Aquarius as a lifeboat; The investigative measures which were initiated within NASA immediately after the successful splashdown ; and Our view of the impact of the Apollo 13 accident on the lT.S. space program. Dr. Rocco Petrone, Director of the Apollo Program, will give you his present best estimate of the principal events prior to and during the accident which apparently led to the rupture of oxygen bottle No. 2 in the service module. The actions taken on the ground to recover from the accident and return the crew safely back to earth will then be described by Mr. Glynn S. I~inney,who