Apollo 13 Minute Podcast

A rumbling noise startles Haise and Swigert.

“Fuel pump,” explains Lovell. “This is it. A few bumps, and we’re hauling the mail.”

The five F-1 engines of the Saturn V are shrouded in fog.

In Houston,…

Flight Director Gene Kranz is “going around the horn,” asking for a Go / No-Go from the individual controllers.

“Recovery?” asks Kranz.

“Go!” replies Recovery.

“CAPCOM?” asks Kranz.

“We’re Go, Flight…

Guenter Wendt shakes hands with Jim Lovell, as Guenter prepares to close out the White Room before launch.

Back in Houston, Gene Kranz has donned his new vest for the flight. The other controllers ap…

GUEST: ACTOR RORY AYLWARD

The gantry elevator door opens, and the crew steps out, Lovell leading the way to the White Room and the Command Module.

The morning sun sparkles on the Atlantic coastline, …

Swigert has his helmet on and is suited up.

“Do yo need more air?” asks the technician. Swigert shakes his head.

At the VIP viewing area, several cameramen position a group of cameras mounted on a sw…

Marilyn Lovell has just lost her wedding ring down a hotel shower drain.

“Oh, God no!” she whispers, frantically tugging at the drain cover.  She gives up, and leans back against the shower wall. “Oh…

The crew of Apollo 13 is suiting up for launch.

“Ah! Guenter Wendt!” says Lovell to the Pad Leader.  “I vunder vhere Guenter Wendt?” says Lovell. Gunter smiles.

“Jim!” says Guenter. “You walk on the …

Jim Lovell looks across the road and is surprised when he sees a familiar face winding through the line of parked cars. It’s Marilyn.

Jim smiles. “Well, hey,” he says, “that looks like Marilyn Lovell…

Deke Slayton and Jim Lovell are talking about Jack Swigert’s poor performance in the Command Module simulator.

“If I had a dollar for every time they killed me in this thing,” says Lovell, “I wouldn’…

Warnings start beeping in the Command Module SIM during a mock reentry.

“We’re at twelve Gees,” says Swigert.

“Twelve Gees,” repeats Lovell, “We’re burning up.”

“Dammit,” says Deke, at the simulator …

GUEST: NASA FLIGHT DIRECTOR BILL REEVES

Lovell remains in his chair, after having told Ken Mattingly he’s no longer on the Apollo 13 crew.

The scene shifts to Jack Swigert, manning the left seat in…

GUEST HOST: PODCASTER BRETT STILLO

Mattingly is dealing with the loss of his seat on the mission.

“Swigert,” says Mattingly, “he’ll do fine.  He’s, uh, he’s strong.”

Lovell and Haise continue to say …

GUEST: PODCASTER BRETT STILLO

The woman steps into the bedroom, wearing a towel and drying her hair.

Jack Swigert lets out a whoop in his bedroom.

Back in the SIM room, Ken Mattingly is reacting to t…

The NASA Director is explaining the options for the Apollo 13 mission to Jim Lovell.

“We can either scrub Mattingly, go with Swigert,” says the Director, “or we can bump all three of you to a later m…

The Saturn V continues down the crawlerway.

“Fredo and I are going to be going over the lunar experiments tomorrow,” says Lovell to Walter, the technician, “and Ken’s going to be back in the simulato…

GUEST: ERIK LINDBERGH

The crew of Apollo 13 is discussing superstitions about the number thirteen.

Mattingly says he had a black cat “walk over a broken mirror under the Lunar Module ladder, and it d…

Marilyn Lovell just informed Jim that she doesn’t want to go to the launch.

Inside a helicopter hangar, Jim Lovell walks out to the T-38 flight line. He passes by several airmen.

“Jim!” says one of t…

GUEST: NANCY O’KANE

Jim Lovell restarts his stalled car.

“So, I was looking at the kids’ school schedule coming up,” says Marilyn.

“Yeah?” says Jim.

“It’s a very busy week,” she continues.

“Yeah,” sa…

Guest: EAA Intern Abby Riley

In Jay Lovell’s bedroom, Jim Lovell is talking to his son about the Apollo One fire.

“– and, uh, well a lot of things went wrong on that fire,” continues Jim Lovell.

“Did…

Guest: Jennifer Levasseur,
Curator, National Air & Space Museum, Washington, DC

In Jeff Lovell’s bedroom, Jim Lovell is talking to his son about the Lunar Module.

“– only holds two people.  It’s ju…