Tell me things about Apollo 13!

[Tex]

relying on unknown folks on the Internet is lazy and foolish.

Ah... I am a bit disappointed with this. I've said that I already have every basic thing about this researched. I can do the project on my own, yes, but I was hoping that I could share more information that other people came up with. Already I have found multiple items from people on this thread I had no idea about, and I am always happy to learn. Please don't think me lazy and foolish because I want to hear what people have to say. Thank you in advance.

[Nikolai]

The ALSEP experiment designed for the lunar surface was powered by an RTG with 3.9 kg of Pu-238. Since the lunar module was forced to re-enter Earth's atmosphere, they deliberately targeted it for Tonga Trench in the hopes that damage would be minimized if the case cracked. It appears that the case survived re-entry (as designed).

[Nikolai]

The CSM's fuel cells produced water as a by-product; the LM's batteries did not. As a result, water had to be conserved, and led to the only health problem in the crew -- Haise returned with a urinary tract infection. (Side note on this: The crew stored all their urine onboard, as a result of misinterpreting an order from the ground to stop urine dumps to prevent altering the spacecraft's trajectory.)

Also, to conserve power and water, the LM's Abort Guidance System (AGS) was used to navigate Apollo 13 during most of the coast, since it required less power and water than the main guidance system (the Primary Guidance, Navigation, and Control System, or PGNCS). (It was a smaller system to be used in the event the PGNCS stopped working, and did not have enough power to support landing on the lunar surface. Apollo 11 ended up using it during lunar ascent after accidentally entering gimbal lock.)

[Flight]

The ship malfunctioned in serveral ways, and there was no hope for a safe return. But then they found out that Jack Swigert didn't pay his taxes before departing (true story), and they decided he souldn't escape so easily.

[einsteiner]

You should read the book Apollo 13 by the mission commander, Jim Lovell (and Jeffry Kluger). He talks a lot about the small details you could only know by being there. For example, he said when the slept in the command module a layer of warm air would surround them since there was no convection and no fans running, but if they moved while sleeping it would disturb the air and they would be cold again.

[Kerbart]

Why not read a book about it? I'm not against helping you with your homework, but seriously, relying on unknown folks on the Internet is lazy and foolish. "LEM accident"?

It was late, I was tired. Or at work. Whatever.

And you're completely right

[Sillychris]

Why not read a book about it? I'm not against helping you with your homework, but seriously, relying on unknown folks on the Internet is lazy and foolish.

Don't be negative. He's not asking us to do his homework, he's asking us to throw factoids at him that he may not have found on his own. Asking the community is a perfectly valid form of research.

On a side note, I read the entire thread and learned a lot of interesting things. I am pretty happy this got posted.

[Tex]

On a side note, I read the entire thread and learned a lot of interesting things. I am pretty happy this got posted.

Awesome!