Loading…

We couldn't find that.
Let's go back home and try again.

Apollo 13 – 45th Anniversary

Published

Apollo 13 – 45th Anniversary

Celebrating the 2015 Centennial of the Pan American Exposition through one of the most memorable space flights in history, the Apollo 13 crew, and astronauts Jim Lovell and Fred Haise, join the San Diego Air & Space Museum on Saturday, March 21, for a rare 45th anniversary celebration appearance and personal recap of their historic mission. The event also honors the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo race to the moon and those people who made it happen.

 

During five tension-filled days in the spring of 1970, the Apollo 13 crew, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert, struggled to survive in a crippled, nearly uninhabitable ‘Odyssey’ Command Module. They were on their way to the moon, it was to be America’s third lunar landing, when a disastrous oxygen tank explosion not only canceled their plans, but made survival uncertain. Short on power, heat, water, and breathable air, their odds to survive were slim to none. However, with a determined team on the ground who performed ingenious engineering miracles to keep them alive and their own skilled actions, they returned to earth safely.

Mission Control Celebrates
Mission Control Celebrates

The San Diego Air & Space Museum is offering a special and rare opportunity to meet the Apollo 13 crew, key people on the ground who directed the efforts to help save the astronauts from certain death, and to hear how they triumphed over great adversity.

 

“March 21st we honor the Apollo 13 mission and the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo legacy, events in history which truly demonstrated failure was never an option in space,” says Jim Kidrick, SDASM president. “This is the opportunity for those attending to retrace the many successes, and sometimes tragedies, which accompanied the acceptance of President Kennedy’s challenge to land on the moon within a decade. This very special evening recounts firsthand the true saga of ingenuity, risk and triumph from America’s heroes. There’s no better time than this, during our 2015 Centennial, to bring so many history makers together in one location, right here in San Diego, home of the Atlas rocket and so many other contributions to space excellence.”

Apollo 13 suits up
Apollo 13 suits up

Confirmed VIP Guests range from the first two astronauts to reach and orbit the moon in Apollo 8, Bill Anders and Jim Lovell, to Gene Cernan the last man to walk on the moon in Apollo 17. Also confirmed are the four primary flight directors for many historic space flights: they would rotate the “Lead” position for each mission, and for Apollo 13 Gene Kranz was the White Team and Lead Flight Director, Glynn Lunney the Black Team, Milt Windler the Maroon Team and Gerry Griffin the Gold Team.

 

The astronauts and flight directors each have unique and spellbinding stories to tell, and when they talk to an audience as a group, they often share tales they never tell alone. You’ll gain a first-hand, intimate insight into how the best-of-the-best worked together under the most arduous conditions. (www.sandiegoairandspace.org)

Apollo 13 crew
Apollo 13 crew

Comments

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *