Gene Kranz Announces CO2 Adapter to Save Apollo 13 Crew

In the aftermath of the oxygen tank explosion in the Apollo 13 Service Module, the Command Module was largely powered down to preserve it for re-entry and the LM served as a lifeboat. Among other things, the LM Environmmental Control System would have to keep carbon dioxide levels at acceptable levels for the remainder of the mission. At the time of the explosion there were two lithium hydroxide (LiOH) canisters - a primary and a secondary - in the LM ECS, which, together, had been designed to handle the carbon dioxide output of two people for about 30 hours. What was needed was a means of dealing with the output of three people for at least four days. Additional LM canisters were hopelessly out of reach in the MESA. There were plenty of CM ECS canisters, but they wouldn't fit in LM ECS. Houston went to work devising a means of drawing cabin air through a CM canister into the ECS using only materials available in the two cabins.

[@averystablegenius]

Kranz has been 30 hours without sleep at this point and it shows. He soldiers through like a fighter pilot does.

[@Sixstringman]

Gene Kranz is 100% American badass.

[@robertpsotka3525]

Yes he is

[@Erniegrow]

Gene Krantz a man amongst men. A great American.

[@SSGTStryker]

I’ve had the honor of meeting 3 Apollo Astronauts. But the most epic experience was meeting my personal (and professional) hero, Flight Director Gene Kranz. I still have his autograph and a personal handwritten message. Side note, I’ve had his exact same haircut since 1995 and still do.

[@drunk_astronomy]

Had lunch with him and Ed Fendell last September with my wife. 100% agree.

[@SSGTStryker]

@@drunk_astronomy That’s awesome!

[@garywheeler60]

Imagine the anxiety ......stomach turning cigarette smoking coffee drinking angst.

[@kspfanatic102]

Love it! Wonderful job the guys did on that mission, props to them.

[@lexihaley2887]

9:45 first mention of lithium canisters 14:25 further discussion of same

[@dartmaster501]

Nope, he first mentions the CM's Lithium Hydroxide cannisters at 00:18.

[@TELEVISIONARCHIVES]

Ron Howard watched many of these to get the ideas for the Movie.

[@astronomyfilms]

nice, i’m probably going to make this into a video!

[@Rodgerball]

Where are the DEI hires?

[@Rodgerball]

Oh, that’s right, there was a time in this country where individuals of all colors and creeds succeeded on individual and team merit. Like the NBA,NFL and baseball does now. MAGA.

[@Erniegrow]

Read his book

[@MichaelsGuns]

Do the names Katherine Johnson or Margaret Hamilton mean anything to you?

[@rawveganterra]

There goes the huge desk again, love hiding behind that desk. We cannot see the “astronauts”.😭

[@rawveganterra]

They are hiding the aliens under the big desk. I know it. I thought I saw a clammy skinned alien finger poking out. And weird green lights flickering under there. Actually no, not green, it was color humans have never seen before, some alien color.

[@MrXminus1]

See how big that ash try was? For smart men, stupid habit.

[@Sixstringman]

Our culture promoted smoking back then the same way it promotes sexual deviance today. Not healthy but hey if it feels good do it.

[@johnmanager1830]

And, amazingly, he's still alive at the time I write this! (89 years old)

[@grumberfwarcraft7282]

back when men could speak and know their stuff.

[@sidv192]

Even the new reporters sounded intelligent back then. CNN would be asking them not to smoke and is Trump responsible for this mishap?

[@wierdalien1]

I mean, they all smoked too much but

[@JulienReszka]

Trump is a symptom not a cause

[@Sixstringman]

Trump made them overplay their hand and reveal just how bought and paid for they are.

[@danielasuncion9991]

Jules Bergman was an ABC journalist, who specialized in science writing. I suspect that the reporters that were present had a background like that. The briefing is so technical that the average reporter would not be able to follow it, let alone report what was said.