Fade in.

The Universal logo animation, the word UNIVERSAL across a cloudless planet Earth, appears, and resolves into the title card “UNIVERSAL – AN MCA COMPANY.” The title fades to black.

TITLE: “Imagine Entertainment Presents”

TITLE: “A Brian Grazer Production”

TITLE: “A Ron Howard Film”

Over-exposed video appears, a step-framed image of astronaut boots walking across a gangway.

TITLE: “APOLLO 1 PRE-LAUNCH TEST, CAPE KENNEDY, FLORIDA, JANUARY 27, 1967”

Over an audio circuit, a voice says, “Flight, we have the crew crossing gantry for capsule ingress.”

“Roger that,” replies another voice on the audio circuit.

Narrator Walter Cronkite says, “Inspired by the late President Kennedy, in only seven years, America has risen to the challenge of what he called the most hazardous and dangerous, and greatest adventure -”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Narrator: Walter Cronkite

Gus Grissom reaches for the control panel of Apollo 1’s Command Module. A spark leaps out from the panel.

Narrator: “After trailing the Russians for years with our manned space program, and after that sudden and horrible fire on the launch pad during that routine test that killed American astronauts Gus Grissiom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, there were serious doubts as to whether we could beat the Russians to the Moon.”

Flames lick the walls of the cabin. Ed White reaches for the hatch, pounding an open hand on the hatch windows as flames engulf the interior of the ship.

The scene changes to a driver’s eye view of the streets of nighttime Houston.

TITLE: JULY 20, 1969 HOUSTON TEXAS

Narrator: “But tonight,  a mere eighteen months after the tragedy of Apollo One, the entire world watched in awe as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon.”

A red Corvette winds its way through traffic. Jim Lovell is at the wheel.

TITLE: TOM HANKS

1969 video footage of Walter Cronkite, saying “the big news came just a moment ago, Mission Control gave the spacecraft permission to go for the extra vehicular activity — that is, for the walk on the Moon — far earlier than anticipated: 9 PM, Eastern Daylight Time…”

Back at the Lovell household, Astronaut Jack Swigert is explaining docking procedures to a smiling blonde woman.

“Now the important thing when you’re penetrating the Lunar Module,” says Swigert, pointing the top of a long-necked Budweiser bottle at a tall glass, “is your attitude and your relative speed.” Swigert looks at the woman.  “Now, let’s say this is me here in the Command Module,” he continues, wiggling the beer bottle, “and let’s say this is you, in the LM,” he jiggles the glass.  “This thing that sticks out in front, that’s called –”

TITLE: KEVIN BACON

IN THIS MINUTE:

Narrator: Walter Cronkite
Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Tracy: Karen Martin
Gus Grissom: Steve Bernie
Ed White: Steve Ruge
Roger Chaffee: Reed Rudy

“It’s called a probe,” says Swigert, waving the long neck of a beer bottle at a tall glass.

“Is that true?” asks Tracy, smiling.

TITLE: BILL PAXTON

“Absolutely,” says Swigert, “and, Tracy, I’ll tell you: when you feel that thing slide in, and everything’s clicking – – it’s like no other feeling in the world.” Tracy laughs.

TITLE: GARY SINESE

The front door opens, and Jim Lovell steps inside, carrying a box of Moet & Chandon Champagne. Astronaut Pete Conrad steps in behind him.

“A little liquid propulsion,” says Lovell to the partygoers. “What’s the big occasion?”

TITLE: ED HARRIS

“How’s it going over there at Mission Control?” asks Swigert.

“It’s a nervous time,” replies Lovell, “They’re pacing around, smoking like chimneys – – Gene Kranz is going to have puppies.” Lovell notices the blonde woman talking to Swigert. “Jim Lovell,” he says, holding out a hand. Tracy smiles and shakes his hand.

“Hi,” says Tracy.

“This is Tracy,” says Swigert.

“How do you do?” replies Lovell.

“This, this is the man,” explains Swigert to Tracy. “Gemini Seven, Gemini Twelve, Apollo Eight – – they were the first ones around the Moon, this guy did ten laps.”

“Wow,” says Tracy.

“… with one hand on the wheel,” remarks Lovell, laughing. “You guys make yourselves at home.” Lovell turns toward the kitchen. “Hey, Marilyn –”

TITLE: APOLLO 13

“This is the last champagne,” says Lovell, kissing his wife, “in the city of Houston.”

“Quite good, quite good,” says Marilyn.

TITLE: KATHLEEN QUINLAN

“Everything else alright?” asks Lovell. Marilyn is already out of earshot in the living room. “Looks okay,” he continues to himself.

“Hey, Cadet Lovell!” says Jim to his son, Jay, who’s wearing a St. John’s Military Academy t-shirt.

“Hey, Dad,” says his son.

“Put this on ice in the back and make sure it gets cold,” says Jim.

TITLE: DAVID ANDREWS, XANDER BERKELEY

“You gonna get a haircut this summer?” Jim asks his son.

“I’m on vacation,” replies his son.

“Oh, get a haircut!” replies Jim.

TITLE: CHRISTIAN CLEMENSON, BRETT CULLEN

In the Lovell study, Fred Haise looks at a framed cover of Time Magazine’s 1968 Men of the Year, Astronauts Anders, Borman, and Lovell.

Ken Mattingly walks into the study.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Tracy: Karen Martin
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Jay Lovell:  Max Elliott Slade
Pete Conrad: David Andrews

“I wouldn’t mind being up there tonight,” he says to Ken Haise.

“God, who wouldn’t?” replies Haise.

TITLES: “LOREN DEAN, CLINT HOWARD”

“Don’t worry, ” continues Haise, “Our day’s coming. They’re not gonna cut the program before Number Fourteen.”

“You know, my cousin called,” says Mattingly.

TITLES: “BEN MARLEY, MARC McCLURE”

“Uh-huh,” says Haise.

“He asked who we bribed to get on Jim Lovell’s crew,” says Mattingly.

TITLES: “TRACY REINER, JOE SPANO”

“I just told him, uh, they just wanted to make sure he got the best,” says Mattingly.

“Well, they got that right!” replies Haise, and shakes Mattingly’s hand.

In the Lovell living room, a large console TV is tuned to Frank Reynolds on ABC News.

“What network do we want?” asks John Young.

“Put on Walter!” replies Pete Conrad.  Young changes the channels, passing Chet Huntley on NBC, and stopping on Walter Cronkite at CBS.

TITLE: “CASTING BY JANE JENKINS C.S.A. , JANET HIRSHENSON C.S.A.”

“John, turn it up!” says Conrad. He turns down the music on the stereo.

“Everybody!” continues Conrad, signalling for quiet. “I appreciate you coming for this dress rehearsal for my Apollo Twelve landing.”

TITLE: “MUSIC BY JAMES HORNER”

TITLE: “VOCAL PERFORMANCES BY ANNIE LENNOX”

“Aw, sit down, Conrad!” laughs Lovell.

TITLE: “COSTUME DESIGNER RITA RYACK”

TITLE: “ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS ALDRIC LA’AULI PORTER, MICHAEL BOSTICK”

“I think we should all take a moment  to recognize the exemplary — hell, damn near heroic effort displayed by Neil Armstrong’s backup for this historic Moonwalk, and of course, his crew,” continues Conrad. The guest laugh. “Let’s hear it for Jim Lovell, Fred Haise!”

TITLE: “FILM EDITORS MIKE HILL, DAN HANLEY”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Tracy: Karen Martin
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Jay Lovell:  Max Elliott Slade
Pete Conrad: David Andrews
John Young: Ben Marley

On the screen, the upside-down image of the LM’s ladder appears.

“Ooh, there he is!” says Marilyn, carrying a tray of empty champagne flutes. “There he is, everybody! Quiet down – here he is!”

Lovell pulls a cigar out of his mouth. “Hey, kids!” he calls to his children, who are seated on the stairs. They join the guests near the TV set.

TITLE: “PRODUCTION DESIGNER MICHAEL CORENBLITH”

“Okay. Will you verify the position—the opening I ought to have on the camera?” says Buzz Aldrin, from the Moon.

The video image of Neil Armstrong is superimposed by the words “LIVE FROM THE SURFACE OF THE MOON” on the TV.

“Jim, do you think it’s too late for him to abort?” asks Pete Conrad.

TITLE: “DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY DEAN CUNDEY, A.S.C.

“No, no,” says Lovell,” he’s got time to get out of there. All he needs is for somebody to wave him off! Pull up Neil!” Conrad joins Lovell in giving the Go-Around signal. Marilyn signals for them to be quiet.

TITLE: “EXECUTIVE PRODUCER TODD HALLOWELL”

“Okay, Neil, ” says CapCom Bruce McCandless on TV, “We can see you coming down the ladder now.”

“Okay,” replies Armstrong.

“Boy, look at those pictures!” interjects Walter Cronkite. “Wow!”

“I’m at the foot of the ladder,” continues Armstrong. “The LM footpads are depressed in the surface only about one or two inches. — It’s almost like a powder.”

“ARMSTRONG ON MOON” flashes a title over Armstrong’s video.

“Armstrong is on the Moon, the thir-” continues Cronkite.

“– gonna step off the LM now-” says Armstrong.

“thirty-eight year old American,”  continues Cronkite, “standing on the surface of the Moon, on this the-”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Walter Cronkite: Himself
Neil Armstrong: Himself
Buzz Aldrin: Himself
Bruce McCandless: Himself
Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Tracy: Karen Martin
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Jay Lovell:  Max Elliott Slade
Pete Conrad: David Andrews
John Young: Ben Marley

“on this July 20th, Nineteen Hundred and Sixty-Nine,” intones Walter Cronkite on TV.

“It’s one small step for man,” says Armstrong, “One… giant leap for mankind.”

“His quote was, That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” repeats Cronkite.

Later, after the guests have left, Jim and Marilyn Lovell are standing in the moonlight in their backyard.  Jim holds his thumb up at arm’s length, obscuring a waning gibbous Moon.  He repeats the gesture several times. The song, “Beyond the Sea” sung by Bobby Darrin, plays in the background.

TITLE: “BASED ON THE BOOK ‘LOST MOON’ BY JIM LOVELL & JEFFREY KLUGER”

Marilyn, holding a paper bag, looks at her husband. “You’re drunk, Lovell,” she says.

“Yep,” he agrees. “I’m not used to the champagne.”

“Me neither,” says Marilyn.

TITLE: “SCREENPLAY BY WILLIAM BROYLES, JR. & AL REINERT”

Marilyn puts down a plate and drops the paper bag on the patio. “I can’t deal with cleaning up,” she says, “Let’s sell the house.”

“Alright,” says Jim, “Let’s sell the house.”

TITLE: “PRODUCED BY BRIAN GRAZER”

“They’re back inside now,” says Jim, still looking up at the Moon. “Looking up at us. Isn’t that something?”

TITLE: “DIRECTED BY RON HOWARD”

“I’ll be Janney Armstrong doesn’t get a wink of sleep tonight,” says Marilyn, leaning back on a chaise lounge chair.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Walter Cronkite: Himself
Neil Armstrong: Himself
Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Jay Lovell:  Max Elliott Slade

“When you were on far side on Eight, I didn’t sleep at all,” says Marilyn, leaning into her lawn chair, “I just vacuumed, over and over again.”

“Christopher Columbus,” says Jim, looking at the Moon, “Charles Lindbergh… and Neil Armstrong.” He laughs. “Neil Armstrong!”

Marilyn laughs, too. Jim climbs into his lawn chair.

Looking back at the Moon, Jim says, “From now on, we live in a world where Man has walked on the Moon.” He turns and looks at Marilyn. “And it’s not a miracle. We just decided to go.”

He looks back at the Moon. “On Apollo 8, we were so close,” he says. “Just sixty nautical miles down. And what’s it like to just  – – step out, and walk on the face of it? I want to go back. ”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan

“Where’s my mountain?” asks Marilyn.

“Well, it -” begins Jim, “It’s right up by the — okay, you see where the shadow crosses — the white area there? That’s the Sea of Tranquility. And your mountain’s right there on the edge of that. Your mountain. Your mountain, Marilyn: Mount Marilyn.”

Marilyn looks up at the Moon. “I don’t see it,” she says, shaking her head.

Jim looks over at her. “Well, you’ve got to look harder,” he replies. “You – -look harder.” Jim rolls out of his chair and crawls into Marilyn’s chair. Marilyn starts laughing as he climbs on top of Marilyn.  The song “Cruisin'” by Smokey Robinson starts playing as the scene fades.

An aerial view of the Vehicle Assembly Building fills the scene.

TITLE: “VEHICLE ASSEMBLY BUILDING, CAPE KENNEDY, FLORIDA, OCTOBER 30, 1969”

Jim Lovell is narrating a tour.

“The astronaut,” he says, “is only the most visible member of a very large team, and all of us -”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan

Jim Lovell is narrating a tour of the Vehicle Assembly Building. He explains that astronauts are only the most visible members of a very large team.

” — right down to the guy sweeping the floor, are honored to be a part of it,” explains Lovell. “What did the man say? ‘Give me a lever long enough and I’ll move the world?’ Well, that’s exactly what we’re doing here. This is divine inspiration, folks. It’s the best part of each one of us – – the belief that anything is possible. Things like: a computer that can fit into a single room, and hold millions of pieces of information. Or the Saturn V rocket.”

A group of VIP visitors stands on a balcony high inside the VAB. Overhead, an S-IV-B stage is about to be mated to an S-II stage in the high bay.

“Now, this is the actual launch vehicle that will be taking Alan Shepard and his crew on the first leg of the Apollo Thirteen mission,” explains Lovell.

“When are you going up again, Jim?” asks a Congressman.

“I’m slated to be the commander of Apollo Fourteen, sometime late next year,” replies Lovell.

The Congressman grins. “If there is an Apollo Fourteen,” says the Congressman.

Lovell smiles weakly.

“Now, Jim,” continues the Congressman, “People in my state have been asking, why we’re continuing to fund this program, now that we’ve beat the Russians to the Moon?”

“Imagine if — if Christopher Columbus had come back from the New World, and no one returned in his footsteps, ” replies Lovell.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Congressman: Roger Corman
NASA PAO Henry Hurt: Xander Berkeley

Jim Lovell is explaining to Congressional VIPs why further Apollo missions are necessary.  Behind them, inside the VAB, the S-IV-B being lowered from the ceiling connects with the S-II stage.

“Are there any other questions?” asks Lovell.

A female visitor timidly raises her hand. “How – how do you go to the bathroom in space?” she smiles.

“Well, I’ll tell you – – it’s a highly technical process, of cranking down the window and looking for a gas station, which –” replies Lovell.

Everyone laughs.  The VAB elevator door opens.

“Ah, there’s Deke Slayton,” Jim Lovell points out the man exiting the elevator. “Deke, you may be able to answer this lady’s question better than I – Deke is one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, ladies and gentlemen,  and now he’s our boss. He hands out the astronauts’ flight assignments, so naturally, we kick back part of our salaries to Deke every month. How much this month, Deke?”

Slayton rubs his nose, “Uh, Jim, can I have a minute? Something’s come up.”

“Sure, you bet,” says Lovell. He looks at the NASA Public Affairs Officer. “Henry?”

Later, at the Lovell home, Jim steps in the front door. “Hey!” he yells, “Anybody home?” He walks through the house, carrying a flight bag. Upstairs, Marilyn is having an argument with her daughter, Barbara.

“That’s the thing!” says Barbara, “I”m not being a cheerleader, Mom! I worked so hard on this!” Barbara is wearing a leather miniskirt , a tie-dye t-shirt, and a headband. Her younger brother, dressed in a Halloween skeleton costume, is jumping on her bed.

“Barbara, maybe I don’t understand,” replies Marilyn, “but you are not wearing that out in this neighborhood. That’s the end of it!”

“She’s not even wearing a bra!” says her little sister, dressed as a ballerina. “You can see everything!”

“Shut up!” replies Barbara.

Jim Lovell arrives at the top of the stairs.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Congressman: Roger Corman
NASA PAO Henry Hurt: Xander Berkeley
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Barbara Lovell: Mary Kate Schelhardt
Susan Lovell: Emily Ann Lloyd
Jeffrey Lovell: Miko Hughes

Jim Lovell arrives at the top of the stairs in his home, in the middle of an argument between his daughter and Marilyn about appropriate Halloween costumes.

“Hey everybody,” says Jim. His daughter Barbara closes her bedroom door.

“Jim!” says Marilyn, surprised.

“Marilyn, trick or treat!” replies Jim. “You know that Easter vacation trip we had planned for Acapulco?”

“Uh-oh,” says Marilyn.

“Well, I was thinking there might be a slight change in destination,” explains Jim, hanging up his suitcase.

“Really?” says Marilyn.

“Maybe, say – – the Moon?” explains Jim.

Marilyn and Susan Lovell gasp. Marilyn hugs Jim.

“Al Shepard’s ear infection has flared up, and we’ve all been bumped up to the prime crew — of Apollo Thirteen,” says Jim. “Straight to the head of the line in the Fra Mauro Highlands.”

“Six months?” asks Marilyn. “You’re moving up six months?”  Barbara steps into the bedroom.

“Dad,” asks Barbara,” Can I please wear this?” she’s still wearing her hippie miniskirt costume.

“Sure!” says Jim, giving her a quick glance.

“Jim!” corrects Marilyn.

“No! No – absolutely not,” says Jim, taking his cue from Marilyn. Barbara marches out of the room, and back into her bedroom.

“They’re not rushing things, are they?” asks Marilyn. “I mean, you – you’re gonna be ready in six months?”

“We’ll be ready,” replies Jim. “Boy, I wouldn’t want to be around Al Shepard tonight. I gotta get over there – – we’re gonna have to get up to speed on this.”

“Go, go,” says Marilyn.

“I’m gonna walk on the Moon, Marilyn,” says Jim, at their bedroom door.

Marilyn shakes her head in disbelief.  “I know,” she says.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Barbara Lovell: Mary Kate Schelhardt
Susan Lovell: Emily Ann Lloyd
Jeffrey Lovell: Miko Hughes

Jim and Marilyn Lovell are discussing Jim’s assignment to the Apollo 13 mission.

Marilyn shakes her head in disbelief.  “I can’t believe it,” she says, “Naturally, it’s thirteen. Why, thirteen?”

“It comes after twelve, Hon,” replies Jim. Marilyn smiles back at him.

In the Command Module trainer, Ken Mattingly examines the instrument panel.

“Apollo 13, you are go for pyro arm and docking,” says the Capcom. “all systems are nominal and on the line.”

TITLE: “MANNED SPACECRAFT CENTER HOUSTON, TEXAS, 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO LAUNCH”

“Okay, S-IV-B is stable,” replies LM Pilot Fred Haise. “Slot panels are drifting free. The drogue is clear. Docking target is clear.”

“Seventy five feet, we’re coming up on docking,” says Haise to the crew.

In the Sim room, one of the controllers says, “Let’s shut down some thrusters on him. Let’s see what he does with this one.” Another operator presses a button.

“Who, wait a minute,” says Mattingly, “I lost something here. I can’t translate up.” Mattingly works the joystick.

“Houston, we are drifting down and away,” reports Haise.

“Do you want to just back off and take another run at this?” says Lovell to Mattingly.

“No, I got it. I got it,” replies Mattingly. “Let me just try and get her stable here. The SIM camera wobbles as it aims toward the LM docking port.

“Houston, I’m gonna reset the high-gain here,” says Haise.

“I’ve got the target back in the reticle,” says Mattingly. “Okay, we’re stable.”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
SIM controller: Arthur Senzy
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton

“We’ll go ahead and recycle the valves,” says Mattingly. Lovell closes and reopens the valve switches for circuits B and D.

“They’re all gray,” reports Lovell.  Mattingly alters the pitch position dial.

Outside, the video camera moves closer to the LM model.  Over Mattingly’s head, the video image of the probe target lines up with the reticule.

“Twenty,” says Haise.

“Easy,” whispers Mattingly, working the joystick.

“Ten feet,” reports Haise.  The video camera touches the center of the LM model docking port.

“Capture,” says Mattingly.

“That’s it!” says Lovell. “That’s it!” Haise gives a whoop of approval.

“Sweet move, Ken!” says Haise. “Beautiful, beautiful!”

“Gentlemen,” says Lovell, “that is the way we do that.”

“Oh man,” says Haise, “that woke me up!”

Outside the CM sim, an announcer on the speaker says, “Apollo Thirteen backup crew,  you’re up in the simulator.”

“Nice job, Jim,” says Jack Swigert, backup CM Pilot, as backup Commander John Young and Lunar Module Pilot Charlie Duke follow behind him.

“That’s three hours of boredom, followed by seven seconds of sheer terror,” says Lovell.

“Good job, guys,” says the SIM controller, Frank, at the foot of the stairs, “You just won the Christmas turkey!”

“Nice try, Frank!” says Haise, as the crew applauds.

“You really outfoxed him, brother,” says Haise to Mattingly.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t perfect,” replies Ken. “Used up too much fuel.” Mattingly pauses on the stairs.

“Aw, you’re above the curve,” says Fred Haise.

“Not by much,” says Ken. “Listen, guys, I want to work it again.” The backup team pauses.

Haise turns around. “Hey,” he says, “we gotta be up with the dawn patrol headed for Bethpage – what,  oh-seven hundred.”

“Wheels up at oh-seven hundred,” confirms Lovell.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
SIM controller Frank : Arthur Senzy
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
John Young: Ben Marley
Charlie Duke: Unknown

Lovell, Mattingly, and Haise just finished a three hour simulation in the CM SIM.

“Yeah, I know,” replies Ken, “but my rate of turn is still a little too slow there, I really think we should work it again.”

Lovell looks at Mattingly. “Well, let’s get it right!” says Lovell.

“Okay,” says Mattingly, “Set it up again, Frank.” Mattingly turns back to the simulator, passing by the backup crew.

“Okay, Thirteen backup crew, it’ll have to wait. Prime crew’s up for another run.” says the PA announcer.

Backup CDR John Young passes by Lovell on the stairs. “Yeah, baby!” says Young.

The scene fades.

“Apollo Thirteen, we show S-IV-B shutdown and all systems are nominal,” says a Capcom voice over the radio. The view is that of the Command Modules DSKY display, showing the computer activity being Program 06, Verb 16, Noun 62. A gloved finger presses the Proceed key.

Astronauts Haise, Lovell, and Mattingly are in their seats. Ken Mattingly is not wearing his helmet.

“Fred, set the S-Band Omni to B, and when you get in the LM, Two Forward,” continues the Capcom voice on the radio. Haise is throwing switches.

“Good shape over here,” says Haise. A Master Alarm starts blaring.

“Hey, we got a problem,” says Lovell, scanning the controls.

“Oh-Two flow High,” says Haise. The cabin pressure dial rises.

“Cabin depress – repeat, cabin depress!”  says Lovell.

“I got no suit pressure!” says Mattingly.

“Ken, get your helmet on!” says Lovell.

“I can’t get it locked and we’ve got a master alarm!” yells Mattingly. The glass faces of the dials break.

“Oh God, oh God!” says Lovell, as the glass flies at the astronauts.  Suddenly, the hatch blows out.  Lovell’s oxygen lines separate from the suit. The seat frame breaks, and Lovell is shoved out the hole where the hatch used to be.

More dials and indicators break and spark. Haise calls for help while trapped behind the wreckage of the CM interior.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
SIM controller Frank : Arthur Senzy
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
John Young: Ben Marley
Charlie Duke: Unknown

Jim Lovell is hanging out the side of a decompressing Command Module. The frame of his seat breaks, and knocks Lovell away from the Apollo CSM and LM assembly in deep space. Lovell tumbles end over end.

A giant, bloodshot eye fills the screen.

Marilyn Lovell awakens in her bedroom in Houston.

TITLE: “MARCH 23, 1970, 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO LAUNCH”

“…stars would fall down on you or something,” says Jim Lovell, in another room.

“That’s silly,” says Jay Lovell, in another room. “Stars can’t fall on us.” Marilyn wipes her face with a Kleenex.

“Aw, you’re a smarter kid than I was,” says Jim Lovell.

In Jay Lovell’s bedroom, Jim Lovell is talking to his son.

“How long will it take you to get to the Moon?” asks Jay.

“Four days,” replies Jim Lovell, drinking from a coffee cup.  Marilyn tiptoes down the hallway, listening.

“But that’s pretty fast,” explains Jim, holding up a model, “This is the Saturn IV-B booster – – it shoots us away from the Earth – pshooo! – as fast — as a bullet — from a gun. Until the Moon’s gravity, it actually grabs us and pulls us into a circle around the Moon, which is called an orbit – alright?  Fred and I float down the tunnel into this guy – the Lunar Module – the spidery looking-”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell : Kathleen Quinlan
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Jay Lovell: Max Elliott Slade

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

“– only holds two people.  It’s just for landing on the Moon. And I take the controls, and I steer it around, and I fly it down, adjusting it here, the attitude there, ” says Jim, steering a model LM, “pitch, roll – – for a nice, soft landing on the Moon.” He sets the LM model down on a table. “Better than Neil Armstrong,” says Jim Lovell, “way better than Pete Conrad.”

“Dad…” says Jeff, hesitantly, “Did you know the astronauts in the fire?”

“Yeah, yeah I did know the astronauts in the fire,” replies Jim. “All of them.”

“Could that happen again?” asks Jeff.

“Well, I’ll tell you something about that fire,” says Jim, “Um, a lot of things went wrong. The door – – it’s called the hatch? — They couldn’t get it open when they needed to get out, that was one thing.”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell : Kathleen Quinlan
Jeff Lovell: Miko Hughes

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 they fix it?” asks Jay Lovell.

“Oh yes,” replies Jim Lovell, “Absolutely. We fixed it. It’s not a problem any more.”

Marilyn, listening in, leans her head against a wall in the hallway.

On the streets of Houston, a Cadillac and an AMC Hornet drive along the road at night.  Jim and Marilyn Lovell, in their red Corvette, pull in front of the cars.

“I can’t believe they still have you doing public appearances!” says Marilyn.

“Well, Henry Hurt was — all over me,” says Jim.

“I know,” says Marilyn.

“But I couldn’t get- ” begins Jim.

“But the training schedule,” says Marilyn, “it’s tight. They shouldn’t be asking.”

“It’s the program,” says Jim. “Marilyn, you know – – it’s NASA.”

A Ford Mustang pulls up next to them. The driver shouts, “Hey, you’re Jim Lovell, aren’t you?”

Jim nods.

“Ha! Lucky Thirteen!” says the driver.  Jim salutes him. “Right on!” says the driver.

The light turns green, and the Mustang peels out. Jim steps on the gas, but his Corvette stalls.

“It’s the second time it’s done that,” says Jim. He restarts the car.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell : Kathleen Quinlan
Jay Lovell: Max Elliott Slade
Noisy Civilian: Todd Hallowell

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,” says Jim.

“I’m thinking about,” continues Marilyn, “not going to the launch.” Jim looks at her.

“Huh,” he says.

“The kids need me at home, Honey,” explains Marilyn.

“Marilyn,” says Jim, “We’ve had these kids for a while now. They’ve never kept you from coming to the other launches.”

“Yes,” says Marilyn, “but now we have your mother – – she’s just had this stroke…”

“Oh, Mom’s fine,” says Jim.

“Honey, it’s not like I’ve never been to a launch before. The other wives have not done three.” explains Marilyn. ” I just — I just don’t think I can go through all that.”

Jim looks at her again.

“I’ll just be glad when this one’s over,” says Marilyn.

“Well,” says Jim, “You’re going to miss a hell of a show.”  Marilyn looks back at him.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell : Kathleen Quinlan

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

“Jim!” says one of the airmen.

“Hey guys!” Lovell responds. “See you in a few weeks!”

“Take care!” says the other airman. “Bring us back a Moon rock!”

In the back yard of the Lovell home, Marilyn is gardening.  Jim’s plane soars high overhead. Marilyn watches as it disappears behind her backyard trees. She looks wistfully at her garden flowers.

In a photo studio, a photographer focuses a medium-format camera. Flashbulbs snap as the Apollo 13 crew is photographed in front of a starry background with the American and NASA flags flanking the crew. Dressed in their space suits, Lovell, Mattingly, and Haise carry their clear helmets under one arm.

“So,” says one of the reporters, Phil, assembled for the photo session, “The number thirteen doesn’t bother you?”

TITLE: APRIL 7, 1970 CAPE KENNEDY FLORIDA, 4 DAYS PRIOR TO LAUNCH.

“Only if it’s a Friday, Phil,” replies Haise.

“Apollo 13, lifting off at 1300 hours and 13 minutes, and entering the Moon’s gravity on April 13th?” continues Phil.

“Uh,” says Lovell, “Ken Mattingly here has been doing some scientific experiments, regarding that very phenomenon.”

“Oh yes,” says Mattingly, “Well, I had a black cat –”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell : Kathleen Quinlan
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Reporter Phil: Thomas Crawford

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 didn’t seem to be a problem.”

“And we also considered a real helpful letter we got from a fellow,” continued Haise, “who said we ought to take a pig up with us for good luck!” Fred laughs.

“Does it bother you that the public regards this flight as routine?” asks another reporter.

“There’s nothing routine about flying to the Moon,” replies Lovell, “I can vouch for that.  And, uh, I think that an astronaut’s last mission — his final flight — well, that’s always going to be very special.” Mattingly and Haise look at Lovell in stunned surprise at this news.

“Why is this your last, Jim?” asks Phil the Reporter.

“I’m in command of the best ship, with the best crew that anybody could ask for, and I’ll be walking in a place where there is four hundred degrees difference between sunlight and shadow – – I can’t imagine ever topping that,” explains Lovell.

The scene shifts to the gigantic treads of a Mobile Transporter.

TITLE: “APRIL 9, 1970, 2 DAYS PRIOR TO LAUNCH”

A technician is talking to Lovell, as they walk next to the giant crawler.

“So, we have that scheduled for oh-nine-hundred hours tomorrow,” says the technician.

“That’s not gonna work, Walter…” says Lovell.

“Why?” asks Walter.

The Saturn V continues down the crawlerway.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell : Kathleen Quinlan
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Reporter Phil: Thomas Crawford
Technician Walter: Walter von Huene

“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 simulator. We’re going to be going over the flight plan tonight, as well.”  He shakes hands with a pad technician. Pointing at the Saturn V, Lovell says, “We’re going to be paying a visit to this beautiful machine after you’re hard down!”

A NASA car pulls up behind Lovell.  Deke Slayton and the flight surgeon step out of the car.

“Jim,” says Deke, “We’ve got a problem.”

“I just got some blood work back from the lab,” says the flight surgeon, “Charlie Duke has the measles.”

“So, we need a new backup,” says Lovell.

“You’ve all been exposed to it,” says the flight surgeon.

“Well, I’ve had the measles,” replies Lovell.

“Ken Mattingly hasn’t,” says Deke.

In the NASA Director’s office, Lovell continues the conversation.

“You – you want to break up my crew, two days before the launch,” asks Lovell, “when we can predict each other’s moves and we can read the tone of each other’s voices?”

“Ken Mattingly will be getting seriously ill precisely when you and Haise will be ascending from the lunar surface to rendezvous with him,” explains the flight surgeon.

“Jim,” says Deke, “that’s a lousy time for a fever.”

“Alright, now look,” replies Lovell, “Jack Swigert has been out of the loop for weeks.”

“He’s fully qualified to fly this mission,” says the Director.

“He’s a fine pilot,” says Lovell, “but when was the last time he was in a simulator?”

“I’m sorry, Jim. I understand how you feel,” says the Director. “Now, we can do one of two things here -”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Technician Walter: Walter von Huene
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
Flight Surgeon Dr. Chuck: Christian Clemenson
NASA Director: Joe Spano

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

Lovell pauses.

“I’ve trained for the Fra Mauro highlands,” says Lovell. “and this is — Flight Surgeon horses–t! Deke –?”

“Jim, if you hold out for Ken, you will not be on Apollo 13,” says Deke. “It’s your decision.”

The scene changes to Jack Swigert’s apartment. His phone is ringing. Jack is in the shower.

“Oh, let it ring!” says a woman.

“I gotta take that,” says Jack, climbing out of the shower. The woman is with him in the shower.

“Oh why?” says the woman.

“Because,” says Jack, “I’m on the backup crew. The backup crew has to set up the guest lists, book the hotel rooms — Swigert!” he says as he picks up the phone.  “Yeah,” he says into the phone, then becomes more formal,  “Yes. Yes, sir. I understand. Thank you, sir. ” He hangs up the phone and rubs his forehead, bewildered.

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

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Technician Walter: Walter von Huene
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
Flight Surgeon Dr. Chuck: Christian Clemenson
NASA Director: Joe Spano
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Woman in Towel: Unknown

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 the news that he’s been bumped from the Apollo 13 crew.

“Well,” he says, “I-uh,  — damn. Medical guys! I had a feeling when they started doing all the blood tests, that, uh.  I mean, I know it’s their ass if I get sick up there, but, mean —  JESUS!”

Lovell and Haise say nothing.

“Oh boy,” says Mattingly.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Woman in Towel: Unknown
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton

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 nothing.

“It’ll be a hell of a mission – – one for the books,” says Mattingly.

Lovell looks at Mattingly, but says nothing.

“You’re sure about this, Jim?” asks Mattingly. “I mean, why don’t I go upstairs and talk to Deke? I’m sure we can work this out.”

Haise looks at Lovell.

“This was my call,” explains Lovell. The words hang in the air.

Mattingly’s expression changes. Haise looks at the floor.

“Must have been a tough one,” says Mattingly.

Lovell doesn’t reply.

Mattingly stands up from his chair and walks toward the exit, then turns around.

“Look, I don’t have the measles,” says Ken. I’m not gonna GET the measles.”  He walks out.

“Ken, wait up!” says Haise, following Mattingly. Lovell remains in his chair.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Woman in Towel: Unknown
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton

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 a Command Module simulator during a reentry sequence.

“Trajectory is holding steady,” says Swigert, “We’re right on the line.”

“Okay we’re into Program 64,” responds Lovell, ” We’re oh-five Gee so we’re feeling that gravity now.”

“Houston,” says Haise, “we are at four hundred thousand feet, passing entry interface.”

“Reentry data is nominal and we have radio blackout,” says the SIM operator.

Deke Slayton watches the SIM controllers at their consoles.

In the CM simulator, Swigert sees a warning.

“What’s the story here?” says Swigert. He scans the panel and sees a deviation on the trajectory scope. “I got a corridor light. We’re coming in too shallow. I’m going to manual.”

Haise looks questioningly at the decision. Swigert twists the controller sharply.

“Houston, switching to SCS” says Haise.

“Roger,” says the SIM CapCom.

“Okay, we’re at three gees,” says Swigert, watching the dial. “Five gees.  We’re coming in too steep. I’m gonna stay in this roll, see if I can pull us out. We’re at eight gees.  Nine. Ten”  Warnings start beeping.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis

“We’re at twelve Gees,” says Swigert.

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

“Dammit,” says Deke, at the simulator console.

“I gave ’em a false indicator light, right at entry interface,” says the Sim controller, “Even Mattingly didn’t get it the first time.”

“How are you feeling, Fredo?” asks Lovell, sitting center seat in the Command Module simulator.

“Char broiled,” replies Haise.

Lovell turns to Swigert. “So, what happened?” he asks.

“Came in too steep,” says Swigert. “We’re dead.”

“No s–t,” says Haise.

“Yeah,” says Lovell,” yeah, we were into Program sixty-seven there, so…” Swigert nods.

“Okay guys,” says Lovell into his microphone, “we’re going to do this again, obviously, but give us a minute to get our switches reset.”

“Jim,” says Deke on the intercom, “could we have a word?”

“Sure – – Deke,” says Lovell, looking at Swigert.  Lovell climbs out of the simulator.

“We’re going to drop offline for debriefing,” says a voice on the intercom.

Lovell climbs down the stairs to Deke.

“So?” says Deke.

“Well,”  replies Lovell.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Ken Mattingly: Gary Sinese
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis

“If I had a dollar for every time they killed me in this thing,” says Lovell, “I wouldn’t have to work for you, Deke.”

Deke merely looks at Lovell.

“Well,” says Lovell, “we have two days. We’ll be ready.” Lovell turns to the simulator controllers. “Let’s do it again!” says Lovell.  He heads back up the stairs.

“Do it again,” shrugs Deke.

The night before launch, the crew is assembled on one side of the road leading to Pad 39A. Family and friends are assembled on the other side of the road. Spotlights bathe the Saturn V in brilliant illumination.

“Mom, there he is!” says Margaret Haise.

“Margaret!” shouts Mary Haise, ” Get down, Fred, Steven – come here!” They’re blocked by someone at the gate across the road.

“We can’t go across that road!” says Mary to her children.

TITLE: APRIL 10, 1970 – NIGHT BEFORE LAUNCH

“We don’t want Daddy to get any of our germs and get sick in outer space, right?” explains Mrs. Haise.

“Hey boys!” says Fred Haise, across the road. “Not gonna give your mom a hard time, are you?”

“No sir,” says Fred, Jr.

“Princess,” says Fred to his daughter, “you look beautiful!”

“Jack!” says a voice. Jack Swigert smiles.

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

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
Mary Haise: Tracey Reiner
Margaret Haise: Misty Dickinson
Fred Haise, Jr.: Taylor Goodall
Stephen Haise: Matthew Michael Goodall

Jim smiles. “Well, hey,” he says, “that looks like Marilyn Lovell! But it can’t be – – she’s not coming to the launch!”

“I heard it was gonna be a hell of a show,” says Marilyn.

“Who told you that?” asks Jim.

“Some guy I know,” replies Marilyn. They smile at each other.

“You can’t live without me!” says Jim.

“Okay, folks,” says the Press Agent, “Let’s say goodnight. We’ve got a big day tomorrow for these guys!” The families say goodnight.

“Did you hear about Ken?” Jim asks Marilyn.

“Yeah,” says Marilyn. Jim nods. They blow each other a kiss.

Dawn breaks.

TITLE: APRIL 11, 1970 – CAPE KENNEDY, FLORIDA

A technician sands the hair off Jim Lovell’s sternum, in preparation for applying a heart sensor.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan

“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 Moon, ya?”

“Ya, ya – we walk and –” Jim winces as the technician applies alcohol to the heart sensor. “And ve talk on ze Moon.”

The men continue suiting up, technicians applying medical sensors on each astronaut.

Meanwhile, at the Safari Inn Motel, a sign reads “OCEAN VIEW, COLOR TV, GOOD LUCK APOLLO 13”

Marilyn is taking a shower in her hotel room. As she rubs soap in her hands, her wedding ring pops off, and promptly slides down the drain.  She gasps. Tugging frantically at the drain cover, she can’t budge it out of the way.  She turns off the water and still tries to get the drain cover off.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Guenter Wendt: Endre Hules
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan

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

Meanwhile, Jim Lovell pushes his head through the opening at the top of his spacesuit, as the crew suits up for the flight. Swigert does the same, then Haise.  Zippers are closed, oxygen lines are connected. Lovell has his Snoopy cap put on by a technician. Fred Haise’s Omega watch is strapped onto the sleeve of his suit, followed by the installation of his left glove. His helmet is ready to be attached.

“Fred,” says the technician.

“What?” asks Haise.

“Gum,” replies the technician.

“Oh, sorry,” says Haise. He looks for a place to spit the gum, finally settling on the technicians open hand. “Thanks,” he says, as he spits out the gum.

“I’m gonna give these guys a beautiful ride,” says Swigert, just before the technicians attach his helmet.

“We’re sure you will, Jack,” says the technician. He places the helmet over Swigert’s head.

Lovell has his helmet attached, as well. The technician locks Lovell’s helmet in place.

Swigert receives the same treatment with the helmet latch. After closing the latch, the technician signals to Swigert with two raised thumbs. Swigert repeats the gesture.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Suit Room Assistant: Mark McKeel
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan

“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 swivel platform.

“Marilyn, hey!” says Mary Haise, as Marilyn Lovell maneuvers her way between children on the viewing platform.

“Mary!” replies Marilyn. They hug.

“Oh, I hate this already,” says Mary.

Marilyn touches Mary’s very pregnant belly. “You’re not just about ready to pop, are you?”

“No,” says Mary, grunting as she sits down, “I’ve got thirty days ’til this blasts off.”

In the gantry elevator, Lovell glances at the other astronauts. Everyone seems lost in thought.

The elevator passes the many service arms of the Launch Umbilical Tower. The Saturn V sheds frost as the elevator rises.

People in the VIP stands applaud.

The gantry elevator door opens, and the crew steps out, Lovell leading the way.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Suit Room Assistant: Mark McKeel
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Mary Haise: Tracy Reiner

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, viewed from the top of Pad 39A.

In Houston’s Mission Control Center, a video screen shows the image of the Saturn V at Pad 39A. Launch trajectory information is displayed to the right of the image.

TITLE: MISSION CONTROL HOUSTON, TEXAS.

A flight controller hands off a white cardboard box to another controller in a green shirt.  “This is for Gene,” says the first controller.

“Mrs Kranz has pulled out the old needle and thread again, “says the White Team’s Flight Dynamics Officer, Jerry Bostick (FIDO).

“The last one looks like he bought it off a gypsy,” replies the White Team’s Guidance Officer (Guido).

“Well, you can’t argue with tradition,” says the White Team’s Retrofire officer (RETRO).

“Copy that,” says Gene Kranz.

“This is from your wife, Gene,” says the controller in the green shirt.

“Thank you, Tom,” replies Kranz. He opens the box. “Starting to get worried!” Kranz unwraps a white vest with the Apollo 13 logo sewn into it. Kranz holds up the vest so the other controllers can see it.

“I like that one, Gene!” says a controller.

“Sharp, Gene!” says another controller.

Back in the Command Module, Haise is being strapped into his seat.  Each astronaut has a techician push down on the astronaut’s shoulder with a foot, while cinching their seat straps tight.

“Jim, you’re all set!” says Guenter Wendt.  Lovell smiles at him.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Asst Flight Controller: Rory Aylward
FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick: Ray McKinnon
GUIDO White Team: Andy Milder
RETRO White Team: Googy Gress
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Mary Haise: Tracy Reiner
Guenter Wendt: Endre Hules

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

“Hey, Gene!” says a controller, “I guess we can go now!”

“Save it for splashdown, guys,” replies Kranz.

Guenter closes the Command Module hatch, locking it with a single turn on the handle.

Lovell glances at the crew, smiles, and turns toward the instrument panel.

In Houston, Gene takes a deep draw of his Camel cigarette, then takes a gulp of coffee.

“Apollo Thirteen flight controllers, listen up,” says Kranz. “Give me a Go / No-Go for launch. Booster?”

“Go,” says Booster.

“RETRO?” says Kranz.

“Go,” says RETRO.

“FIDO?” says Kranz.

“We’re go, Flight!” says FIDO.

“Guidance?” asks Kranz.

“Guidance,  go,” says GUIDO.

“Surgeon?” asks Kranz.

“Go, Flight, ” replies the Flight Surgeon, while smoking a cigarette.

“EECOM?” asks Kranz.

“We’re go, Flight,” replies EECOM.

“GNC?” asks Kranz.

“We’re go, ” replies GNC.

“TELMU?” asks Kranz.

“Go,” replies TELMU.

“Control?” asks Kranz.

“Go, Flight” replies Control.

“Procedures?” asks Kranz.

“Go!” replies Procedures.

“INCO?” asks Kranz.

“Go!” replies INCO.

“FAO?” asks Kranz.

“We are go” replies FAO.

“Network?” asks Kranz.

“Go!” replies Network.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
MSC Controller, Tom: Rory Aylward
FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick: Ray McKinnon
GUIDO White Team: Andy Milder
RETRO White Team: Googy Gress
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemonson
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
INCO White Team: John Short
FAO White Team: Todd Louiso
GNC White Team: Gabriel Jarret
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Mary Haise: Tracy Reiner
Guenter Wendt: Endre Hules

“Recovery?” asks Kranz.

“Go!” replies Recovery.

“CAPCOM?” asks Kranz.

“We’re Go, Flight,” replies the CAPCOM.

Kranz presses a button on his console. “Launch Control, this is Houston. We are Go for launch.”

TITLE: LAUNCH CONTROL CENTER, CAPE KENNEDY, FLORIDA

“Roger that, Houston,” says the Launch Director. “Pad Leader, what’s your status?”

“We are go for launch. T-60 seconds and counting,” says a voice on the PA system. The VIP stands are packed with visitors.

At the edge of the Atlantic shoreline, Ken Mattingly stands alone, next to his parked Corvette. He looks at the Saturn V, and then looks at his watch.

The three astronauts wait for launch in their crew seats.

Back at Mission Control, twin displays show the Saturn V on Pad 39A.

Kranz clicks his pen several times, and waits.

In the Command Module, Lovell wiggles his gloved fingers.  He looks at the Abort handle.

Underneath Pad 39A, the sluiceways from the acoustic dampening channel snake back to the base of the Saturn V.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
Launch Director: Andrew Lipschultz
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Guenter Wendt: Endre Hules

“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, Mission controllers watch simultaneous television feeds on KTRK – ABC, KHOU – CBS, KPRC – NBC, and the NASA feed.

“Control this is Guidance…” says a voice in the background.

Kranz looks at his console.

“We are go for launch,” announces the Launch Director. “T-Minus…”

“Fifteen,” says the PA announcer, as the crowd rises to watch the launch. “Fourteen, Thirteen, Twelve…”

Lovell, Haise, and Swigert prepare to launch.

“Eleven, Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven,” continues the announcer, “Six…Ignition sequence starts…”

Plumes of smoke erupt from the F-1 engines.

“Two… One… Ignition!” says the announcer.

The launch umbilicals separate themselves from the spacecraft. Sheets of ice rattle down the side of the ship.

Flames blast from the bottom of the engines, and engulf the flame trench. A gout of flame erupts across the base of the LUT.

Mattingly, apparently not quite a mile from the launch pad, feels the vibration as he stands next to his car.

The flames at the base of the LUT begin to flow back inside, toward the flame trench.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
Launch Director: Andrew Lipschultz
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Guenter Wendt: Endre Hules

The flames at the base of the LUT begin to flow back inside, toward the flame trench.

The crew seats shudder as the rocket lifts off the pad.

“The clock is running!” announces Lovell.  The Mission Elapsed Time displays 00001, then 00002.

Fuel lines separate between the LUT and the spacecraft.

The massive hold-down clamps lift away from the base of the ship.

“We have liftoff!” says the Launch Director.

The Saturn V lifts into the air on a pillar of flame.

Marilyn Lovell and Mary Haise watch the liftoff. Mary Haise is weeping.

“Houston,” says Lovell, “We have cleared the tower at 13:13.”

“Okay, guys – – we got it,” says Kranz to his MCC crew.

The Saturn V rises majestically away from Pad 39A.

Marilyn Lovell watches from the stands.

The Saturn V rides into a cloud bank.

From his position on the edge of the Atlantic shoreline, Mattingly watches Apollo 13 rise into the sky.

“Come on, baby,” says Mattingly. “Come on.”

The Saturn V rises above the clouds.

“Altitude,” reports Swigert,” is on the line.”

The Command Module’s DSKY reports the ship is Verb 16, Noun 62, reporting lines +00062, +00152, and +—32.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
Launch Director: Andrew Lipschultz
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Guenter Wendt: Endre Hules

“Velocity, right on the line,” says Swigert, looking at the instrument panel’s eight-ball.

“Roll complete!” says Lovell, “We are pitching!”

“Thirteen,” says the CAPCOM, “Stand by for Mode One Bravo.”

Flames expand at the base of the Saturn V as the atmosphere gets thinner.

In Mission Control,  Kranz asks, “FIDO, how are we looking?”

FIDO responds, “Looks good, Flight. Right down the middle.”

Above Swigert’s head, the hatch window shows a sky darkening and filling with stars.

“Roger!” says Lovell. “EDS to Manual, inboard.”  He says to the crew, “Get ready for a little jolt, fellas!”

The ullage motors of the S-I fire, before jettisoning the first stage. The crew is throw violently against their seat straps.

The S-I stage falls away, followed by the interstage. The S-II engines ignite.

Lovell jettisons the Launch Escape System manually. Fred Haise suddenly gets a view of the outside as the Boost Protective Cover is jettisoned.

“Tower jett!” reports Lovell.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick: Ray McKinnon
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen

“Houston, this is Thirteen,” says Lovell, “We’ve got a center engine cut-off, go on the other four?”

On the big video screen at Mission Control, the telemetry shows Engine Five to be offline.

“Thirteen, we show the same, ” says the CAPCOM. He turns toward Kranz.

“Booster, can you confirm that center engine cutoff?” asks Kranz.

“Roger that, Flight,” says Booster, “looks like we lost it.”

“FIDO, what’s that going to do to us?” asks Kranz.

“Standby, Flight,” replies FIDO.

“I need to know if the IU is correcting for the Number Five shutdown,” says the FAO.

Swigert and Haise look at the alarm, then look at Lovell.

Lovell looks at the Abort handle.

“Houston, what’s the story on Engine Five?” asks Lovell.

“Looks good, we’re still Go,” says FIDO. “We’ll be alright, as long as we don’t lose another one.”

“Roger that,” says Kranz.

“Uh, Thirteen,” says CAPCOM, “We’re not sure why the inboard was out early, but the other engines are go so we’re gonna burn those remaining engines a little bit longer.”

“Roger that,” says Lovell, “Our gimbals are good, our trim is good — ”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
MSC Controller, Tom: Rory Aylward
FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick: Ray McKinnon
GUIDO White Team: Andy Milder
RETRO White Team: Googy Gress
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemonson
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
INCO White Team: John Short
FAO White Team: Todd Louiso
GNC White Team: Gabriel Jarret

“Looks like we just had our glitch for this mission,” says Lovell.

Back on Earth, Ken Mattingly looks at the empty launch pad, then slowly turns to get back in his Corvette.

“Thirteen, stand by for staging,” says CAPCOM.

“Roger that,” replies Lovell.

“S-II shutdown,” says CAPCOM.

Over the Atlantic, the S-II is jettisoned as the S-IV-B fires up.

“Thrust looks good, Flight,” says Booster, followed by a Quindar tone.

“Flight, S-IV-B cutoff in ten seconds,” continues Booster.

“Thirteen, this is Houston,” says CAPCOM, “Predicted cutoff is Twelve plus Three-Four, Over?”

“Coming up on twelve minutes thirty four,” says Lovell. “And…”  the MET display shows 12:34.

“SECO!” says Fred Haise.

“Shutdown!” says Lovell. “And that, gentlemen, is how we do that.” The S-IV-B shuts down. Apollo 13 is in Earth orbit.

Lovell unlocks his helmet fastener, then removes his helmet. It floats free in zero gravity. Soon, the cabin is filled with floating helmets and gloves.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
MSC Controller, Tom: Rory Aylward
FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick: Ray McKinnon
GUIDO White Team: Andy Milder
RETRO White Team: Googy Gress
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemonson
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
INCO White Team: John Short
FAO White Team: Todd Louiso
GNC White Team: Gabriel Jarret

The smoky contrail of the launch hangs in the Florida sky.

“Oh boy,” says Marilyn Lovell, “I hope I can sleep.”

“Mom,” says Margaret Haise, “That was loud!”

“Here, hold my hand,” says Mary Haise.  A crowd of VIPs may their way to their cars.

“I can’t believe you did this four times,” says Mary to Marilyn.

“The worst part’s over,” says Marilyn.

“It is?” asks Mary.

“Listen,” says Marilyn, “This doesn’t end for me until he lands on that aircraft carrier.”

“Aw,” says Mary Haise, “You just look so calm about it!”

“Well, if the flight surgeon had to okay me for this mission, I’d be grounded,” replies Marilyn.

A crowd of journalists swarm after them. “Mrs. Lovell! Mrs. Haise!” they shout. “Can we just have a word with you?”

“Remember!” says Marilyn “You’re ‘proud, happy, and thrilled!'”

“How are you feeling?” asks a reporter.

“Well, we’re very proud,” says Mary Haise, “and we’re very happy, and we’re thrilled!”

A first quarter Moon is eclipsed in the sky by the Apollo-Saturn rocket headed for the Moon.

“Flight, Booster – I show S-IV-B shutdown,” says Booster.

“TLI-” begins FIDO.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
MSC Controller, Tom: Rory Aylward
FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick: Ray McKinnon
Booster White Team: Christopher John Fields
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Mary Haise: Tracey Reiner
Margaret Haise: Misty Dickinson

“It’s on the money!” says FIDO, “Looks good, Flight.”

“Roger, FIDO,” says Gene Kranz. “Okay, guys – – we’re going to the Moon!

“Flight, we have reacquisition of signal at Hawaii,” says a controller.  On the big display screen at the MCC, a graphic showing the route from the Earth to the Moon is titled “EARTH MOON TRANSIT – DISTANCE x 1000 NAUTICAL MILES.”

On board Odyssey, Swigert is on the radio.

“Okay, Houston, it’s the CMP here,” says Swigert. “I’ve exchanged couches with Jim, I’m in the pilot’s seat. I’m gonna go ahead and get set for transposition and docking.”

Fred Haise doesn’t look well.

Jim Lovell is changing out of his flight suit.

Haise suddenly vomits.

Lovell and Swigert look at him, concerned.

Chunks of vomit are floating about the cabin in zero gee.

“Fredo, are you okay?” asks Lovell. Haise finds a bag and continues retching into the bag.

Back at the MCC, Kranz says, “Okay, everybody – let’s get turned around and pick up the Lunar Module.”

“Odyssey, you’re go for pyro arm and docking,” says CAPCOM, “repeat, go for docking, and we recommend you secure cabin pressurization.”

“Roger that,” says Swigert. “Okay.”

The CSM and the S-IV-B hang in deep space.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick: Ray McKinnon

The CSM and the S-IV-B hang in deep space.

“We’re ready for CSM separation,” says Swigert.

“Okay, SM RCS iso valves are all gray, ” says Lovell. “Okay, Swigert – – Command Module Pilot – – she’s all yours.”

Swigert presses the JETTISON SLA button. The four SLA panels drift away, revealing the Lunar Module. The CSM moves away from the S-IV-B.

“Houston, we’ve got a good separation,” says Swigert.

“Odyssey, the S-IV-B is stable,” replies CAPCOM.

“Translation looks good,” says Swigert.

“We confirm that, Thirteen, ” says CAPCOM.

“Okay, we’re gonna start to pitch around,” says Swigert, “to line up with the LM.”

“You know, Fredo, Frank Borman? Was upchucking most of the way to the Moon on Apollo 8,” says Lovell.

“I’m alright,” says Haise, “I just ate too much breakfast. Let’s go to work.”

Swigert’s hand is on the controller. He pulls it back slightly.

“And, pitching up,” says Swigert. “Pitch rate, two point five degrees per second.” The LM and the S-IV-B appears next to the pilot’s reticle.

“Roger, Jack,” says CAPCOM, “Uh, we see you pitching around.” Deke is standing over the CAPCOM, looking back at the NASA Director in the back row.

“Keep an eye on that telemetry,” says Kranz.

“Roger that,” says TELMU.

“If Swigert can’t dock this thing, we don’t have a mission,” says a controller.

“How’s the alignment?” Lovell asks Swigert.

“GDC? It’s aligned,” replies Swigert, pressing the “GDC ALIGN” button.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick: Ray McKinnon

“Thrusting forward,” says Swigert, nudging the RCS controller.

“One hundred feet,” says Haise, watching out his window.

“Watch the alignment now,” says Lovell. Swigert fires two bursts with the RCS jets, and glances at Lovell.

“Hey, don’t worry, guys,” says Swigert, “I’m on top of it.”

The CSM edges closer to the LM.

“How are we looking, Fredo?” asks Lovell.

“We’re not there yet,” replies Haise. “Forty feet!” he calls out to Swigert.

Swigert watches through his reticle as he closes on the LM.

“Twenty,” says Haise. Swigert lines up the reticle with the LM’s target.

“Come on, rookie,” says Deke Slayton, “Park that thing.”

“Ten feet,” says Haise.

The CSM probe gets within inches of the LM’s drogue target.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis

Looking through the reticle, Swigert sees that he’s aligned with the target.

The CSM probe pin is aimed directly at the LM’s drogue.

Swigert makes a slight roll thrust. There’s a grinding noise.

“Capture,” says Swigert.

“That’s it!’ says Lovell.  The A and B docking indicators display barber poles.

“Talkback is barber-poled,” says Lovell.

“Go ahead and retract,” says Swigert.  Lovell throws the RETRACT switch.  There’s a mechanical thump as the two spacecraft connect.

“Houston,” says Swigert, “We have hard dock.”

“Roger, understand,” says CAPCOM. “It’s a good deal, Jack!”

Deke Slayton turns to the NASA Director and they both point at each other as a sign of success.

Gene Kranz smiles.

The CSM backs the LM away from the S-IV-B.

“Okay, Houston,” says Haise, “We have LM extraction.” There’s a Quindar tone.

“We copy that, Thirteen,” says CAPCOM. “Now you’re off to the Fra Mauro Highlands.” There’s another Quindar tone.

“I gotta get out of this suit,” says Swigert to Lovell and Haise.

“Uh, Houston, we are ready for the, uh, beginning of the PTC, and I think once we’re in that barbecue roll,  uh, Jack and I will eat,” says Lovell, looking at Haise.

“Hey, I’m hungry,” replies Fred.

“Are you sure?” asks Lovell.

“I could eat the ass out of a dead rhinoceros,” replies Fred.  Lovell laughs.

Back in Houston, it’s shift change. EECOM White Team is cleaning out his pipe into an ashtray, while EECOM Gold Team is standing next to him.

“We got a smooth one, huh?” asks EECOM Gold.

“On the numbers, so far,” replies EECOM White. “We just ran a minimum test on the -”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
NASA Director: Joe Spano
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
EECOM Gold Team John Aaron:  Loren Dean

The scene fades.

TITLE: DAY 3 APRIL 13

The CSM and Lunar Module are in rotisserie mode, rolling along the long axis of the two spacecraft.

Lovell is using the urine collection system in the lower equipment bay.

“Aw, it’s too bad we can’t demonstrate this on TV,” says Lovell. “What a shame,” he smiles.

“Okay, overboard dump coming up,” says Lovell. He presses a switch labeled “URINE DUMP,” then turns a knob marked “OVBD DRAIN DUMP.”

“Here it comes,” says Lovell.

“The Constellation Urion,” says Haise. A spray of ice crystals exits the Command Module.

“Now that’s a beautiful sight,” says Haise.

In the Lovell residence, Marilyn knocks on her daughter’s bedroom door.

“Barbara,” says Marilyn, “Barbara, we are going to your father’s broadcast!”

“No!” says Barbara through the closed door. “I’m never coming out! I hate Paul! No one else can play another one of their records again!”

“She’s still going on about the s-” begins Susan Lovell.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
EECOM Gold Team John Aaron:  Loren Dean
Marilyn Lovell:  Kathleen Quinlan
Barbara Lovell: Mary Kate Schellhardt
Susan Lovell: Emily Ann Lloyd

Barbara Lovell is having an argument with her mother about…

“the stupid Beatles breaking up!” says Susan Lovell.

“They’re not stupid! You’re stupid!” shouts Barbara.

“Barbara! Barbara!” says Marilyn, “I know you’re in mourning…”

“I’m not going, Mom!” says Barbara. “Dad won’t even know if we’re there!”

“The whole world is going to be watching this broadcast, young lady, and so are we,” replies Marilyn, pulling a red and white polka-dot dress out of Barbara’s closet.

Later, at the Mission Control Center, Jim Lovell appears on the video monitor.

“Okay,” says Lovell. “Good evening, America, and welcome aboard Apollo Thirteen! I’m Jim Lovell, and we’re broadcast to you tonight from an altitude of almost two hundred thousand miles, away from the face of the Earth, and we have a pretty good show in store for you tonight. We are going to show you what life is like here in the vast expanse of space…”

Mission controllers aren’t paying much attention to the video screen. Marilyn, Barbara, and Susan Lovell sit in the visitors’ viewing lounge. One of the flight controllers turns his head to watch baseball player Jimmy Wynn rounding third base on a baseball broadcast from a nearby monitor.

“The first thing we’d like to do is provide you with the appropriate background music,” continues Lovell. “So, uh, hit it there, Fredo.”

“Hello world!” says Fred Haise, as he presses the PLAY button on his cassette player. “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum begins to play. Haise spins the cassette player in zero gravity.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
EECOM Gold Team John Aaron:  Loren Dean
Marilyn Lovell:  Kathleen Quinlan
Barbara Lovell: Mary Kate Schellhardt
Susan Lovell: Emily Ann Lloyd

Fred Haise’s children, watching in the visitors’ gallery at Mission Control, laugh. Mary Haise smiles.

Jim Lovell looks displeased. “That was supposed to be the Theme to 2001, in honor of our Command Module, Odyssey, but there seems to be a last-minute change in the program.”

“When I go up there on Nineteen, I’m going to take my entire collection of Johnny Cash along,” says CAPCOM.

In a corner of the viewing room, PAO Henry Hurt is looking at a group of TV monitors. None are showing the broadcast, but are airing shows such as I Dream of Jeannie, Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In, Bewitched, and a game show.

“Where’s their broadcast?” asks Marilyn.

“Hey Marilyn,” replies Henry. “All the networks dumped us. One of them said we made going to the Moon as exciting as a trip to Pittsburgh.”

In a nursing home, Jim Lovell’s mom, Blanch,  is trying to watch the broadcast.

“My son is supposed to be on!” she says to another resident. “He’s in outer space.”

“This is all the channels we get, Mrs. Lovell,” explains an orderly, changing the channels but not finding any Apollo broadcasts.

“It’s that damned TV Guide again,” says Blanch. A Samsonite commercial featuring a gorilla throwing a suitcase around a cage appears on screen.

Meanwhile, Fred Haise is demonstrating orange juice in zero gravity.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
EECOM Gold Team John Aaron:  Loren Dean
Marilyn Lovell:  Kathleen Quinlan
Barbara Lovell: Mary Kate Schellhardt
Susan Lovell: Emily Ann Lloyd
Blanch Lovell: Jean Speegle Howard
Henry Hurt: Xander Berkeley

In Mission Control, Marilyn Lovell is talking to Henry Hurt.

“Do they know they’re not on the air?” asks Marilyn.

“We’ll tell them when they get back,” replies Henry.

“Uh, well, if – if anyone from the- uh, from the IRS is watching, I, uh, forgot to file my – my – my Ten Forty return. I mean, I meant to do it today but –” says Jack Swigert.

“That’s no joke!” says EECOM, “They’ll jump on him!”

The Flight Director smiles and exhales cigarette smoke.

“Well, folks,” says Fred Haise, “Let’s head on down to the Lunar Excursion Module! Follow me!”  Fred floats down the access tunnel to the LM.

“Now, when we get ready to land on the Moon,” narrates Jim Lovell, “Fred Haise and I will float down this access tunnel into the Lunar Module, leaving Jack Swigert in -”

“EECOM,” says Gene Kranz, “That – that stir’s going to be on both H-Two and both Oh-Two tanks, is that correct?”

“–spacecraft will remain connected,” continues Lovell.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
EECOM Gold Team John Aaron:  Loren Dean
Marilyn Lovell:  Kathleen Quinlan
Barbara Lovell: Mary Kate Schellhardt
Susan Lovell: Emily Ann Lloyd
Blanch Lovell: Jean Speegle Howard
Henry Hurt: Xander Berkeley

Jim Lovell continues his narration of the TV broadcast from Apollo XIII, as “Honkey Tonkin'” by Hank Williams plays in the background.

“Well, folks, as you can probably tell, ” says Lovell, “the Aquarius isn’t much bigger than a couple of telephone booths. The skin of the LM in some places is only as thick as a couple of layers of tin foil, and that’s all that protects us from the vacuum of space.”

Fred Haise does several somersaults in the cabin of the Lunar Module.

“We can get away with this because the LM is designed only for flight in outer space,” continues Lovell.

Haise spins a flashlight, sunglasses, a cassette tape, and a ball of aluminum foil in the cabin, while sticking his tongue out at the camera.

“Fred Haise,” says Lovell, “Renaissance  Man. Okay, we’ll head back up the tunnel now, back into the Odyssey — ”

Lovell floats back down the access tunnel.

“Alright,” says Lovell, “we’ve returned to the Command -”

Haise twists a lever labeled “CABIN PRESSURE VALVE” in the Lunar Module. There’s a loud bang.

“Standby one, Houston,” says Lovell, looking around nervously.

Gene Kranz looks at his console.

“Gotcha!” says Haise, laughing.

“Ah,” says Lovell, “Houston, that bang you heard was Fred Haise on the Repress valve. He really gets our hearts going every time with that one.”

Lovell turns toward the camera.

“Okay,” says Lovell, “we’re about to close out the -”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Marilyn Lovell:  Kathleen Quinlan
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris

Jim Lovell is completing the narration of the Apollo XIII TV broadcast.

“-Aquarius, and return to the Odyssey,” says Lovell, ” our next broadcast will be from Fra Mauro, on the surface of the Moon. So, this is the crew of the Apollo Thirteen, wishing everyone back on Earth  a – – a pleasant evening.”

The screen goes dark.

“Alright,” says Marilyn Lovell, standing up and motioning to her children to leave.

“Daddy was funny!” says Fred Haise, Jr.

NASA PAO Henry Hurt stops Marilyn Lovell. “You know,” he says, “they might air a few minutes on the news tonight.”

“You’d think so,” says Marilyn.  She and the children walk toward the exit, Henry saying “Bye,”  to Barbara Lovell.

“Well,” says Lovell, stowing an oxygen hose in the Lower Equipment Bay of Odyssey, “Between Jack’s back taxes and the Fred Haise Show, I’d say that was a pretty successful broadcast!”

“That was an excellent show, Odyssey,” says CAPCOM.

“Thank you very much, Houston,” says Jack Swigert.

“Uh, we got a couple of housekeeping procedures for you,” says CAPCOM, “We’d like you to roll right to zero-six-zero and null your rates.”

“Roger that,” says Swigert, “Rolling right, zero-six-zero.” Swigert punches numbers into Odyssey’s DSKY computer interface.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Marilyn Lovell:  Kathleen Quinlan
Barbara Lovell: Mary Kate Schellhardt
Susan Lovell: Emily Ann Lloyd
Henry Hurt: Xander Berkeley
Fred Haise, Jr.: Taylor Caldwell
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen

“And then,” says CAPCOM, “if you could give your oxygen tanks a stir…”

“Roger that,” says Swigert.

EECOM puffs his pipe and looks at his console.

Swigert toggles the O2 switches 1 and 2 to ON.

Deep inside the Service Module, a wire burns and splits.

There is a rumble, and suddenly alarm buzzers are sounding.

Swigert looks at his console.

Lovell looks down the LM tunnel.

Haise looks at the wall of the LM.

On the Service Module, rivets pops. A panel explodes and blows off the side of the ship.

Haise is hammered against the docking latch.

A MASTER ALARM warning flashes on the CM console.

“Hey, we’ve got a problem here,” says Swigert.

Lovell climbs up out of the tunnel into Odyssey, and looks at Swigert. “What did you do?” asks Lovell.

“Nothing!” says Swigert, “I stirred the tanks.”

In Houston, the consoles blank momentarily , and are filled with gibberish on their screens.

“Whoa!” says TELMU.

Kranz looks at the nonsense display, and glances at CAPCOM.

“This is Houston,” says CAPCOM, “Say again, please?”

“Houston,” says Lovell, “We have a problem.”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen

“We have a Main Bus B undervolt,” says Lovell, throwing a switch on the battery selector indicators. “We’ve got a lot of thruster activity here, Houston.”

“What’s the story with the computer now?” asks Swigert.

“It just went offline,” replies Lovell.

Haise hurries through the LM tunnel.

“There’s another Master Alarm, Houston,” says Lovell.

“I’m checking the quads,” says Swigert.

“Christ, that was no repress valve!” says Haise.

“Maybe it’s in Quad C,” says Swigert.

“We’ve got a computer restart,” reports Lovell.

“I’m going to reconfigure the RCS,” says Swigert.

“We’ve got a PNGS light ( Apollo Primary Guidance, Navigation and Control System),” says Lovell.

“The way these things are firing doesn’t make any sense!” says Swigert.

“We’ve got multiple cautions and warnings, Houston,” says Lovell.  “We’ve got a reset – restart.”

“Alright,” says Swigert, “I’m going SCS.” Swigert throws a switch that activates the Apollo Stabilization and Control System, taking over control from the Command Module Computer.

A shudder rolls through the ship.

In Mission Control, the Flight Surgeon watches a monitor.

“Jesus,” says the Flight Surgeon, “Flight, their heart rates are skyrocketing.”

“EECOM, what’s your data telling you?” asks Kranz.

“Uh, Oh-Two tank Two not reading at all,” says EECOM, “Tank One is at seven hundred and twenty one PSI and falling. Fuel cells One and Three are – – oh boy, what’s going on here? Flight, let me get back to you?”

“Flight, GNC , ” says GNC, “Flight, they’re all over the place – – they keep going close to gimbal lock.”

“I keep losing radio signal, ” says COMMS, “their antenna must be flipping around.”

“-P22, they’re going to have to do it manually, if not at all – -” continues GNC.

“One at a time, people!” replies Kranz. “One at a time, one at a time. EECOM, is this an instrumentation problem, or are we looking at real power loss here?”

“It’s reading – ” begins EECOM.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

“– reading a quadruple failure? That can’t happen!” says EECOM. “It’s gotta be instrumentation.”

“Let’s get that hatch buttoned,” says Lovell to Swigert as they diagnose the problem in the Command Module. “Maybe the LM got hit by a meteor.”

“That tunnel’s really torquing with all this movement,” says Haise. “Uh, Houston, we had a pretty large bang there, associated with the Master Alarm?”

Swigert puts the hatch in the tunnel.

“S–t, it’s Main Bus A,” says Haise. Another set of alarm lights, above the MET indicator showing “0565513,” begin to light up.

“Houston,” says Haise, “We have a Main Bus A undervolt, now two – -it’s reading twenty five and a half. Main Bus B is reading zip right now. ”  The CM shakes. “We’ve got a wicked shimmy up here!”

Back in Houston, Kranz looks at his flight controllers.

“EECOM, GNC,” says Kranz, “These guys are talking about bangs and shimmy up there. That doesn’t sound like instrumentation to me.”

“You are breaking up, Thirteen,” says CAPCOM as Swigert continues to try and secure the hatch to the LM tunnel.

Lovell is having difficulty riding the flight controls.

“Can’t get this hatch to seal!” says Swigert.

“Yeah, just – just  stow it,” says Lovell. “If we’d been hit by a meteor, we’d be dead by now. Gonna try to get us out of this lurch.”

“Houston, you’re still in the mud,” says Haise, “did you say switch to Omni Bravo?”

“Roger that,” says CAPCOM. Swigert tumbles into the tunnel.

“Roger,” says Haise, “And the signal strength on the high-gain is-”

“It’s fighting me here, Jack!” says Lovell. “We keep flirting with gimbal lock!”

“Odyssey,” says CAPCOM, “We need a confirmation — what systems do you have down?”

“Okay, Jim,” says Swigert, “SM RCS, Helium One, A and -”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

“-and B are barber-poled,” adds Swigert.

“Houston,” says Lovell, “I’m switching over Quad C to Main A.” He throws a switch.

“Roger that, Thirteen, “says CAPCOM.

“Okay,” says Swigert, “Fuel Cell One, Fuel Cell Three, we got a Main Bus B undervolt,  Cryo pressure Two Compressor, … what don’t we have? AC Bus One, AC Bus Two, Command Module Computer, and Oh Two Flow High … I dunno – maybe this is a caution and warning thing. ”

Glancing at a mirror, Lovell notices venting steam outside the ship.

“Houston,” says Lovell, looking out Window One. “We are venting something out into space. I can see it outside Window One, right now. It’s definitely a gas of some sort… ”

The CSM and LM yaw crazily toward a crescent Moon.

“It’s gotta be the oxygen,” says Lovell.  Swigert and Haise look at the Cryogenic Tank gauges. O2 Tank Two is close to empty, both in pressure and quantity.

Everyone at Mission Control pauses to absorb this information.

Kranz looks at CAPCOM.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

All the flight controllers start talking over each other. It rapidly becomes a cacophony of voices.

“Okay, listen up!” says Kranz. “Quiet down. Quiet down!  Let’s stay cool, people. Procedures, I need another computer up in the RTCC. I want everybody to alert your support teams! Wake up anybody you need, get them in here! Let’s work the problem, people. Let’s not make things worse by guessing.”

“Thirteen, this is Houston,” says CAPCOM. “We are going around the room, now.  We’re going to get you some answers.”  The space craft tumble toward the Moon, spewing a silver mist.

“I tell you, we keep venting like this, ” says Swigert, “We’re going to keep hitting the edge of that dead band!”

“Hey,” says Haise, “Take a look at the Oh- Two on Number One. ”

Lovell leans over in his couch, and looks at the dials. The Number One tank pressure is dropping.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

“Two hundred pounds and falling,” says Haise.

“Oh-Two Tank Two, still zero,” says EECOM. “Tank One, Two Eighteen PSI and falling.”

“Is that what you’re getting?” asks Haise. “Confirm!”

“Uh, we’re seeing the same, Thirteen,” says CAPCOM.

“Can we review our status here, Cy?” Kranz asks EECOM, “Let’s look at this from a, uh, from a standpoint of status. Uhh – what have we got on the spacecraft that’s good?”

EECOM pauses, and looks at his screen. “I’ll get back to you, Gene,” says EECOM.

On the ship, the three men look at the oxygen gauge.

“We’re not gonna have power much longer,” says Haise. “The ship’s bleeding to death.” There’s another rumble from deep in the spacecraft.

EECOM continues to look at his monitors.  He rubs his eyes under his glasses.  He pushes his comm button. “Flight?” says EECOM.

“Yeah, go EECOM,” says Kranz.

“Uh, Flight, I recommend we shut down the reactant valves of the fuel cells,” says EECOM.

“What the hell good is that gonna do?” asks Kranz, stepping over to EECOM’s console.

“If that’s where the leak is, we can isolate it,” replies EECOM. “We can isolate it there – ”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

“We can save what’s left in the tanks and we can run on the good cell,” he explains to Gene Kranz.

“You close them, you can’t open them again. You can’t land on the Moon with one healthy fuel cell!” says Kranz.

EECOM stands up from his console. “Gene,” he says, “the Odyssey is dying.  From my chair here, this is the last option.”

Kranz looks at EECOM and considers the news. The other flight controllers look at Gene.

“Okay, Cy,” says Kranz. The other controllers await orders. Deke Slayton looks at Gene, as well as the NASA Director.

“CAPCOM,” says Kranz, “Let’s have them close the reactant valves.”

“Thirteen, this is Houston,” says CAPCOM. “We want you to close REACT valves on cells One and Three. Do you copy?”

In the Command Module, Jim Lovell tries to digest this order. “Are you saying you want the whole smash?” he asks. “Closing down the REACT valves for fuel cell shutdown? Shutting down – -”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
NASA Director: Joe Spano
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

“– the fuel cells? Did I hear you right?” asks Lovell.

“Yeah, they heard me right,” says Kranz to CAPCOM. “Tell them we think that’s the only way they can stop the leak.”

“Yeah, Jim,” says CAPCOM, “uh, we think that closing the REACT valves may stop the leak.”

Lovell says nothing, but glances over to Haise.

“Did he copy that?” asks Kranz.

“Do you copy, Jim?” asks CAPCOM.

“Yes, Houston,” replies Lovell, “we copy.”

He looks at his crewmates. “We just lost the Moon,” says Lovell.  Swigert looks at the panel. Haise looks at Lovell. The ship makes a groaning noise.

“Okay, Fredo,” says Lovell, “shut those down.”

Haise looks at the switches. “Let’s see what this does,” he says, pressing the 1 and 3 switches to OFF.

The three astronauts look at the pressure gauge, which continues to fall.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
NASA Director: Joe Spano
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

“If this doesn’t work,” says Swigert, “we’re not gonna have enough power left to get home.”

Staring at the meter, the gauge stands at 200 PSI, then begins to drop precipitously.

EECOM watches his console as the pressure and quantity continues to drop.

The needle on the Command Module’s panel drops to zero.

“S–t!” says Haise.

“God dammit!” says EECOM.

“Uh, Houston,” says Haise, “Oh-Two on One is still falling.”

Lovell looks out Window Number One and considers the plumes of vapor pouring into outer space.

“Fredo, how long does it take to power up the LM?” asks Lovell.

“Three hours, by the checklist,” replies Haise.

“We don’t have that much time,” says Lovell.

Haise realizes the implications of the time constraint. “S–t!” he repeats, and dives into the LM tunnel, operations manual clenched between his teeth.

“Okay, now, Jack, before the batteries completely die on us in here, let’s uh, let’s power down everything, so we can save as much as we can for re-entry,” says Lovell.

Back at Mission Control, Kranz and EECOM huddle for a conference.

“We have fifteen minutes of oxygen, and that’s it,” explains EECOM, “the Command Module will be dead.”

“Okay,” says Kranz. He turns to the other controllers. “Okay-” he begins.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
NASA Director: Joe Spano
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

“Okay, we gotta transfer all control data over to the LM computer before the Command Module dies,” says a controller.

Kranz turns to the NASA Director. “The Lunar Module just became a lifeboat,” explains Gene. The Director nods his head.

“Odyssey, this is Houston,” says CAPCOM. “Uh, we need you to power down immediately, and you’ll have to power up the LM at the same time, so you’d better get somebody over there.”

“We already have Fredo in the LM, Houston,” replies Lovell.

“We’ve got serious time pressure here, Jim,” says CAPCOM. “You’ve got to get the guidance program transferred, and you’ve got to do it before you’re out of power in the Command Module, or you’re not going to be able to navigate up there.”

“How much time?” asks Lovell. “Can you give me a number?”

“Well,” says CAPCOM, “We’re looking at less than fifteen minutes of life support in the Odyssey.”

Lovell unhooks his seatbelt and floats down the tunnel to the LM.

“We’ve got fifteen minutes, Fredo,” says Lovell, “it’s worse than I thought.”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
NASA Director: Joe Spano
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson

“Uh, Houston, ” says Lovell, “Be aware that I’ve moved from the Command Module into the LM.”

Meanwhile, Gene Kranz talks to fellow Flight Director Glynn Lunney.

“Now, if Jack can’t get that guidance computer data transferred before they go dead in there –” says Gene.

“– he won’t even know which way they’re pointed,” finishes Lunney.

“That’s right,” agrees Kranz.

“That’s a bad way to fly,” says Lunney.

“I’ll be in Two Ten if you need me,” says Kranz.

“Okay,” says Lunney. Kranz leaves the MCC.

The CSM’s Reaction Control System continues to fire random bursts, trying to maintain course.

“Houston,  this is Thirteen,” says Swigert, “Are you back with me now?”

Haise is thrown against the ceiling of the LM.

“Aquarius, this is Houston,” says CAPCOM, “You now have about twelve minutes to power up.”

“I can’t see any stars!” says Haise, trying to get a fix with the LM’s sextant. “Man, there’s a lot of debris floating around out there.”

“Okay, Houston, I’ve completed the steps on Page Fifteen – now I’m ready to power down the computer,” says Swigert in the Command Module.

Lovell hears him from the LM and shouts, “I’m going to need your gimbal angles, Jack! Before you shut down the computer!”

“Okay, Jim!” replies Swigert.

Back in Mission Control, the controllers are having a conference around CAPCOM’s workstation.

“They need this back to me before they power down,” says TELMU, handing CAPCOM a pad.

“Houston,” says Lovell, “our computer is up.”

“Roger that, standby – ” says CAPCOM. Lovell is writing course alignment angles on a flight worksheet.

“Now, Jack,” continues CAPCOM, “we need to proceed through steps twelve through seventeen quickly. Because you’re down to, uh –”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
NASA Director: Joe Spano
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson
Glynn Lunney: Marc McClure

“– about eight minutes remaining,” says CAPCOM.

“Okay,” says Swigert. “Fuel cell pumps off, Oh Two fans, Tank Two off.”

“Okay, uh, Houston, check me,” says Lovell, “I’ve completed these gimbal conversions, but, uh, I need a double-check of the arithmetic.”

“Uh, yeah,” says CAPCOM, “You can go, Jim.”

“Okay,” says Lovell, “The Roll cowl angle is minus two. Lunar Module roll is three five five point five seven…”

Four flight controllers simultaneously copy his numbers.

“Pitch, one six seven eight, correction, pitch one six seven point seven eight,” continues Lovell, “Yaw is three five one point eight seven.”

“Standby,” says CAPCOM, “We’re checking it.” The controllers examine the numbers.

“We’ve got negative visibility in our star field, but if this paperwork isn’t right, who knows where – – where we’ll end up out here?” says Lovell. Controllers are using slide rules to confirm the math.

Haise does his own calculations.

“Looks good, Flight!” says a controller.

“It’s alright,” says a second controller.

“Good here, ” says a third controller.

“He’s good, Andy!” says a fourth controller.

“Okay, we’re go on those numbers,” says Glynn Lunney.

“You’re go, Jim!” says CAPCOM.

“Log ’em in, Fredo,” says Lovell, tossing the pad to Haise.

“Jack, turn off the IMU, switch to SCS,” says CAPCOM. “Standby thrust – over.”

Dick Cavett is in the middle of his opening monologue.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Gene Kranz: Ed Harris
EECOM White Team: Clint Howard
TELMU White Team: Jim Meskimen
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Deke Slayton: Chris Ellis
NASA Director: Joe Spano
Flight Surgeon: Christian Clemenson
Glynn Lunney: Marc McClure
Dick Cavett: Himself

“It’s a great day in New York,” says Cavett. “It’s girl-watchers’ weather. I like those ingenious girl watchers who put on Con Edison helmets and dig trenches in the streets to get a better view…”

The studio audience laughs.

“But I  – – ” continues Cavett, “Hey, speaking of girl watching things,  do you know that our first bachelor astronaut is on his way to the Moon? Is it Swigert?”

“Yes,” his announcer responds.

“Yeah,” replies Cavett, “First bachelor, and he’s the kind they say has a girl in every port. He has that reputation. I think he’s sort of foolishly optimistic, though — taking nylons and Hershey bars to the Moon.”

The audience laughs. Mattingly takes another drink from his can of Budweiser.

“Did you read that three million – – do you say less viewers or fewer viewers?” asks Cavett, “Three million — three million fewer viewers watched the last space shot than did the last one.”

Mattingly stands up and takes his phone off the hook.

“I talked to — Colonel Borman said that-“Cavett continues, but Mattingly walks behind the TV and doesn’t look at the screen as he reaches to turn off the TV. Just as he does so, a graphic with the words “APOLLO 13 SPECIAL REPORT” appears on the screen.

“An ABC News – ” begins the announcer, but Mattingly has already pressed the power button, and the screen goes dark.

Meanwhile, at the Lovell household, the ABC broadcast continues.

“Here is ABC Science Editor Jules Bergman,” says the announcer. Bergman appears on screen.

“The Apollo 13 spacecraft has lost all electrical power,” says Bergman. “and astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert are making their way through the tunnel to the Lunar Module using it as a life-”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Gary Sinese as Ken Mattingly
Dick Cavett as Himself
Jules Bergman as Himself

“-life boat,” continues Bergman, “so they’ll have electrical power for their radios on the Command Module. Apollo 13 is also apparently losing breathing oxygen, and the astronauts may have to use the LM -”

Marilyn crosses in front of the TV while on the phone with NASA.

“So, what exactly does that mean?” she asks.

Pete and Jane Conrad are at the Lovell house. Pete is on another phone in Jim’s den. Jane watches the ABC report while daughters Susan and Barbara Lovell watch with her.

“The emergency has ruled out any chance of a lunar landing, ” says Bergman, “and could endanger the lives of the astronauts themselves.  If the LM oxygen supply, plus whatever’s left of the Command Module’s oxygen can’t last them until they can get back to Earth.”

“What do you mean there’s no immediate danger?” says Marilyn into the phone. “I – I just heard they’re losing oxygen! Can they get back?

“It’s not clear if the LM’s descent engine will be used in aborting the mission, ” continues Bergman, “and getting the astronauts safely back to Earth. Recapping what has happened now: the Apollo 13 astronauts may be in grave danger…”

“No, don’t give me that NASA bulls–t!” says Marilyn into the phone. “I want to know what’s happening with my husband!”

Back in Aquarius, Jim and Freddo are working through checklists.

“Okay,” says CAPCOM, “We want to switch control to Aquarius now.”

“Roger that,” says Jack Swigert in Odyssey.

“Houston, wait!” says Lovell.

“And you’re down to about five minutes,” continues CAPCOM, as Swigert is flipping switches on the Command Module panels.

Both ships shudder.

“Whoa,” says Freddo, “The RCS isn’t up yet!”

“Houston,” repeats Jim Lovell, “Be aware: our RCS isn’t up here yet! We have no attitude control on Aquarius!”

The ships tumble in deep space between the Earth and the Moon.

CAPCOM looks at Glynn Lunney.

“They don’t have control?” asks Lunney. “Did we miss a step here? Control? What the hell?”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jules Bergman: Himself
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Pete Conrad: David Andrews
Jane Conrad: Michele Little
Barbara Lovell: Mary Kate Schelhardt
Susan Lovell: Emily Ann Lloyd
Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Jack Swigert: Kevin Bacon
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
Glynn Lunney: Marc McClure

Aquarius and Odyssey tumble in space. The RCS thrusters on Aquarius fire.

“We’re all out of whack,” says Lovell. “We’re trying to pitch down but we’re yawing to the left. Why can’t I null this out?” Jim twists the controller in his right hand.

“She wasn’t designed to fly attached like this,” says Haise. “Our center of gravity is the Command Module.”  The CSM and LM stack continues to spin crazily.

Lovell sighs. “It’s like flying with a dead elephant on our back,” he says.

“Flight,” says GUIDO, “Guidance – – we’re getting awfully close to center here!” GUIDO waves at his telemetry screen.

“Aquarius,” says CAPCOM, “Watch that middle gimbal. We don’t want you tumbling off into space.”

“Inform Houston that I’m well aware of the goddamn gimbals!” shouts Lovell.

“Roger that, Houston,” says Freddo, calmly.

“I don’t need to hear the obvious,” continues Lovell, “I’ve got the frappin’ eight ball right in front of me!”

“Andy,” says Glynn to CAPCOM, “We’re on VOX!”

“Uh, Aquarius, this is Houston,” says CAPCOM, “We’ve got you both on VOX.”

“You want what?” asks Haise. “You want us to go to VOX, Andy?”

“You have a hot mic,” replies CAPCOM. “We are reading everything you say.” Lovell glances at Haise.

“Sorry, Jim,” says Fred, switching off the VOX setting and changing to Push To Talk.

Back in the Lovell home,  Jules Bergman of ABC News is still on television.

“And it’s only by a very narrow margin,” says Bergman, “that we’re going to get Lovell, Haise, and Swigert back alive.”

“Marilyn?” says Jane Conrad. Marilyn, kneeling down in front of the TV, looks up.

“I’m sorry,” continues Jane, “Jeffrey’s calling for you.”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jules Bergman: Himself
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan
Jane Conrad: Michele Little
Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
CAPCOM: Brett Cullen
GUIDO White Team: Andy Milder
Glynn Lunney: Marc McClure

Marilyn gets up to check on her youngest son, Jeff.

Jeff is inside a desk fort made of bedsheets. The bedsheets are decorated with galaxies, planets, and starts. He shines a flashlight around the bedsheets in his darkened bedroom.

“Jeffrey?” calls Marilyn, entering the dark room. Jeffrey shines the flashlight at his mother.

“Why are there so many people here?” asks Jeffrey.

“Oh,” says Marilyn, “well, your dad’s flying his mission.”

“He said he was going to get me a Moon rock,” says Jeffrey, climbing out from his desk fort.

“Right,” says Marilyn, smiling. “Well – – something broke on your daddy’s spaceship – – and he’s going to have to turn around before he even gets to the Moon.”

Jeffrey ponders this new information. “Was it the door?” he asks.

180,000 miles away from Houston, Jim Lovell struggles to keep Aquarius’s attitude straight.

“Thirteen, Houston,” says CapCom. “We show that venting has pushed you around. How are you doing?”

“Houston, Aquarius,” replies Lovell,” We’ve had to learn how to –”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
CapCom: Brett Cullen
Fred Haise: Bill Paxton
Marilyn Lovell : Kathleen Quinlan
Jeff Lovell: Miko Hughes

“Roger that, Aquarius,” says Capcom.

“Have ’em close it out,” says Flight Director Glynn Lunney.

“Jack,” says Capcom, “uh, we can close out your procedure now.”

“Now,” replies Swigert,”do we know for sure that we can power this thing back up? It’s going to get awfully cold in here.”

“Copy that, Jack,” says Capcom, “We’re just have to deal with that later.”  Swigert stabs a button, and the computer turns off.

“Computer off,” says a mission controller.

“We’re clear,” says another controller.

“We’re go on the LM,” says a third controller.

Lunney nods at the Capcom.

“We confirm shutdown, Jack,” says Capcom. “Lunar Module now in control.”

Swigert turns off the cabin lights and looks at the darkened Command Module.

“Roger that, Houston,” says Swigert. “This is Odyssey, signing off.”  Jack takes a last look around the dark ship, and heads back down the tunnel to Aquarius.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Mark McClure as Glynn Lunney
Brett Cullen as Capcom
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Ray McKinnon as FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick
Andy Milder as GUIDO White Team

“Freddo,” says Jim Lovell, “We’re going to have to execute some sort of a burn here. It’s just a matter of when.” Lovell notices Swigert at the back of the LM. Swigert steadies himself with a hand on the docking port.

“Did they shut us all down in there?” asks Lovell.

“Yeah,” replies Swigert.

“Didn’t think we’d be back in here so soon,” says Haise. “Uh, Houston, how far off course do you project we are, over?” Lovell looks out the window.

Meanwhile, Kranz assembles the Mission Control team in room 201.

“Okay people,” says Kranz, “Listen up! Gentlemen, I want you all to forget the flight plan. From this moment on, we are improvising a new mission.” Kranz turns on an overhead projector. The lamp in the projector burns out. Kranza pushes the projector aside and raises the screen, revealing a blackboard.

“How to get our people home,” continues Kranz. He draws and outline of the Earth and the Moon, and a trajectory reaching almost to the Moon.

“They are here,” he says, marking an X at the end of the trajectory.

“Straight back, direct abort?” says someone in the crowd. A chorus of “Nos” greets the suggestion.

“No sir,” says FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick. “We get them on a free-return trajectory.  It’s–”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Ray McKinnon as FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick
Andy Milder as GUIDO White Team

“I agree with you,” says Kranz, “Use the Moon’s gravity, slingshot them around.”

“No,” says the Grumman representative, “The LM will not support three guys for that amount of time!”

“It barely holds two,” says another controller.

“I mean, we’ve got to do a direct abort, ” continues the Grumman guy. “We do an about-face, we bring the guys right home, now.”

“Get ’em back soon,” says another controller. “Absolutely.”

“We don’t even know if the Odyssey’s engine’s even working,” replies Bostick. “There’s been serious damage to this spacecraft –”

“– they blow up and they die!” finishes GUIDO.

“That is not the argument!” says the Grumman guy. “We are talking about time! Not whether or not these guys –”

“I’m not going to sugar coat this for you!” replies GUIDO.

“Okay, hold it,” says Kranz, “Let’s hold it down. Let’s hold it down, people. The only engine we’ve got with enough power for a direct abort is the SPS on the Service Module. From what Lovell has told us, it could have been damaged in an explosion, so let’s consider that engine dead. If we light that up, it could blow the whole works. Just too risky. We’re not gonna take that chance. About the only thing the Command Module’s good for is re-entry, so that leaves us with the LM — which means free return trajectory.   Once we get the guys around the Moon, we’ll fire up the LM engine, make a long burn, pick up some speed, and get ’em home as quick as we can. ”

“Gene?” asks one of the controllers.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Ray McKinnon as FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick
Andy Milder as GUIDO White Team

The Grumman rep shrugs. “We can’t make any guarantees,” he says. “We designed the LM to land on the Moon, not fire the engine out there for course corrections.”

“Well,” replies Kranz, “Unfortunately we’re not landing on the Moon, are we?” The Grumman guy nods.

“I don’t care what anything was designed to do,” continues Kranz. “I care about what it can do. So let’s get to work. Let’s lay it out, okay?”

Back in Mission Control, technicians are sapping out equipment modules from a console.  Technicians talk to each other.

TITLE: DAY 4

The Flight Surgeon talks to CapCom.

“After this burn,” says the Flight Surgeon, “we’ve got to build some time in the flight plan for them to get some sleep.”

“Run it by the FAO,” says CapCom.

“I’ve run it by the FAO,” replies the Flight Surgeon.

Gene Kranz enters Mission Control, joining a discussion with Glynn Lunney, Deke Slayton, and the NASA director.

“He specifically wanted a quote from a flight director,” says the Director.

“Who wanted a quote?” asks Kranz.

“The President,” replies Deke.

“The President?” repeats Kranz.

“Nixon,” says Lunney. “He wants odds.”

Kranz is shocked. “We are not losing the crew,” he says.

“Gene,” says the NASA Director, “I’ve got to give him odds. Five to one against? Three to one? ”

“I don’t think they’re that good,” replies Lunney.

“We are not losing those men!” says Kranz. Gene steps away to his console. Deke looks at the NASA Director.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Ray McKinnon as FIDO White Team Jerry Bostick
Andy Milder as GUIDO White Team
Kenneth White as Grumman Rep
Christian Clemenson as Flight Surgeon
Chris Ellis as Deke Slayton
Mark McClure as Glynn Lunney
Joe Spano as NASA Director

Gene Kranz sits at his console and rubs his eyes.

Slayton turns to the NASA director and whispers, “Look, tell him three-to-one.”

In the depths of space, a Quindar tone sounds. Aquarius and Odyssey are silhouetted in the sunlight. “Expect loss of signal in one minute,” says Capcom. “When we pick you back up, we will have your PC Plus Two data.”

“Okay, roger that, Houston,” replies Haise, “We’ll hear from you again at Acquisition of Signal.”

Lovell glances at the crew as the ship approaches the Moon at pericynthion. “You want a look?” he asks, and glides to the back of the LM cabin.

“Oh, look at that!” says Haise. Swigert moves to Lovell’s window.

“Wow,” says Swigert.

Marilyn sits on her bedroom floor, listening to the NASA squawk box.

“Aquarius, that’s thirty seconds to loss of signal,” says Capcom.

The lunar surface looms large in the LM windows.  Hadley Rille is clearly visible.

“Mare Tranquilitatis, ” says Haise. “Neil and Buzz’s old neighborhood. Comin’ up on Mount Marilyn!”  Freddo aims a camera at the window. “Jim, you’ve gotta take a look at this!”

“I’ve seen it,” says Lovell.  Fred looks at him.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Chris Ellis as Deke Slayton
Mark McClure as Glynn Lunney
Joe Spano as NASA Director

The distant Earth hangs in space.  Apollo 13, surrounded  by torn Kapton foil and debris, glides above the lunar surface.

“Aquarius, this is Houston,” says Capcom. “Expect loss of signal in approximately ten seconds.”

“So long, Earth, “says Swigert. “Catch you on the flip side.”

Lovell looks at his watch as the ship passes into the shadow of the Moon.

Back in the visitors’ gallery of Mission Control, all networks are showing coverage of Apollo 13. A videotaped press conference with Jack Swigert is being played on one of the monitors.

“And when you go into the shadow of the Moon,” says Swigert, “and the Moon is between you and the Sun, then you see stars that are more brilliant than the clearest nights here on Earth.”

Gene Kranz faces away from the monitors in the gallery.

“And then you pass into the lunar sunrise,” continues Swigert. “over the lunar surface, and, uh, that must be an awe inspiring sight. I can’t wait to see it myself.”

Frank Reynolds of ABC News appears in a contemporary video clip.

“The problem now is,” says Reynolds, “not so much a question of inadequate oxygen supply, but it is the rate of consumption of water, which is vitally  needed for the cooling operations of the electronic systems…”

Marilyn listens to static on her NASA squawk box in her bedroom.

In the LM, Fred Haise holds a camera that he would have used on the lunar surface.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Ed Harris as Gene Kranz
Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Frank Reynolds as Himself

Lovell switches on a ceiling light in the LM.

Back in Houston, Marilyn quietly cries in a chair, listening to static on the NASA squawk box. The scene fades to black.

Along the limb of the Moon’s far side, sunrise lights up Apollo 13. Lovell squints in the sunshine.

“Look,” says Haise, “it’s Fra Mauro. I can see our landing site.”

“Wow,” says Swigert, “Look at that Tsiolkovskiy Crater! I can’t believe how bright the ejecta blanket is.”

“Like snow,” says Haise.  “It’s beautiful.” The lunar surface fills the LM window. “That’s Mare Imbrium to the north.”

Lovell looks out at the Moon through the LM window.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Lovell imagines what it would have been like to have a successful landing. He pictures taking the last few steps down the ladder, and standing in the bowl of the LM footpad.  Placing his left foot on the powdery surface,  Lovell raises his visor, smiling. The LM is parked on the edge of the Fra Mauro highlands.

Jim Lovell has a loping gait as he bounds across the lunar surface, leaving an iconic bootprint in the dust.  He takes a knee, and runs his gloved hand through the regolith. In the distance, a half-lit Earth looms on the horizon. Lovell takes in the scene, his Navy anchor emblem clearly visible on the hood of his helmet.  The camera draws closer to Lovell, and the Earth fills the frame.

The scene shifts back to the reality of Jim Lovell watching the passing lunar surface from the LM window.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

“Thirteen, this is Houston,” says Capcom. “We’re reading your telemetry. Good to see you again!”

Lovell looks out the left LM window, while Swigert and Haise look out the right window.

“Good to see you, too, Houston,” replies Haise.

In the Lovell bedroom, Marilyn listens to the NASA squawkbox.

“We’re picking you up at approximately seven thousand sixty-two feet per second,” says Capcom, “at a distance from the Moon of fifty-six nautical miles.”

Lovell watches the Earth rise over the lunar surface. He holds his thumb at arm’s length, and covers the entire disk of the Earth with his thumb.

“Standby for your PC Plus Two burn data,” says Capcom.  Lovell lowers his arm.

“Gotta tell you,” says Haise, “I had an itch to take this baby down, though – – do some prospecting. Damn, we were close.”

Lovell looks at his crew. “Gentlemen,” he says, “what are your intentions?”

They both look at Lovell.

“I’d like to go home, ” says Lovell. He sighs. “We’ve got a burn coming up. We’re gonna need a contingency if we lose comm with Houston. Freddo, let’s get an idea where we stand on the consumables. Jack, get into the Odyssey and back up all the water you can before it freezes in there.”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell
Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell
Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert
Bill Paxton as Fred Haise
Ned Vaughan as Capcom 2

“Let’s go home,” says Lovell.

“Aquarius we’ve got some PC+2 burn data for you fellas…” says Capcom.

Back in the conference room, Gene Kranz is writing numbers on a blackboard.

“So you guys are telling me you can only give our guys forty-five hours? That brings them to about there,” says Kranz, marking a spot about halfway back to Earth. “Gentlemen, that’s not acceptable.”

There’s a bunch of voices in the room, arguing about the numbers.

“Gene, Gene, we’ve got to talk about power here! Whoa, whoa guys – power is everything,” says John Aaron. “Power is everything.”

“What do you mean?” asks Kranz.

“Without it, they don’t talk to us, they don’t correct their trajectory, they don’t turn the heat shield around… we gotta turn everything off.  Now,” says Aaron. “They’re not going to make it to reentry.”

“What do you mean everything?” asks Gene Kranz

“With everything on, the LM draws sixty amps. At that rate, in sixteen hours, the batteries are dead, not forty five,” says John Aaron. “And so’s the crew. We’ve got to get them down to twelve amps.”

“Twelve amps?” asks another engineer.

“You can’t run a vacuum cleaner on twelve amps, John!” says another engineer.

“We have to turn off the radars, the cabin – ” says John Aaron.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Ed Harris as Gene Kranz

Loren Dean as John Aaron

“– heater, instrument displays, the guidance computer, the whole smack,” says Aaron.

“Whoa, guidance computer?” asks EECOM Gold. “What if they need to do another burn, Gene? They won’t even know which way they’re pointed!”

“The more time we talk down here, the more juice they waste up there – – I’ve been looking at the data for the past hour,” says Aaron.

“That’s the deal?” asks Kranz.

“That’s the deal,” replies John Aaron.

“Okay, John, “says Gene, “The minute we finish the burn, we’ll power down the LM.”

“Alright,” says John Aaron, and leaves.

“Now, in the meantime,” says Kranz, “we’re gonna have a frozen Command Module up there. In a couple of days, we’re going to have to power it up using nothing but the reentry batteries.”

“Never been tried before, “says one engineer.

“Hell,” says another engineer, “we’ve never even simulated it before, Gene.”

“Well, we’re going to have to figure it out,” says Gene, “I want people in our simulators, working reentry scenarios.” John Young leaves for the simulator room.

“I want you guys to find every engineer who designed every switch, every circuit, every transistor, and every light bulb that’s up there, then I want you to talk to the guy on the assembly line who actually built the thing. Find out how to squeeze every amp out of both of these goddamn machines!” says Kranz, picking up a piece of chalk and walking back to the mission map. “I want this mark all the way back to Earth –”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Ed Harris as Gene Kranz

Loren Dean as John Aaron

Ray McKinnon as EECOM Gold

Ben Marley as John Young

“We’ve never lost an American in space,” says Kranz, “We’re sure not gonna lose one on my watch! Failure is not an option!”

In Mattingly’s apartment, his phone is off the hook.  John Young has the apartment manager open the door to Apartment Five.

“Ken? Ken?” called Young, as he walks through the apartment looking for Mattingly. “Good, you’re not dead. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for forty-five minutes.” He turns on the bedroom light.

“Jesus, John – what are you doing here?” says Mattingly, still waking up. Young turns on another light.

“We’ve got to get you in the simulators. We’ve got a ship to land,” replies John Young.

“What?” says Ken, as Young turns on the bathroom light.

“There’s been an explosion,” says John Young. “Oxygen tanks are gone, two fuel cells gone, the Command Module’s shut down.”

“What about the crew?” asks Mattingly.

“The crew’s fine so far,” replies Young. “Trying to keep them alive in the LM. We’re gonna have to shut that down again pretty soon, too. We’ve got a lotta people working the numbers on this one, Ken, and nobody’s too sure about how much power we’re gonna have when we hit reentry. The Command Module’s going to be frozen up pretty good by then. ”

Later, in the simulator room, John Aaron turns on an ammeter.

“If you see this ammeter rise up over twenty, the power-up is no good,” says Aaron. “If you see it spike, that’s sayonara for the guidance computer. Our guys can’t reenter, okay?”

“How much power do we- ” begins another engineer.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Ed Harris as Gene Kranz

Loren Dean as John Aaron

Gary Sinese as Ken Mattingly

Ben Marley as John Young

“Barely enough to run this coffee pot for nine hours, ” replies John Aaron. “Go,” says Aaron to his microphone.

“Yeah, Ken Mattingly just got here,” says the voice on the other end of the headset.

“Copy,” says Aaron, turning to the engineer. “He’s here.”

“They’ve been losing heat since the accident,” says John Young, “They’re going to start getting a lot of water condensation on the control panels.”

“Ken,” says John Aaron, as they walk toward the Command Module simulator, “Glad you’re here. Know what’s going on?”

“John’s brought me up to speed,” says Ken. “What do we have left in the batteries?”

“We don’t really know,” says Aaron.

“Well, we’ve got to get started on some shortcuts for power-up,” says Ken.

“You know how short?” asks Aaron.

“Well, it’s all in the sequencing, John, “says Ken. “Let’s skip whatever we don’t absolutely need and turn things on in the right order. Maybe –”

“I agree,” says Aaron.

“Have you started on a procedure?” asks Ken.

“Well, the engineers have tried, ” replies Aaron, “but , I mean, – – it’s your ship. We’ve gotta get you in there.”

“Okay, ” says Ken. He sees Frank, the other engineer. “Frank,” he says, “I need the sim cold and dark, give me the exact same conditions they’ve got in there now. And I need the present status of every instrument.”

“You’ve got it,” says Frank.

“I need a flashlight,” says Ken. Someone hands him a large yellow flashlight. “That’s not what they have up there. Don’t give me anything they don’t have onboard.”

“Let’s get this show on the road,” says John Young to the other engineers. “Put him in space, fellas!”

Back on the real LM, Lovell looks at a circuit breaker panel. “Okay Houston, ” says Lovell “The quad heater circuit breakers are open.” He throws more switches.

“Copy that,” replies Capcom.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Loren Dean as John Aaron

Gary Sinese as Ken Mattingly

Ben Marley as John Young

“Forward Omni when Earth’s in the window, and we’re switching to Aft Omni when we see the Moon,” says Haise.

“We copy that, Thirteen,” says Capcom. “Aquarius, we don’t want you to make any more waste dumps. The venting may push you off course.”

“Good Christ,” says Haise.

“What’s up?” asks Swigert.

“No more waste dumps,” replies Lovell. “We’re just gonna have to store it. Jack, we’re gonna need some more urine bags.”

Swigert taps his spoon against his bag of dinner.

“Okay, Houston, that leaves us with just the computer – – which I’m shutting down now, ” says Lovell. Swigert tags his spoon to a piece of velcro on the wall.

Lovell presses a few buttons and the computer goes dark.

“And that’s it,” says Lovell. “We just put Sir Isaac Newton in the driver’s seat.”

Back on Earth, in a computer tape library, engineer sleep on the floor.

“Is it AM or PM?”  asks an engineer.

“AM,” replies another GUIDO White. “Very, very AM.”

In the same room, the flight surgeon talks to Deke Slayton.

“Haise is running a temperature,” says the flight surgeon, “and none of them has slept since the explosion…”

“I can’t order these guys to go to sleep!” replies Deke Slayton. “Would you sleep up there?”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

Andy Milder as GUIDO White

Christian Clemenson as Flight Surgeon

Chris Ellis as Deke Slayton

“Gene,” says one of the controllers, “we’ve got another situation brewing with the carbon dioxide.”

“We’ve got a CO2 problem on the Lunar Module,” says the second controller. “Five filters on the LM -”

“Which were meant for two guys for a day and a half – ” says the first controller, “So I told the doc – ”

“They’re already up to eight on the gauges,” says the flight surgeon. “Anything over fifteen, and you get impaired judgement, blackouts, the beginnings of brain asphxia – ”

“What about the scrubbers on the Command Module?” asks Gene.

“They take square cartridges,” says the second controller.

“The ones on the LM are round,” explains the first controller.

Gene rubs his nose. “Tell me this isn’t a government operation,” says Gene.

“This just isn’t a contingency we’ve remotely looked at,” says the first controller.

“Those CO2 levels are going to be getting toxic,” says the flight surgeon.

“Well, I suggest you gentlemen invent a way to put a square peg in a round hole,” says Gene. “Rapidly.”

In an engineering lab, engineers and controllers dump boxes of equipment on a work table.

“Okay people, listen up,” says an engineer. “The people upstairs handed us this one, and we gotta come through. We gotta find a way to make this,” he says, holding up a square cartridge, “fit into the hole for this,” holding up a round cartridge, “using nothing but that,” he continues, pointing at the work table equipment.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Andy Milder as GUIDO White

Christian Clemenson as Flight Surgeon

Ed Harris as Gene Kranz

“Okay, let’s get it organized,” says an engineer.

“Let’s build a filter,” says another engineer.

“Better get some coffee going, too,” says another engineer.

Back at the Lovell household, Marilyn Lovell is watching television. ABC Science reporter Jules Bergman is narrating stock footage of Lovell and Haise.

“The Haise family lives in El Lago, Texas. His wife, Mary, is from Biloxi, Mississippi. When Fred Haise was growing up in Biloxi, he may have looked ahead to a fine family, but he never dreamt of – ”
The stock footage fades to a Haise interview.

“I’d never flown, really, until I went into the service,” says Haise. “and I only went into the flying business as a means to get a commission.”

Marilyn is seated on a sofa, watching television.

“Good morning,” says the Public Affairs Officer, entering from the front door.

“Henry,” says Marilyn, “Don’t you ever sleep?”

“I, uh, I have a request from the news people,” says Henry.

“Uh-huh,” says Marilyn.

“They’re out front here, and they want to put a transmitter on the lawn?” Henry points out the window.

“Transmitter?” asks Marilyn, getting up from the couch and walking to the window.

“Kind of a tower for live broadcasts,” replies Henry.

Marilyn looks out the window. A dozen or more media people are walking over the Lovell front lawn, while a Sheriff’s deputy looks on.

“I thought they didn’t care about this mission,” says Marilyn. “They didn’t even run Jim’s show.”

“Well,” says Henry, “It’s more dramatic now. Suddenly, people are -”

“Landing on the Moon wasn’t dramatic enough for them, why should not landing be?” asks Marilyn.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Xander Berkeley as Henry

Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell

“Look,” says Henry, the Public Affairs Officer for NASA, “I , um, I realize how hard this is, Marilyn, but the whole world is caught up in it – it’s the biggest story since – ”

“No, Henry!” replies Marilyn. “Those people don’t put one piece of equipment on my lawn. If they have a problem with it, they can take it up with my husband. He’ll be home – – on Friday.”

Back in the Lunar Module, Lovell, Haise, and Swigert try to conserve their energy in the frozen cabin.

=DAY 5= says a caption.

“Honky-Tonkin'” by Hank Williams, is playing at a slow speed on the cassette player. Haise pops a couple of pills in zero gravity. Lovell sees his breath frost. Lovell floats back from the Command Module.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Xander Berkeley as Henry

Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

“Hey Freddo,” says Lovell, pointing back through the docking port. “It’s too cold back there.”

Haise turns off the cassette player that was playing a slowed-down version of Hank Williams, Jr’s “Honky – Tonkin'”

“Yeah,” agrees Haise. Freddo looks at a card that was stored by his family. The card says:

TOUCH THE MOON FOR US

I LOVE YOU – Mary

Love, Mary

Love, Fred

0h7wwf-  (Steven)

“That’s a nice one of Mary,” says Lovell, holding up a snapshot. “You don’t look too good, Freddo,” he adds.

“I’ll survive,” says Haise.

“There’s some aspirin in the medical kit-” says Lovell.

“I took some,” says Haise. “Jim, I’m alright.”

There’s a pause. “It was an accident,” says Freddo.  “Mary getting pregnant. You should have seen the look on my face when she told me.”

“Well,” says Lovell, “That has a tendency to happen.”

“Yeah,” replies Haise, smiling.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

“Wonder if it’s a boy or a girl?” says Haise.

“You’re gonna find out soon enough,” says Lovell.

“Sure,” says Haise, looking out the window at the Moon. “I never dreamed I’d get to do something like this – – come up here on a real mission. Most of the guys I graduated high school with never even left home, and here I am.”

“Yeah,” says Lovell. “Here y’are.”

“It hurts when I urinate,” says Haise.

“Well, you’re not getting enough water,” replies Lovell.

“No, I’m drinkin’ my rations, same as you,” says Haise. “I think old Swigert gave me the clap. He’s been pissing in my relief tube.”

“Well, that’ll be a hot one at the debriefing,” replies Lovell.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

“That’s another first for America’s space program,” says Lovell.

“Listen,” says Haise, “um, I’ve been going over some stuff, and I’m a little worried about this cold affecting our battery efficiency. See. we quit heating the glycol to save water and power, so that’s not helping us any.”

Meanwhile, Swigert heads down the docking tunnel from the Command Module.

“So, it could cost us amp hours on the back end?” asks Lovell.

“It’s a possibility,” replies Haise.

Swigert floats into the Lunar Module, interrupting the conversation.

“I’ve been going over the numbers again,” says Swigert. “Have they called up with a reentry plan yet? Because we’re coming in too shallow.”

“We’re working on something, Jack,” says Lovell. “Just hold on.”

“All right, all right,” says Swigert.

Haise continues to discuss the battery temperature issue. “I can’t remember the ratio to temperature,” says Haise. “We’ve got no references on board.”

“Well,” says Lovell, “let’s see if Houston can pull up the milspecs on it and we’ll-”

“Listen. Listen. Listen!” says Swigert. “They gave us too much Delta-V. They had us burn too long. At this rate we’re gonna skip right out of the atmosphere, and we’re never gonna get back!”

Haise and Lovell look at Swigert.

“What’re you talking about?” asks Haise. “How did you figure that?”

“I can add!” replies Swigert.

“Jack,” says Lovell, “they’ve got half of the Ph.D’s on the planet working on this stuff.”

“Houston says we’re right on the money,” adds Haise.

“What if they had made a mistake, all right,” replies Swigert, “and there was no way to reverse it?”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

“You think they would tell us?” asks Swigert. “There’s no reason for them to tell us!”

“What you mean they’re not gonna tell us?” replies Haise. “That’s bullsh–!”

“All right!” says Lovell. “There are thousand things that have to happen in order we are on number eight, you’re talking about number six hundred ninety-two.”

“And in the meantime, “replies Swigert, “I’m trying to tell you we’re coming in too fast. I think they know it, and I think that’s why we don’t have a goddamn re-entry plan!”

“That’s duly noted,” says Lovell. “Thank you, Jack.”

Swigert bangs his head on the tunnel access.

“Ow!” yells Swigert. “Goddamn this piece of sh–!”

“Hey!” responds Haise. “This piece of sh–‘s gonna get you home!”

“All right,” says Lovell.

“That’s because it’s the only thing we’ve got left, Jack!” shouts Haise.

“What’re you saying, Fred?” asks Swigert.

“Well, I think you know what I’m saying,” replies Haise.

“Now wait a minute,” says Swigert, “All I did was stir those tanks.”

“What was that gauge reading before you hit the switch?” says Haise.

“Hey,” says Swigert, “don’t tell me how to fly the damn CM! All right?”

“You don’t even know, do you?” asks Haise.

“They brought me in here to do a job,” replies Swigert, “they asked me to stir the damn tanks and I stirred the tanks!”

“Jack,” says Lovell, “stop kicking yourself in the ass.”

“This is not my fault!” says Swigert.

“No one is saying it is,” replies Lovell. “If I’m in the left-hand seat when the call comes up, I stir the tanks.”

“Yeah, Well tell him that,” says Swigert.

“I just asked you,” says Haise.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

“I just asked you what the gauge was reading!” says Haise

“All right,” begins Lovell.

“And you don’t know!” yells Haise.

“All right,” says Lovell, “we’re not doing this, gentlemen! We’re not gonna do this. We’re not gonna go bouncing off the walls for ten minutes, ’cause we’re just gonna end up right back here with the same problem: trying to figure out how to stay alive!”

CAPCOM GOLD breaks in: “Aquarius, this is Houston.”

“Are we on VOX?” shouts Lovell.

“No, we’re not on VOX!” replies Haise, loudly.

“Yeah, Houston, this is Aquarius. Go ahead, “says Lovell, quietly into the microphone.

“Ah, yeah, Jim,” says CAPCOM – GOLD. “Could you check your CO2 gauge for us?”

“Yeah, Houston,” replies Lovell, “We were just looking at that. Our CO2 measurement has jumped four notches in the last hour.”

“That can’t be right,” says Haise. “I went over those numbers three times.”

“Jim, that sounds about right,” replies CAPCOM-GOLD. “We were expecting that.”

“Well, that’s very comforting to know, Houston,” says Lovell, “What do we do about it?”

“Jim, we’re working on a procedure down here for you,” replies CAPCOM-GOLD. “Do you copy?”

“Oh, Christ,” says Haise, looking at his worksheet.

“All right, Houston,” says Lovell. “We’re standing by for those procedures.”

“Christ, I know why my numbers are wrong,” says Haise. “I only figured it for two people.”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

Brett Cullen as CAPCOM-GOLD

“Maybe I should just hold my breath,” says Swigert.

Back in Houston, the engineers have devised a carbon dioxide scrubber adapter. A television blares in the background.

” … the deadly CO2 gas is literally poisoning the astronauts with every breath…” says the news anchor.

“Heads up. Heads up!” yells a technician.

“Oh, Go, Go, Go!” says another engineer.

“Someone get that,” says another technician, pointing at a dropped hose.

“Heads up, people! Look out now,” says the first technician, making his way to the MCC.

At the CAPCOM station, Andy the CAPCOM looks at the assemblage on his console. “What’s this?” he asks.

“That’s what they gotta make,” explains the technician.

“Well I hope you got the procedures for me,” replies Andy.

“Right here,” says the technician, holding out a sheaf of papers.

“That’s it?” asks CAPCOM.

“All right, Aquarius, this is Houston. do you have the flight plan up there?” says CAPCOM into his headset.

“Affirmative, Andy. Jack’s got one right here,” replies Haise.

“Okay,” says Andy. “We have a… an unusual procedure for you here. We need you to rip the cover off.”

Haise looks at Swigert. “He wants you to rip the cover off the flight plan,” says Haise.

“With pleasure,” replies Swigert, ripping off the cover.

“All right,” says Andy. “Now the other materials you’re gonna need there are a lithium hydroxide canister… two lithium-”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

Brett Cullen as CAPCOM / Andy

Walter von Huene as Technician

“Canisters, I’m sorry,” says Andy. “A roll of gray tape.”

“Duct tape,” corrects the technician.

“The duct tape,” repeats Andy. “You need an LCG (Liquid-Cooled Garment) bag, two LCG bags, red suit hoses and you’ve
got the flight plan cover.”

Lovell scrambles inside the Command Module to find the salvaged equipment.

Back in Houston, Henry the Public Affairs Officer fields questions at a press conference.

“What about their level of carbon dioxide?” asks a female reporter

“It’s, uh, climbing,” replies Henry.

“You’re saying that they’re almost out of breathable air?” asks another reporter.

“No, wait a second. Wait a second,” says the NASA Director.  “That’s- that’s not what he said. He said we’re working on it.”

Back on the ship, the three astronauts listen to the instructions radioed up by CAPCOM.

“You wanna cut the duct tape three feet long,” says CAPCOM.

“Tell him to use his arm,” says the technician.

“Just use your arm. It’s a good arms length,” explains CAPCOM.

“Okay. Houston, I see what you’re getting at, hold on,” says Haise. “Okay, Jack. Tear that piece of tape down the middle
lengthwise.”

“Alright?” asks CAPCOM.

“Hold on, Houston,” replies Haise.

A news anchor continues to explain the situation on TV.

“Well, the astronauts appear to have enough oxygen to keep them alive,” says the newsman. “One thing they have too much of is carbon dioxide. With each breath that three men exhale more of the poisonous gas into the lunar module cockpit and the scrubbers intended-”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

Brett Cullen as CAPCOM / Andy

Walter von Huene as Technician

Xander Berkeley as PAO Henry

Julie Rowen as Reporter

Herbert Jefferson, Jr. as Another Reporter

Joe Spano as NASA Director

On board Aquarius, Jim Lovell coughs as he helps assemble the makeshift scrubber.

Fred looks at a rip in one of the bags. “Sh-t, I tore it,” says Haise.

“Sh-t,” echoes Swigert.

“Houston, what do we do if we rip the bag?” asks Haise. “Can we tape it?”

At Mission Control, CAPCOM turns to the technician. “They just tore the bag,” says CAPCOM.

“Oh, no,” says the technician.

“All right, stand by,” says CAPCOM. He turns to the technician. “What should I tell them to do?”

“They should have one more bag,” replies the technician.

On CBS, Walter Cronkite is talking to astronaut Wally Schirra.  “Well,” says Cronkite, “they still got a long way to come, and they are now working on their back-up facilities, their emergency facilities and the problem is if anything more goes wrong, they’re in real trouble.”

In deep space, the crew works on the carbon dioxide contraption. A roll of duct tape floats insie the Lunar Module as the camera pulls back out the window.

CO2 partial pressure continues to rise, creeping closer to the fatal 15 ppm on the gauge.

The crew is experiencing tunnel vision and blurriness.

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

Brett Cullen as CAPCOM / Andy

Walter von Huene as Technician

Walter Cronkite as Himself

Wally Schirra as Himself