They had consumed most of their supplies, and now it all came down to the moment of re-entry.
Mission controllers in Houston, Texas, agonized through the last moments of theApollo 13journey.
But some wonders still remained in the minds of fans.
Was the movie true to what really happened?
Did someone really said, Houston, we have a problem?
Is it true that stress generated heated discussions among the crew?
Was duct tape the surprise element that saved the mission?
Here we examine five well-known scenes from the movie, and discuss how they really happened.
Houston, we have a problem
Tom Hanksdelivered one of the most famous lines in cinematic history.
But did Lovell actually said that?
The transcript of that exchange was not so cut-and-dried.
Here is what was actually said over 16 seconds.
02:07:55:19 Fred Haise:Houston, weve had a problem.
Okay, Houston
02:07:55:20 Jack Swigert:I believe weve had a problem here.
02:07:55:28 Jack Lousma (CAPCOM):This is Houston.
Say again, c’mon.
02:07:55:35 Jim Lovell:Houston, weve had a problem.
This dramatic addition was a major reason for disagreement between the movies director and team members of Apollo 13.
This also never happened.
He says he couldnt just lose control and make the team stressed.
It was necessary to remain calm and act with precision to bring them back in safety.
Did duct tape save the day?
At one point during the mission, the crew scrambled to removing carbon dioxide from the air in thespacecraft.
The rig that saved the Apollo 13 crew was a triumph ofingenuity to save lives.
The crew placed the plastic bag over the container and sealed it with duct tape.
But as life imitates art, he wrotea bookwith this phrase as its title.
Is the Apollo 13 movie accurate?
In reality, apart from one or two small details, the movie is extremely accurate.
This was one of the director s greatest concerns.
And I believe he nailed it.
This article was originally published on The Cosmic Companion by Dr. Ana Luiza Dias.
Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companionis also available as a weekly podcast, carried on all major podcast providers.
