In April 1970, the Apollo 13 mission was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It sent astronauts James Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert on the next successful chapter of the Apollo program. But not all missions go as planned.
But Apollo 13, Nasa's third mission to the moon, changed drastically after an explosion destroyed two fuel cells in the spacecraft's service module.
The incident, on 13 April, destroyed the vessel's main power supply and left the oxygen and water supplies in critical condition. Today, the mission is remembered as one of the most intense stories of space exploration with tragedy averted. A story in which Swiss watchmaker Omega plays a central role.
The three astronauts aboard Apollo 13 were each equipped with an Omega Speedmaster Professional chronograph. It was part of NASA's official equipment for all manned missions since 1965.
To save energy, the crew turned off almost all power, even the lines to their digital clocks. This is where Omega stepped in.
The mission was off course by about 60 to 80 nautical miles. But that meant that the entry of the module into the Earth's atmosphere would have been at the wrong angle.
To set the aircraft's course and ensure a safe landing, a precise 14-second fuel burn was required. Without their digital timers, Swigert used the Omega Speedmaster chronograph to time the burn. While Lovell steered the ship using the Earth's horizon.
As mission commander James Lovell later commented: “We used the Omega watch that Jack had on his wrist and I had to control the spacecraft. James timed the engine burn to make that correction so we could return home safely.”.
To great relief, the ordeal ended triumphantly and finally, on 17 April, Apollo 13 landed safely in the South Pacific Ocean.
Later that year, NASA presented Omega with the Snoopy Silver Award in gratitude for its contribution to the success of human spaceflight missions.
Source: somethingaboutrocks.com
