13 Minutes to the Moon (Podcast)

“Houston, we’ve had a problem.” To ignite catastrophe would take just the flick of a single switch. Why Nasa’s third bid to land on the Moon was flawed from the start.

“We were in deep, deep trouble.” This is Mission Control like you’ve never heard it before. After the explosion, denial and disbelief turn to dread. #13MinutestotheMoon Watch our videos: www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes Presented by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Starring: Jim Lovell Jack Lousma Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Sy Liebergot Bob Heselmeyer, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Fred Haise John Aaron Marilyn Lovell Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker

The astronauts are fighting for their lives. As the oxygen level plummets, they must escape to the lunar lander. It's a desperate act of survival for which the crew has never trained. #13MinutestotheMoon See our film about the Lovell family: www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes Presented by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Starring: Glynn Lunney Ken Mattingly (courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project) Merlin Merritt Jim Lovell John Aaron Fred Haise John Devaney Jerry Bostick Poppy Northcutt George Kalan Dave Reed Chuck Deiterich Marilyn Lovell Susan Lovell Jay Lovell Written by Kevin Fong and Mark Rickards

Power must be brutally rationed after the crew fly around the Moon. As systems are switched off, their cold, dark ship is reduced to little more than a husk coasting in space. #13MinutestotheMoon Watch videos about the Apollo 13 mission: www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes Presented by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Starring: Gerry Griffin Jim Kelly Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project John Aaron Jim Lovell Fred Haise Dave Reed Jerry Bostick Chuck Deiterich Merlin Merritt Bill Peters Written by Kevin Fong and Mark Rickards

“We were being poisoned by our own exhalation.” Carbon dioxide threatens to kill the crew. Mission control must improvise as the most fragile system of all is under threat: the astronauts themselves. #13MinutestotheMoon For a film about how the crew made the makeshift CO2 adaptors: www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes Presented by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Starring: Jim Lovell Merlin Merritt Anthony England Ed Smylie, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Fred Haise Marilyn Lovell Ken Mattingly Charles A Berry Joe Kerwin Gerry Griffin Written by Kevin Fong and Chris Browning

The crew are off course, 200,000 miles from home and without a guidance computer. Their lives now depend on their flying skills - and Jim Lovell’s wristwatch. #13MinutestotheMoon For more Apollo films and photos: www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes Presented by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Starring Chuck Deiterich Jim Lovell Poppy Northcutt Fred Haise Jim Kelly John Aaron Joe Kerwin Written by Kevin Fong and Chris Browning

“I still have nightmares about this.” Can the crew survive the dangers of re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere? An error could see them either incinerated or becoming lost forever in deep space. #13MinutestotheMoon For more Apollo films and photos: www.bbcworldservice.com/13minutes Presented by Kevin Fong. Archive: Nasa Starring Jim Lovell John Aaron Dave Reed Hal Loden Jerry Bostick Jim Kelly Fred Haise Charlie Duke Joe Kerwin Gene Kranz, courtesy of the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project Chuck Deiterich Marilyn Lovell Gerry Griffin Written by Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker