479 - No Bangs

Summary

Podcast Summary: My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

Episode: 479 - No Bangs
Release Date: May 8, 2025
Hosts: Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Network: Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

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Introduction to Apollo 13

In this episode, Karen and Georgia delve into the harrowing and inspirational story of the Apollo 13 mission, highlighting the extraordinary challenges faced by the crew and the ingenuity of both the astronauts and the Mission Control team back on Earth.

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The Apollo 13 Mission: A Brief Overview

Launch and Early Mission Success ([10:03] – [11:30])

• The episode begins with the launch of Apollo 13 on April 11, 1970, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
• The mission's goal was to land astronauts on the Fra Mauro region of the Moon and return safely to Earth.
• The crew consisted of James A. Lovell Jr., John "Jack" Swigert Jr., and Fred W. Haise Jr., each bringing a wealth of experience and camaraderie to the mission.

Facing Crises in Space ([17:56] – [23:15])

• Approximately three days into the mission, a critical failure occurs: a loud bang signals an explosion on board the spacecraft.
• Swigert reports to Mission Control: "Houston, we have a problem." ([18:02])
• The explosion compromises two of the three oxygen tanks, leading to severe power loss and threatening the crew's survival.

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Overcoming Adversity

Transition to the Lunar Module ([19:55] – [24:09])

• With the command module damaged, the astronauts transfer to the lunar module, Aquarius, originally designed to support two astronauts for a short period.
• The lunar module becomes the lifeboat, providing limited resources to sustain three men for the extended journey back to Earth.

Innovative Solutions from Mission Control ([23:15] – [29:44])

• Faced with rapidly rising carbon dioxide levels, Mission Control engineers devise a makeshift device known as the "Mailbox" to fit the lunar module's filters.
• Georgia remarks humorously on the ingenuity required: "It's like MacGyver." ([24:32])
• The successful implementation of the Mailbox significantly reduces CO₂ levels, ensuring breathable air for the crew.

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The Journey Home

Navigating Through Challenges ([33:03] – [37:44])

• The crew must realign their trajectory using the Sun's position to enter a free return path back to Earth, a complex maneuver that relies heavily on precise calculations.
• Mission Control's guidance proves pivotal: "The engineers at Mission Control walk the astronauts through how to put it together." ([29:46])
• Despite limited fuel and power, the astronauts execute the necessary burns, steering the spacecraft safely back.

Safe Splashdown and Aftermath ([37:44] – [40:04])

• On April 17, 1970, Apollo 13 successfully splashes down in the Pacific Ocean near Samoa, marking a miraculous return.
• The crew loses a combined total of 31.5 pounds due to dehydration and starvation but remains unharmed.
• President Richard Nixon awards them the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recognizing their courage and resilience.

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Reflections and Impact

Personal Anecdotes and Host Insights ([40:04] – [43:04])

• Karen and Georgia reflect on the human aspect of the mission, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and quick thinking.
• They discuss the subsequent careers of the Apollo 13 astronauts, noting that neither Jack Swigert nor Fred Haise returned to space, with Swigert passing away from cancer before he could fly again.

Cultural Legacy ([42:06] – [43:34])

• The story of Apollo 13 has been immortalized in literature and film. Karen mentions the 1995 movie Apollo 13 directed by Ron Howard, which popularized the phrase: "Houston, we have a problem." ([42:13])
• They also highlight Hidden Figures, the 2016 film that celebrates the contributions of Katherine Johnson and other African-American women mathematicians at NASA, whose work was crucial to the mission's success.

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Broader Reflections ([43:34] – [45:09])

• The hosts discuss the psychological and physical toll on the astronauts, drawing parallels to their own experiences and stressors.
• They advocate for more open conversations about topics like menopause, tying it back to their personal narratives and the themes of resilience and support.

Closing Remarks ([45:09] – [46:44])

• Karen and Georgia wrap up the episode by thanking listeners and encouraging them to stay connected through various platforms.
• The episode concludes with a light-hearted exchange, reinforcing the camaraderie and supportive dynamic between the hosts.

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Notable Quotes

• Swigert's Iconic Line: "Houston, we have a problem." ([18:02])
• Georgia on Mission Control's Ingenuity: "It's like MacGyver." ([24:32])
• Karen on the Miracle of Safe Return: "That is the miracle of space flight." ([42:13])
• Reflection on Hidden Figures: "She's like, watch how much I should be here. I'm gonna fucking help save everybody." ([43:04])

---

Closing

This episode of My Favorite Murder masterfully intertwines a gripping true story with personal insights and humor, shedding light on one of NASA's most challenging missions. Karen and Georgia's engaging narrative ensures that listeners are both informed and entertained, even if they haven't delved into the Apollo 13 saga before.

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Connect with the Hosts:

• Email: [e-mail]
• Instagram: @MyFavoriteMurder
• Listen on: iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform
• Watch on YouTube: Exactly Right's YouTube page

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Summary prepared based on the transcript provided for Episode 479 - No Bangs of "My Favorite Murder." All timestamps correspond to the transcript segments.

Transcript

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Hi, hello and welcome to my favorite murder.

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That right there is Georgia Hardstart.

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And that, folks, is Karen Kilgariff.

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And we together, ladies and gentlemen, are here to podcast. Have you heard of podcast?

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It's all the rage these days.

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People love it.

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Everyone's doing it. Everyone has multiples, you know?

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And why not do it? Why not get on a mic and just talk it through?

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Yeah, it's the podcast Singularity, guys, and you're part of it. You're part of it by just listening.

[A]

Wait a second. I just had one of Those galaxy brain moments. What if podcasts are the singularity which then birthed humanity? And that's why we are who we are. We're just the results of other people's podcasts on, like, either a different planet.

[B]

Life is just one big podcast loop.

[A]

It's podcast loop.

[B]

And we've gotten to this. We've gotten to the over saturation of podcasts. So now I have to start fucking the cycle all over again. Or get reborn.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

Go through the industrial revolution, Figure out a way to like, the radio, all this shit. The terrestrial.

[A]

I'm super broke. I don't know how to get a job that pays enough.

[B]

Right. And then we go to podcasting, and then podcasting all over again.

[A]

And then careers we've solved. Feels great to live in the solution now. That's what I like about it.

[B]

The solutionarity now is where we're at.

[A]

Can I tell you the ultimate compliment that my little cousin Anna gave me this morning?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

She called me because last night she watched the movie the Shining, and she needed to talk through the trauma that she experienced by watching that. She's 20.

[B]

She's 20. Okay.

[A]

Cute. She used to be the little baby of the family until Nora was born. And then she basically spent all her time kind of actively hating Nora until they were like, you know, a little bit older. And then now they're all best friends. Very cute.

[B]

That's what sisters are.

[A]

Exactly. And Nora never felt it or cared or. She was always like, I love them, and it didn't matter to her. But anyway, she's the best. And she gave me the best compliment. She said, I watched this movie and it reminded me of you.

[B]

Aw, come play with us, Dani. There's Auntie Karen, Right?

[A]

She goes, you're a real burnt orange. In my mind.

[B]

The color palette.

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Yeah. I was like, yeah, Anna, thank you. This means the world to me.

[B]

Huge compliment.

[A]

Yeah.

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I was with my mom last night, and she starts talking about. I said something, and she goes, well, I heard from a true crime podcast that you have to not be polite. And I got really mad and I was like, what true crime podcast are you listening to? She goes, yours. She met mine. But I was so, like, jealous.

[A]

You were ready.

[B]

I was like, who? You're not even in a true crime. She's not even into true crime. Like, what?

[A]

That's so funny. So basically, Janet's getting on the train.

[B]

Well, she's misinterpreting our. Like, she meant fuck politeness. Like, she meant that. We talk about that. But she got it wrong because she doesn't listen, which is for the best.

[A]

What did she think it meant?

[B]

She said, like, be mean or some, like, misinterpretation.

[A]

Surely that works too.

[B]

That works too. And she goes, not like, I mean, I've always been mean, but it was kind of like, funny.

[A]

Oh, Jan. I was like, oh. If she started listening now, she's got some real surprises ahead.

[B]

We all do. I mean, hey, once she starts listening, that's when time implodes. Black hole.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Cut to the beginning. Big bang.

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That's the kind of the final Easter island head that falls. Is Janet pressing play on this podcast? Incredible. Can't wait.

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Well, should I do a story in Janet's honor?

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Let's. And Janet will finally understand what we're doing over here.

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She won't because this is not a true crime story.

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So she'll get it interesting, but she'll.

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Remember it and she'll. Yeah, it's from her time, you know, of life, which is, you know, the late 1900s.

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Janet.

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[A]

Just kick it off. We never do this. Just kick it off.

[B]

Yeah. This is a Apollo 13 mission story. I don't need no preamble.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay, great.

[B]

Right? Did you watch the movie?

[A]

I can't remember.

[B]

It's the 1995 blockbuster starring Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, and Tom Han famously was the one who said, houston, we have a problem. That's like the iconic line, right?

[A]

Space makes me very anxious. So this should be great.

[B]

Oh, okay. It does. Like you're not. Yes. You're not a fan of like being in a spaceship or being in like both of those things.

[A]

It's just vast. I remember having very long deep thoughts about it as a child of like. So you're telling me it just goes on and on in blackness forever and there's no ending and no one knows what's out there. Like it was that kind of shit where I'm like, I don't like that at all.

[B]

I don't like not knowing without any out there.

[A]

So tell me about it. Like tell me about the bad thing that happened out there.

[B]

I feel like this. Let me tell you about the. One of the worst. It's not one of the worst, but this is like an episode about black holes in space and stuff.

[A]

Cool.

[B]

The space time continuum. Okay. The main sources I used in today's story include articles from NASA's website including Apollo 13 mission details with no author listed and Apollo 13 the successful failure by Lee Mahone. And then another article from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museums website titled Conserving the creativity that saved the Apollo 13 astronauts by Lauren Gottschlick and other sources can be found in our show notes. So here we are, 1961, and in response to the ongoing space race between Russia and the US that you're like such a big fan of.

[A]

Huge fan.

[B]

President John F. Kennedy makes the US moon landing a priority goal. And the attempts begin with Project Mercury, which succeeds in placing several astronaut crews into Earth's orbit between 62 and 63. Then there's Project Gemini, fucking go Geminis. And that successfully sends a total of 16 astronauts, US astronauts into low Earth orbit between 65 and 66. So we're like getting going, you know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But then in 1969, Kennedy's goal is finally reached. When you know the story. Is it true? That's not. That's not what this is about. When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin complete the first successful moon landing aboard Apollo 11, blah blah, blah. The moon. We made it. We made it.

[A]

You know, the moon landing. Blah blah, blah, blah, blah.

[B]

Yeah. Was it a fucking soundstage in Burbank? We'll never.

[A]

We'll never know. Or they'll know 40 years in the future and it won't matter by then.

[B]

That's true. A second moon landing happens and then now that that journey to the moon has been completed twice with no really big issues, NASA is confident they can focus the astronauts energies now on acquiring some new scientific data. With this Third moon landing. So before they were just like posing for pictures and shit. Now it's like, let's get down to science.

[A]

Let's really dig some of that moon dirt up and figure out what's on.

[B]

There, snort a big old rail of moon dust and see what happens. So the three astronauts training for the Apollo 13 mission. James A. Lovell, Jr, John Jack L. Swigert, Jr and Fred W. Hayes, Jr and they are armed with some geological training so that they can collect those rock samples, bring them home to Earth for their study. The mission's insignia highlight the skull with the Latin phrase ex luna scientia or from the moon Knowledge. So like, let's study that shit. So on this 10 day mission, Lowell, Swigert and Hayes will journey to the Fra Moro region of the moon. And there they'll retrieve rock samples. So there are two major components of the spacecraft built for the Apollo 13 mission. There's the command service module, which is called the Odyssey, and the lunar module, which is called Aquarius. Odyssey is where the astronauts are housed and control the entire spacecraft. And then the service module is where the fuel and power sources are stored. And then the lunar module is the part that's going to detach and land on the moon, while the other person stays back and, you know, controls it. Okay, So. A graduate of the US Naval Academy, 42 year old James Lovell has logged 572 hours of spaceflight prior to the Apollo 13 mission, making him the most traveled astronaut at this time. While 38 year old Jack Swigert hasn't yet flown to space before. So he's got a deep knowledge of how the spacecrafts are built. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering and aerospace science. So fucking super smart, but a baby.

[A]

In terms of experience.

[B]

Yeah. 35 year old Fred Haise also has a military background, having served in the Marines as a fighter pilot. He studied aeronautical engineering and was working as a civilian research pilot for NASA when he joined the astronaut rank in the same group as Swigert did in 1966. So they're all buds. So let's get to the launch. So it's 2:13pm Eastern Standard Time on April 11, 1970, and the Apollo 13 spacecraft lifts off from Kennedy Space Station in Florida. The team of flight directors, who are like the flight controllers who communicate with the crew, oversee operations from their station at mission Control in Houston, Texas. Okay. Okay.

[A]

Are you having a hot flash?

[B]

I think I'm having a hot flash. Oh my God. I didn't even think about it.

[A]

Oh, no.

[B]

Holy.

[A]

Sucks so bad.

[B]

Oh, my God. I'm totally. Wow. That was like the first time I realized I'm having a hot flash, though, when I wasn't sleeping.

[A]

You might have to go change into a tank top.

[B]

Oh, my God. Okay. So the first five and a half minutes or so go smoothly, which is not enough time for a fucking space flight to go smoothly. Like, that's not.

[A]

Yeah, you need, I don't know, a solid hour if you're going into space.

[B]

A couple of days maybe. Let's go for.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Everyone on board feels a minor vibration from deep within the vessel. And they discover that one of the engines meant to get them up towards the atmosphere has shut off two minutes early. This forces the remaining engine to burn 34 seconds longer than planned. But all goes well and the Apollo 13 aircraft enters orbit safely despite this little hiccup. But foreshadowing, baby.

[A]

Bad omen. Yeah.

[B]

So the journey to the moon is expected to be about three days at 46 hours and 43 minutes in capsule communicator, or CAPCON. Joe Kerwin down in Houston reports that the spacecraft is in real good shape as far as we're concerned, and actually says that they're bored to tears down there. Like, that's how well it's going after.

[A]

It's just fine. They're not worried in any way.

[B]

Yeah. So now let's fast forward to the third day. We're 55 hours into the journey. The crew conduct a routine inspection of the lunar module. Then they take the lone TV camera crew through a lighthearted tour of space. Moon landings that have happened before have been like, big freaking deals. This one is less so. And the general public at this point is like, yawn.

[A]

Basically we've seen it, which is great.

[B]

But also the Vietnam War is going on, so people are a little more concerned with other stuff. And because of the limited broadcast levels, wife Marilyn watches her husband from a VIP room at Mission Control. What kind of snacks were there? Is all I want to know.

[A]

I mean, can I just say tiny pieces of celery. What did he say?

[B]

Tiny sandwiches.

[A]

Tiny sandwiches. The celery with like, cream cheese and some sprinkled stuff on the top.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

60S appetizer.

[B]

Martinis.

[A]

So many martinis.

[B]

So many martinis. And cigarettes. Oh, my God. Everyone was smoking. Chain smoking.

[A]

And that just increases as the stress begins.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. So the broadcast ends at the 55 hour, 46 minute mark of the journey. All systems operational. And the crews on both the ground and aboard the spacecraft are in good spirits. But then just 95 seconds later, at 9:08pm a loud bang rattles the ship. Maybe a loud meow would be the only acceptable loud noise.

[A]

Maybe a loud yawn.

[B]

A loud yawn.

[A]

Please. No bangs on. No bang on the ship.

[B]

No, for once in my life, I'm saying no bangs. I'm talking about my hair, not. Swigert sees a warning light in the vessel's control center that worries him. He radios to ground control and delivers the line that would define the rest of the journey. Houston, we have a problem. Famous. The movie is pretty good, though, if you guys feel like watching a vintage movie. Apollo 13. And then a flurry of warning lights flash on the ship's controls. Two of the three fuel cells used to power the ship are dead. Two out of three. Oh, not good. I don't know.

[A]

Two days into the trip.

[B]

Yeah, three days. Three days.

[A]

Three days into the trip, you run out of gas in space.

[B]

Your engines die, and that cuts off most of their electricity. And then another set of warning lights indicate that one of their two oxygen tanks has emptied completely, and the second one is draining fast. So as the astronauts scramble to troubleshoot the problems, Commander Level glances out the window on his left to see if they are venting something out into space. Basically, just like the gas is leaving the fucking ship. Unfortunately, that gas is the command module's oxygen supply. So the ship they're in, it's the oxygen supply for that ship that they're in. And so it gets dangerously low. And about an hour and a half after the bang, Ground Control and Commander Level reach the same conclusion. If they're going to survive, they all have to transfer over to the lunar module, which was just supposed to go down to the moon, right? So, with just 15 minutes of power left aboard the command module, Level and Hayes make their way to the lunar module. Swigert races against the clock to finish up last minute duties and shut down the command module. He manages to do so just in the nick of time, slipping into the lunar module as the last wisps of oxygen leave the second bank. So they just have to completely abandon ship.

[A]

It's in space.

[B]

In space. In the middle of space also.

[A]

You know, like, you're on, like, a Southwest flight, and the captain comes on and he's so drab, and he's so like, look, here, we're going up to Oakland. Everything's fine. And so, like, these people are professionally calm.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But then in this situation, it's like, is this what rattles a pilot? Is this what gets, you know, A guy like that kind of worked up.

[B]

Because to say, houston, we have a problem. I mean, it's almost like this is what they're trained for, is to stay calm in a situation like this. But like they hopefully and usually don't ever have a reason to test that.

[A]

Yes, right, and yeah, exactly. They would assume they would be, but now they know whether or not they are. Here it is, I think my thing, I would just go blank and kind of lock up and I wouldn't help anything. I would just be like sitting there and they'd be like, come on, pick up those things.

[B]

What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? What are we gonna do? Over and over again.

[A]

I mean, yeah, terrifying.

[B]

But guess what? It only gets worse. So now, obviously the moon landing is 86, let's go.

[A]

We're gonna flake on that, right?

[B]

We're gonna flake on that. Their mission now is to get home safely. And their only chance at doing so is by all of them cramming into this lunar module. There are some positives in the situation. First is that the lunar module does not appear to have been damaged in whatever explosion it was that took place. Second is that the lunar module has plenty of oxygen to sustain everyone on their journey back home. So yay for that.

[A]

Very important.

[B]

Yeah, oxygen. So. However, there are some pretty severe drawbacks because one of the astronauts was always meant to stay back in the command module while the other two went down to. You know, it's called the Moon. The Moon, yeah. It's only built for two people, so it's tight. And while there's plenty of oxygen for all three men, the food and water supply in the lunar module is only meant to last 45 hours for the two people. And a trip home will take them about 90 hours. So trip home is going to be three fucking days.

[A]

Just like back to back, spooning with your workmates, gasping for air. Right, Thirsty.

[B]

Exactly. So they have to do strict rationing. Same with the power supply. There's only enough battery to last 45 hours, so they have to shut down any non essential operations. So they have enough power to get back to Earth, but it is doable. So basically they had brought extra canisters of oxygen over from the command module, but they don't fit into the filters on the lunar module. They're like not made to be switched back and forth. So the abundance of oxygen itself creates another issue. Because that means, as we learned in.

[A]

Science class, too many plants, right? Moss growing everywhere.

[B]

Exactly. No, too much carbon dioxide, which is Dangerous. The spacecraft has special lithium hydroxide canisters that remove the carbon dioxide from the air and keep it safe to breathe on board. But again, the canister supply they have is only meant to last for about two days for two people. So back at square one. They have brought extra canisters over from the command module, but they were not made for the lunar module, so they don't fit. It's like putting a square peg in a round hole. So a day and a half into their escape to the lunar module, on April 15, 1970, a warning light signals a dangerous level of CO2. They're running out of time.

[A]

Outside, inside, constant. Everything's against them.

[B]

Yeah, because everything has to be tested at Mission Control before it can be put to use in the spacecraft. Because you can't test on the spacecraft. It'll blow up. Engineers down in Houston quickly work to devise a solution. They communicate with the astronauts on board. They kind of figure out what they have to use. And then on the ground, the engineers, these smart people, put together a device using whatever items they said they had. A plastic bag, cardstock, a spacesuit hose, and duct tape. Like, this is MacGyver.

[A]

They were MacGyvering from Houston to tell them, you can do this, to fix.

[B]

It, like, based on what you have. It's like when someone's like, what do you have in your fridge? And I'll tell you what to cook for dinner, but your life depends on it.

[A]

I am, no joke, super stressed out right now.

[B]

You are?

[A]

This is stressing me out. Yes.

[B]

That's why I had a hot flash, I think.

[A]

Because you knew it was coming.

[B]

I knew it, and I had to tell it without sounding stupid, because I know there's people who are very smart listening right now who are fucking laughing.

[A]

Look, this is exactly what happened to me with Jack the Ripper in London, where I was like, why did I pick this? Everyone here knows how this actually goes, right?

[B]

Like, there has to be a list. What are you even doing right now? Are you in space listening? Like, that would be.

[A]

Are you. Do you work at jpl? And are you judging us? Because we hope you understand that we are not cosmologists doing this in any way.

[B]

We're not even cosmetologists. Like, we're not even.

[A]

I would love to be.

[B]

God, I went to three months of beauty school, so I basically am.

[A]

Your bangs look great, by the way.

[B]

Thank you. Hey, Karen, I want you to picture yourself going for a drive. What comes to mind?

[A]

Not ever being able to merge on any freeway in Los Angeles. And potholes and crying.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Well, the truth is, the road can feel like it's out to get you at every turn. But, Karen, it doesn't have to be this way.

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The standard forward collision avoidance assist can help prevent or mitigate accidents by alerting you of imminent collision. Oh, my God. This happens to me all the time. And automatically applying the brakes if you don't.

[A]

This is needed. Hyundai vehicles are equipped with a standard driver attention warning system, which constantly monitors your attention levels. Oh, my God. Once detected, it sounds alerts and visual cues to help bring your focus back to the road.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

I mean, get this for me right now.

[B]

With available class exclusive safety features, Hyundai helps to keep you safe. Safe so you can enjoy the drive.

[A]

Learn more about [e-mail] or call 562-314-4603 for complete details.

[B]

That's H Y U N D A I u s a.com or call 562-314-4603. Goodbye, goodbye. Spring is in the air. And that means open windows, outdoor plans, and more time away from home. All the things that burglars love.

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So I get that ping on my phone, on my app that tells me when there's someone, like, on my lawn, I'm such an old lady or like, you know, walking up my driveway because I live up off the street and you shouldn't be there if you're not meant to be there. So, like, if I get the ping that someone's on my lawn and I'm like, I know something's up and I can check it before they even get to the door or break in, in the window, it's great.

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[A]

Time to workshop names, so don't waste time on that. That's fun. You're gonna want to distract yourself by doing that.

[B]

Don't do it. Yeah. Hold for name is not something you can tell people in an emergency situation. So they build it on the ground. Then the engineers at Mission Control walk the astronauts through how to put it together. They demonstrate how to use it once it's put together. And this is all while warning lights are flashing indicating the increasingly dangerous levels of CO2 on board. So like you know when you your phone's running out of batteries and it turns red and you get stressed out? It's like that times a thousand that in space and you might die. In space, the air becomes harder to breathe as the astronauts work diligently to connect the makeshift device and luckily, it works. The CO2 levels start to drop, and the lunar module becomes livable again.

[A]

Thank you, Mailbox.

[B]

Yeah. Is it funny that Tom Hanks would later be in a movie called you'd've Got Mail? And is there any connection there?

[A]

Is it before or after this? I think it's before or in a movie about living at the airport.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That's not related.

[B]

Oh, the airport. It's close enough. They're both going in the same fucking direction.

[A]

What is Tom Hanks lately? Let's just change this into talking about Tom Hanks so I don't have to listen to how stressful this is.

[B]

Love him. And this is even more impressive because not only is this, like, fucking dead battery light flashing, which is not dead battery, they're subsisting on next to nothing while they work. Their water ration is only 6 ounces of water a day. So if you think of, like, a shot of vodka, it's like an ounce, you know? So six ounces, six shots of water.

[A]

I need more. I need, like, the tallest weird plastic cup with a straw.

[B]

Absolutely. Yeah, Absolutely. There's a little fruit juice as well. But the lack of proper hydration even gives Haze a uti, which just to be, like, a team player. I have one too right now. Just I was doing the story, and I was like, you know what? I'm gonna go ahead and wake up Saturday morning with a uti, just to be supportive, that is. Yeah.

[A]

First of all, I didn't know boys could get UTIs. That really sucks.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They are the worst.

[B]

The worst.

[A]

They're the worst.

[B]

How horrible is that? So I add a UTI to this nightmare.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, come on.

[A]

And then someone gets pink eye.

[B]

Right. The lack of food isn't great either. They avoid eating as much as possible so they don't burn through their supply. But when they do eat, it's things like hot dogs, which isn't very nourishing, even though we love them. It's a snack, not a meal.

[A]

A lot of nitrates.

[B]

Right, Right. And various unappetizing wet pack foods. The kind that, like, won't spoil in space. So nothing great. No one's having.

[A]

No one's living life.

[B]

No.

[A]

No one's looking forward to their meal time.

[B]

Right. It's sustenance. It's all. That's all it is. And they actually can't avoid rapid weight loss for the next couple days. So they lose a ton of weight that quickly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So even worse than the dehydration and starvation is the intense cold because they have to keep non essential systems powered off. So there's nothing heating the interior of the lunar module and temperatures drop as low as 38 degrees. So you weren't joking about the spooning. Like that's gotta happen, probably.

[A]

Jesus Christ.

[B]

I know. Like, miserable. Like, think of the worst flight you've ever been on. This is obviously.

[A]

This is some tower air right here.

[B]

Yeah, this ain't good. And because the temperatures are so low and it's so cramped, it's almost impossible to sleep. So they're exhausted, they're delirious. There's just so much going on.

[A]

I relate entirely.

[B]

I just don't know why I thought of this, but they're probably all also chain smokers, so they're not having cigarettes. I don't know why I thought of that, but are astronauts allowed to smoke? I doubt it.

[A]

I'm not.

[B]

No lung capacity.

[A]

What if that was actually the reason that this all happened? Someone like flicked their Sig and then kaboom. Also. But there was people too. Like, those guys are so smart and they, you know, those are big brain people. They'd even back then, they might have been like, yeah, I don't smoke.

[B]

Yes, they may have been. Yeah, yeah, that would make sense. They have to be at the top of their game and breathe in space. You're not gonna like, yeah, okay. So Lovell, Hayes and Swigert have just one more obstacle standing between them and their safe return. It's a big one. It's just navigating home to Earth. Because remember that moon module? You're supposed to go to the moon and then back.

[A]

It doesn't know how to get home.

[B]

It's not supposed to fucking go home. On its own. Oh, oh.

[A]

At all. Oh, no.

[B]

On its own because it's supposed to be attached to the guy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, right. So. But yeah, so its navigation system isn't equipped to handle finding its way back to Earth. Like, they're in a lot of ways. And they fucking knew it. Probably, yeah. Their best shot at getting back to Earth is to enter what's called a free return trajectory. Here's your fucking worst nightmare. Basically, they have to go around the moon and get into a path where gravity can guide them back to Earth without them needing to control the flight. So they're back in relying on gravity. But because they were on a moon landing mission, they had positioned themselves in a hybrid trajectory, which basically means they left the free return course so that they could land in a specific spot on the moon. Now, without the proper navigational system, to maneuver back into a free return trajectory, the astronauts are forced to rely on Mission Control to map out their course. So they're all working together.

[A]

And if they do, if they accidentally land on the moon, that's. That's that, right? Like, they don't. Yeah, I would have.

[B]

Yeah. But if they burn the lunar module engines at the right times in the right direction, they can kind of just basically push themselves on the right course, but also without burning through their fuel supply.

[A]

Jesus.

[B]

Like, this is impo.

[A]

Like, the more you hear about this, it's insane.

[B]

So basically, they're forced to use the sun's position to help achieve a proper alignment of the spacecraft. It's risky because a blast in the wrong direction would send them fucking hurling past Earth into the great unknown. Karen's worst nightmare. I don't forever going forever with chapped lips. Just most.

[A]

God damn it. God damn it.

[B]

But Mission Control guides their calculations, unfortunately. Puts them on the right track. Like geniuses. If we had like one or two IQ points lower, this not like none of this would have worked out.

[A]

Thank you, smart people.

[B]

Appreciate you. Using only the sun puts them off by half a degree, which is still within the margin of error to get them home. As they approach Earth, the astronauts get word from Mission Control that the only way to successfully break through the atmosphere is by once again powering up the command module so that they can detach the lunar module from it. So this whole time they've been attached to the broken command module?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So basically there's all these issues with that. So the damage in the cold to the command module led to condensation buildup on the interior walls of the command module and behind the control panels. And so the condensation from that is so thick that as the ship descends to Earth, it appears like it's raining inside the module. Fun.

[A]

What the fuck?

[B]

All of that moisture threatens to short circuit the command module's electrical board, which would be captured catastrophic at this phase. But because of years of development from the earliest Apollo aircraft models, there are safeguards in place that prevent any short circuiting. But even still writing up the procedures necessary to start up that dead command module mid flight so that they can detach it could take as long as three months. That's how long they need to figure out a way to do it, even with their big brains. But the engineers at Mission Control managed to do it in just three days. So they're just like, let's figure this out. Let's get a lot of uppers and fucking do this.

[A]

Get one of those really big chalkboards that almost nobody uses but us.

[B]

Right?

[A]

Get it going.

[B]

The astronauts follow the procedures as instructed, and they successfully get the command module on and working again. And this allows them to detach the lunar module from it so that they can land in the Pacific Ocean, which is a splashdown landing a safe distance from the damaged land command module. Because they can't land near it. It'll crash into it.

[A]

Right?

[B]

So even though they managed to get on the right trajectory back to Earth, Lovell, Swigert, and Hayes soon realize that their spacecraft is drifting slightly off course. Mission control directs them to follow the, like, day, night line, basically. Basically following, like, the sun's light on the Earth's surface to stay on course. I'd be dead. I'd be like, no, no, can't.

[A]

Can't do that basic Boy Scout stuff that I could not do.

[B]

No, no. They use what fuel they have left to initiate the burns necessary to follow the line, like the little cranking out of the burns. And on April 17, 1970, the Apollo 13 spacecraft splashes down into the Pacific Ocean near Samoa. And they're recovered by the naval ship USS Iwo Jima. Weary, but all still alive.

[A]

Ugh, God.

[B]

I know.

[A]

I mean, we're not even talking about all the things that could have happened. Splashing down to just the great, wide open ocean. Jesus.

[B]

Yeah. Due to lack of food, the three guys lost a total of 31 and a half pounds combined.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

In a couple days. Like, that is bad.

[A]

And also stress. It's like food plus stress. Like, their hearts were probably racing like they were jogging the whole time.

[B]

Right? And dehydration and lack of sleep level. Lost the most burst at a whopping 14 pounds. And then two days later, on April 19, 1970, the guys are flown to Hawaii. I mean, give them a vacay, right?

[A]

Oh, Jesus.

[B]

And President Richard Nixon awards them the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian honor equal to the Congressional Gold Medal. So they're like, good job.

[A]

Oops, you did it.

[B]

You did it. An investigative review board immediately looks into the situation after the splashdown, trying to figure out what went wrong. They report their findings on June 15, 1970, concluding that a short circuit error in one of the oxygen tanks led to the explosion. There was a recent modification to the tank that allowed it to handle a higher electrical voltage, but the engineers failed to update another part within the tank so that it could handle the increased electrical flow as well. This led to an explosion in one oxygen tank that damaged the fuel cells and compromised the other oxygen tank. How many people got fired? None.

[A]

Or a. I mean, here's the thing. A mist. Like human beings make mistakes. Whether you're the smartest fucking person on the planet and you work for NASA, or you're down at Burger King flipping burgers. Mistakes are a part of life.

[B]

Totally.

[A]

And I hope it wasn't like. Because I bet you they felt fucking terrible.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Nobody wants to be that guy.

[B]

I mean, no one died, thank God. But.

[A]

Thank God. But, yeah, nobody wants to be the guy that's like. Like, oh, that's right. We should have done A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. And I. I mean, like, it's.

[B]

Yeah. God. Not good. I mean, neither level Hayes or Swigert ever fly in space again. Can you. Can you believe it?

[A]

That's crazy. What's their problem?

[B]

But it's actually not necessarily because directly because of the mishap aboard the Apollo 13. Although you think it's gotta factor in pretty hardcore.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know. Lovell reaches the point in his career when he's ready to retire, and he does so just a couple years later in 1973. Swigert is slated to fly aboard the joint Soviet American space flight, the Apollo Soyuz Test project in 1975. But he's removed from the crew after being implicated in the Apollo 15 postal cover scandal of 1972.

[A]

What's the next thing we're going to cover on this show?

[B]

That's exactly right, because I don't totally get it. It's a scheme involving taking unauthorized postal covers into space so that they could be sold at premium back on Earth afterward. Oh, Oh, I get it. Okay. They're like, this has been to space totally. It's totally merged. Oh, my God. He leaves the Space program in 1973, gets elected to the House of Representatives in 1982. Unfortunately, he dies from cancer before he gets a chance to even serve his. His seat. And then Hayes would have gone on to command the Apollo 19 mission, but he decided to retire before then, in 1979. So none of them go back to.

[A]

I mean, just think about it. You get into that situation, you by the skin of your teeth, get back out of that situation. And then you're like, sure, I'll do another one. And all you would do is think about all the ways things could go wrong. That's what happens after things go wrong, is then you're like, well, that can happen. So what's gonna happen this time?

[B]

Yeah. Did one guy not check the one other thing that was the other thing that controls the other thing, you'll never fucking know until it's a disaster.

[A]

And that is the miracle of space flight, is the fact that the other times we did it, none of those things happened.

[B]

Totally, totally amazing. In 1994, Lovell co authors his firsthand account of the Apollo 13 mission with journalist Jeffrey Kluger in their book Lost the Perilous voyage of Apollo 13. And that is the book that is adapted into the beloved Ron Howard directed movie Apollo 13, which solidified the line, Houston, we have a problem in our memories forever. And also the movie from 2016, Hidden Figures, starring Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson. So she was a black woman and mathematician who worked at NASA and her work helped get Apollo 13 back home safe. Yeah, her badassery. And the movie is based on the book Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. So check that out as well for more of this story.

[A]

That movie is really, really good because it's like, you just keep watching it going, this really happened. Like, this really happened. And that idea that, like, she was the most brilliant person, separate from her gender, separate from, you know, her skin color or whatever. And then she's kind of sat in this room where a bunch of dudes are like, you shouldn't be here. And then she's like, watch how much I should be here. I'm gonna fucking help save everybody. It's such a good movie.

[B]

It's fucking incredible. Incredible.

[A]

Yeah, I loved it. Just real quick.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Do you remember when we did CBS show in New York and Ron Howard was the guest before us and he walked through and said and looked at us and I was like, like, oh, my God, it's Ron Howard. And he walked through and we were the next guest.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And looked at us and goes, hey, good luck or have fun. And like, took a moment to like, hype us, give us a little thumbs up, where I was like, you classy bastard.

[B]

So fucking classy. Totally forgot that.

[A]

Rushed right out of here like, you are so busy. And instead it was like full eye contact and like with this smile like, hey, isn't it fun? We all get to be on this show.

[B]

Just these two girls sitting in the green room going like, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. And he's freaking out. Good luck, guys. Have fun. Oh, my God, Uncle Ron, thank you.

[A]

I love that man. I've always loved that man since my happy days days in my childhood. But that was like, God, that was meaningful.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. So classy. But guess what?

[A]

What?

[B]

And that is the story of the Apollo 13 mission amazing. I mean, we really went through it on that one.

[A]

I. I think I've lost 13 pounds by just sitting here and listening to this.

[B]

I had my first known hot flash and on record. On record where it wasn't asleep for it.

[A]

So it's pretty epic. I think we need to actively start talking about menopause on our show because A, people don't talk about it enough, and B, it is happening. It is happening.

[B]

Are we gonna alienate the little gals who are like, what are you talking about? My tits are perky, and I don't know what else is there, and I don't sweat randomly for no fucking reason.

[A]

But here's the thing. They will. Eventually they will. And that's like, no one talks about this shit. And so when you come to it, you're like, I think I'm in a bad mood. I think the heater's on. I think this, and I think that because there is no hygiene class in high school that talks about it. There's nothing.

[B]

Let's talk about hormones and just to, like, calm everyone down. My tits are still very perky.

[A]

Oh, my God. You should see. They're almost above her eyes. It's crazy. Very distracting.

[B]

Hitting myself in faith.

[A]

That was great. Good job. Thanks.

[B]

Really, thank you. Well, thanks for listening to our little quickie episode. We appreciate you guys being here, going to space and back and menopause and.

[A]

All over with us and all of the places. Thanks for joining us once again on the journey of life.

[B]

Stay sexy and don't get murdered. Elvis, do you want a cookie?

[A]

This has been an exactly Right production.

[B]

Our senior producers are Alejandra Keck and Molly Smith.

[A]

Our editor is Aristotle Acevedo.

[B]

This episode was mixed by Liana Squillacci.

[A]

Our researchers are Maren McLaren Lashan and Ali Elkin.

[B]

Email your hometowns to my favorite murdermail dot com.

[A]

Follow the show on Instagram at My favorite murder.

[B]

Listen to my favorite murder on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[A]

And now you can watch us on exactly right's YouTube page while you're there. Please like and subscribe. Goodbye. You know those commercials where a single, impossibly shiny car glides down a beautiful winding country road with a horse running along a fen?

[B]

Oh, yeah. That's not real life.

[A]

No. But Hyundai's available Class exclusive advanced safety features are designed for the roads we actually drive on, helping to keep you and your family protected.

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Hyundai vehicles are equipped with a standard driver attention warning system, which constantly monitors your attention levels.

[A]

Learn more about [e-mail] or call 562-314-4603 for complete details.

[B]

That's H Y U N d a I usa.com or call 562-314-4603. Goodbye here at the Almond Joy Factory, where tropical vibes abound, we use soft, fresh tasting coconut, the crunchiest almonds, and delicious chocolate candy. Ah, but do you know what our.

[A]

Most important ingredient is?

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Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. Almond Joy's got nuts and some. And even way better than that. Yes, Almond Joy is made with almonds and johoy. It's almost Mother's Day and you can now get anything you need delivered with Uber Eats.

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Well, almost.

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A bird bath?

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