Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

13, Houston. At your convenience, we'd like the LM/CM DELTA-P reading.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

That reading is 0.65 psi.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

Houston, Apol … Roger. We're thinking together. And we're here waiting for your call.

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

Okay, you were a little broken up there, Jim, but I think it's getting better. We are ready for the launch-vehicle-systems debriefing whenever you are.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

Okay, Houston; Apollo 13. You were cut out again; say again, please.

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

Roger, Jim. We are ready for the launch-vehicle-systems debriefing whenever you are. Over.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

Okay, Houston; 13. In answer to Question 1, the changes in noise level occurred mainly between the first stage and the other stages—the other stages were about the same in noise level, very quiet, with the first stage, of course, making quite a bit of noise in the beginning but—which built up during the high Q, and then … went quiet just after high Q.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

I might mention that the noise level during the first stage was not sufficient to be uncomfortable at all.

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

Roger. And I assume COMM was okay.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

That's affirm. COMM was very good all during—throughout the entire flight. Much better than I expected.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

Now, in answer to Question 2, there was, of course, a vibration transient in the second stage that—due to the number 5 engine going out—which occurred shortly before the engine went out, and slightly after that then the S-II stage was very smooth.

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

Okay, Jim. I guess the significant point there is that you didn't notice the vibration before you saw the engine light.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

That's right. We—we noticed the vibration but it wasn't such that we thought something catastrophic was going to happen; it just started vibration and then the EN light came on, and then the vibration went away and the stage itself was smooth.

Jack Swigert (CMP)

Yes, and that—it was all pretty—pretty short in span—just a second or so before and like a second afterwards, Joe.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

And on the S-IVB, the vibration of the vehicle itself wasn't what … second … powered flight—a very-high-frequency vibration.

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

That was—was that during—just during TLI, or did you notice that at insertion?

Jim Lovell (CDR)

Well, it was a high-frequency viola—vibration but more noticeable during the TLI burn than it was during the … flight.

Jack Swigert (CMP)

I guess the S-IVB vibration during TLI was there all the time although it seemed to—to grow to us as the burn progressed, although that may have been just due to the boost weight decrease.

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

Okay, you called this about 3-1/2 minutes, but I guess the thing was slowly building up throughout the whole burn. Right?

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

Okay, was it uncomfortable or did it cause your vision to degrade or anything like that?

Jim Lovell (CDR)

No, it—it was not uncomfortable at all but I was recalling the ride on 8, and the S-IVB was more—much more smooth than even it was on 13.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

Okay, now, in answer to number 3, we did not experience any unexpected transients except that all of us noticed the PU shift. We thought it was more pronounced than we had expected it to be.

Jack Swigert (CMP)

Joe, on that. I guess most of every time that PU shift occurred we all—almost all of us glanced at the engine light. We could feel definite acceleration change.

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

Roger. Understand, Jack.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

And, during the high-Q portion of the flight, the Alfa meter, to my knowledge, nearly went above 25 percent.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

In answer to number 4, we got a pretty good look at the thermal shroud and the IU after taking the LM away, and from our viewpoint, the shroud was completely intact. I saw no loose particles or parts of it floating at all.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

And, I guess we answered number 5. I don't think at any time did we have any communication problem during powered flight.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

In answer to number 6, the answer is essentially no. We saw no venting or suspected leak on the LM or the CSM

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

Okay, Jim. I guess you described to us the non-propulsive venting on the S-IVB after the APS maneuver and we copied that at the time.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

Okay. Fred saw the S-IVB venting.

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Spoken on April 12, 1970, 8:31 p.m. UTC (53 years, 11 months ago). Link to this transcript range is: Tweet

Fred Haise (LMP)

Yes, we had already talked about that, Joe. And that was also visible when it—of course, when it did its evasive maneuver when we were looking at it right close up.

Jim Lovell (CDR)

Okay, Joe. The last time we saw the S-IVB positively was when Fred saw it venting at about—at about 5 hours. We think we might have picked it up later on. We saw a particle or something out there that was tumbling which might have been the booster or one of the SLA panels.

Joe Kerwin (CAPCOM)

And when was that, Jim?

Jim Lovell (CDR)

We're—we're debating. It was somewhere between—say 7:30 and 9 hours.