Spacelog Apollo 13

Joe, how far out are we now and how fast are we closing?

Okay, Jack. The plot shows you about 130 000 miles out, which is about, gee, 10 000 closer than you were when I came on a couple of hours ago. And let me check with FIDO for your rate of closure.

Hey, Jack. Over.

Your smiling FIDO says you're making 5040 in a 5000-mile zone

Aquarius, Houston. Over.

Go ahead, Joe.

Roger, Jack. Hate to keep bugging you, but we would like another volts and amps reading. Over.

Okay. We'll get it for you.

Good show.

Joe, did our sticky MOD on that—those CO₂ canisters work? I'm sorry—…

Jack, I think you asked if the canister MOD was working and the answer is, it sure as hell is.

Okay, Joe. I got the voltage. It's 39.0 amps and 1.75.

Houston, do you read Aquarius?

Aquarius, Houston. That's affirmative.

Okay. We had a dropout there for a few minutes. … on either antenna.

Gee whiz, Jack, I—when did it happen? Over.

Just now. I just got you back.

Okay. We had a handover, but that was about a half an hour ago, and I didn't call you on it. Let me check with INCO and see if he thinks everything's okay. Your COMM sounds just as good as it's ever been.

Yes. I'm in real good shape.

Jack, Houston. Over.

Go ahead.

Roger. We're checking into it. We think we lost lock in Madrid for a while, and we've got it back now.

Okay. Real fine …

Okay.

You might also check with FIDO whether we … perigee …

You're getting a little weak. Did you say you wanted to verify what—what your vacuum perigee is? Over.

Yes. …

Jack, Houston. Over.

Go ahead.

Okay. The good FIDO gives us a vacuum perigee at the present time of 23.6 with a flight path angle of minus 6.25 degrees. That's without a midcourse. He's kind of tossing around the idea of doing a midcourse-7 maneuver at 5 hours before entry. If we do it, it looks like it won't be more than 2 feet per second. Over.

Okay.

And, Jack, Houston. We verified that that COMM problem was a ground problem.

Okay. Thank you. That FIDO is really cooking today.

Oh, he's having a ball.

It must be because we haven't made any waste water dumps.

(Laughter)

You can tell Jay and David that I went for a whole flight and didn't use the bathroom.

Aquarius, Houston. Over.

Go ahead.

Jack, we'd like another volts and amps reading at your convenience.

Okay, Houston. It's 39.2 volts; 1.6 amps.

Okay. Thank you. We copy; 39.2 volts, and 1.6 amps.

Houston, Aquarius.

Aquarius, Houston. Go.