Apollo 11 at 50: Dangers of the Mission

50 years ago today, the crew of Apollo 11 were almost at the Moon with their mission progressing smoothly. But what might have gone wrong?

10 years ago on downthetubes, Jeremy Briggs wrote a 40th anniversary day-by-day celebration series of articles marking the Apollo 11 mission, featuring contemporary British comics and illustrations – and you can read his 19th July 1969 entry here, which takes a look at some of the dangers inherent to the mission.

While the Apollo 11 mission faced potential disaster on more than one occasion, recently recounted in TV documentaries such as 8 Days: To the Moon and Back, still available on BBC iPlayer, one moon mission that did go wrong was Apollo 13, graphically illustrated by Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean, who painted numerous space artworks on his return to Earth, who died earlier this year.

Earth and Moon, photographed during the Apollo 11 mission, July 1969. Image: NASA
Earth and Moon, photographed during the Apollo 11 mission, July 1969. Image: NASA
"Houston, We Have a Problem" painted by Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean
“Houston, We Have a Problem” painted by Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean

His painting, “Houston, We Have a Problem”, was created to celebrate the Apollo 13 film directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton and Gary Sinise.

“The movie tells the remarkable and inspiring story of how astronauts deep in space and engineers and scientists on planet Earth worked together to chance an almost fatal tragedy into a triumph of human skill and spirit,” noted Bean, describing his artwork.

“The explosion of oxygen tank number two was the defining moment in the voyage of Apollo 13. This would begin some of America’s finest hours in space flight.

Capstone Press released "The Apollo 13 Mission (Graphic History)" by Donald B. Lemke, illustrated by Keith Tucker, in 2006
Capstone Press released “The Apollo 13 Mission (Graphic History)” by Donald B. Lemke, illustrated by Keith Tucker, in 2006

“Astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise thought that having two liquid oxygen tanks aboard provided satisfactory system redundancy. If one failed the other had a sufficient supply to get safely home. An explosion that tore away piping from both tanks was not considered possible. Unfortunately, it happened that way anyway.

“I have painted the explosion in space as a number of individually distinct particles streaming away from tank number two. The particles are liquid oxygen and vapourised tank and wiring and insulation materials, everything near the point of detonation. I do not believe an explosive cloud forms in the vacuum of space as it does on Earth because everything I saw move in space moved in a straight line. For example, there was no dirt cloud as we landed on the Moon, just small pieces of dirt speeding away radially from the rocket engine exhaust.”

WEB LINKS

• “Moon Landing 40th Anniversary: A Comics Celebration” Gallery on Flickr

• Coinciding with Jeremy’s countdown to the 40th Anniversary of the first Moon Landing, downthetubes published “Moon Landing 40th Anniversary: A Comics Celebration” – a gallery of illustrations and comic art inspired by space exploration

NASA: Apollo 11 in Real Time, 50 Years Later

NASA: Frequently Asked Questions about Apollo

The Race into Space Tea Cards – available from the London Cigarette Card Company

BOOKS

Links are AmazonUK Affiliates – please help support downthetubes

Apollo GN - Cover

Apollo by Matt Fitch, Chris Baker and Mike Collins

Neil Armstrong, Edwin ”Buzz” Aldrin, and Michael Collins carried the fire for all the world. Backed by the brightest minds in engineering and science, the three boarded a rocket and flew through the void―just to know that we could. 

In the graphic novel, Apollo, Matt Fitch, Chris Baker, and Mike Collins unpack the urban legends, the gossip, and the speculation to reveal a remarkable true story about life, death, dreams, and the reality of humanity’s greatest exploratory achievement.

Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut’s Journeys by Michael Collins

The years that have passed since Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins piloted the Apollo 11 spacecraft to the moon in July 1969 have done nothing to alter the fundamental wonder of the event: man reaching the moon remains one of the great events – technical and spiritual – of our lifetime. In this remarkable book, Michael Collins conveys, a very personal way, the drama, beauty, and humour of that adventure. He also traces his development from his first flight experiences in the air force, through his days as a test pilot, to his Apollo 11 space walk, presenting an evocative picture of the joys of flight as well as a new perspective on time, light, and movement from someone who has seen the fragile Earth from the other side of the moon.

• Falling to Earth: An Apollo 15 Astronaut’s Journey to Earth
by Al Worden and Francis French

As command module pilot for the Apollo 15 mission to the moon in 1971, Al Worden flew on what is widely regarded as the greatest exploration mission that humans have ever attempted. He spent six days orbiting the moon, including three days completely alone, the most isolated human in existence. During the return from the moon to earth he also conducted the first spacewalk in deep space, becoming the first human ever to see both the entire earth and moon simply by turning his head. The Apollo 15 flight capped an already-impressive career as an astronaut, including important work on the pioneering Apollo 9 and Apollo 12 missions, as well as the perilous flight of Apollo 13.

Nine months after his return from the moon, Worden received a phone call telling him he was fired and ordering him out of his office by the end of the week. He refused to leave.

Apollo 11: The Inside Story
by David Whitehouse
Buy it from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

David Whitehouse reveals the true drama behind the Apollo 11 mission, putting it in the context of the wider space race and telling the story in the words of those who took part – based around exclusive interviews with the key players.

AUDIO

• The Space Race: An Audible Original
By Colin Brake, Patrick Chapman, and more

Winner of the Gold Science & Technology trophy at the 2020 New York Festivals Radio Awards. The 1960s space race captured our imaginations and our dreams. This major documentary-drama series brings to life the past, present, and future of man’s exploration of space. Between 1969 and 1972, twelve Americans walked on the moon. You’ll get to experience the thrill of that era and much, much more.

DVDS

Picturing Apollo 11: Rare Views and Undiscovered Moments
by J.L. Pickering & John Bisney
Hardcover – Illustrated
Buy it from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

Picturing Apollo 11 is an unprecedented photographic history of the space mission that defined an era. Through a wealth of unpublicized and recently discovered images, this book presents new and rarely-seen views of the people, places, and events involved in the pioneering first moon landing of 20th July, 1969

Apollo 11 (DVD)
Buy it from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

From director Todd Douglas Miller (Dinosaur 13) comes a cinematic event 50 years in the making. Crafted from a newly discovered trove of 65mm footage, and more than 11,000 hours of uncatalogued audio recordings, Apollo 11 takes us straight to the heart of NASA’s most celebrated mission – the one that first put men on the moon, and forever made Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin into household names.

Apollo 11 Moon Landing: 50th Anniversary Collection (DVD)
Buy it from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

Over eight hours of content including the Apollo 11 moon walk, an interview with Neil Armstrong and the brand new documentary, 8 Days: To The Moon and Back. This 50th anniversary collection contains the most important examples of the BBC’s comprehensive coverage of the Apollo missions to the Moon.

MOON MODELS

Revell 04909 Apollo Saturn V 1:144 Scale Unbuilt/Unpainted Plastic Model Kit

Revell RV03703 03703 Gift Set Apollo 11 Spacecraft with Interior (1:32 Scale) Plastic model kit

Metal Earth MMS078 Metal Model – Apollo Lunar Module

APOLLO AT 50 – LINKS

Apollo 11 Mission Badge

Apollo 11 at 50: The Race to the Moon celebrated in British comics

Apollo 11 at 50: Take Off!

Apollo 11 at 50: The Race to the Moon – The Journey to the Moon

Apollo 11 at 50: Half Way to the Moon

Apollo 11 at 50: Dangers of the Mission

Apollo 11 at 50: The Eagle Has Landed

Apollo 11 at 50: The First Moon Landing, illustrated by Frank Bellamy

Apollo 11 at 50: Returning Home

Apollo 11 at 50: Whatever Happened to the Space Race?

Apollo 11 at 50: Back to the Moon… and Beyond?



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