Minute 088: Check your CO2 Gauge

Apollo 13 Minute Podcast

Swigert, Lovell, and Haise are having a loud discussion.

“I just asked you what the gauge was reading!” says Haise

“All right,” begins Lovell.

“And you don’t know!” yells Haise.

“All right,” says Lovell, “we’re not doing this, gentlemen! We’re not gonna do this. We’re not gonna go bouncing off the walls for ten minutes, ’cause we’re just gonna end up right back here with the same problem: trying to figure out how to stay alive!”

CAPCOM GOLD breaks in: “Aquarius, this is Houston.”

“Are we on VOX?” shouts Lovell.

“No, we’re not on VOX!” replies Haise, loudly.

“Yeah, Houston, this is Aquarius. Go ahead, “says Lovell, quietly into the microphone.

“Ah, yeah, Jim,” says CAPCOM – GOLD. “Could you check your CO2 gauge for us?”

“Yeah, Houston,” replies Lovell, “We were just looking at that. Our CO2 measurement has jumped four notches in the last hour.”

“That can’t be right,” says Haise. “I went over those numbers three times.”

“Jim, that sounds about right,” replies CAPCOM-GOLD. “We were expecting that.”

“Well, that’s very comforting to know, Houston,” says Lovell, “What do we do about it?”

“Jim, we’re working on a procedure down here for you,” replies CAPCOM-GOLD. “Do you copy?”

“Oh, Christ,” says Haise, looking at his worksheet.

“All right, Houston,” says Lovell. “We’re standing by for those procedures.”

“Christ, I know why my numbers are wrong,” says Haise. “I only figured it for two people.”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

Brett Cullen as CAPCOM-GOLD