Apr 18 1970
From The Space Library
Apollo 13 astronauts were taken in three helicopters from U.S.S. Iwo Jima to Tafunda Airport in American Samoa, to set foot on solid ground for first time since mission launch. They were greeted by Samoan Governor John M. Haydon. Governor presented IRS form 1040A to Astronaut John L. Swigert, Jr., who had forgotten to file his income tax before departing on mission. Colorfully dressed crowd of more than 3000 cheered astronauts during half-hour reception before their departure in USAF C-141 jet aircraft for Hawaii to meet President Nixon. (Trumbull, NYT, 4/19/70, 1)
President Nixon presented Presidential Medal of Freedom to Apollo Mission Operations team at MSC Citation read: "We often speak of scientific 'miracles'-forgetting ... that these are the product of hard work, long hours and disciplined intelligence. The men and women of the Apollo mission operations team performed such a miracle, transforming potential tragedy into one of the most dramatic rescues of all time. Years of intense preparation made this rescue possible. The skill, coordination and performance under pressure of the mission operations team made it happen. Three brave astronauts are alive and on Earth because of their dedication, and because at the critical moments the people of that team were wise enough and self-possessed enough to make the right decisions. This extraordinary feat is a tribute to man's ingenuity, to his resourcefulness and to his courage." Award was accepted by Sigurd A. Sjoberg, Director of Flight Operations, on behalf of himself, Glynn S. Lunney, Milton L. Windier, Gerald D. Griffin, and Eugene F. Kranz. Following award ceremony President and Mrs. Nixon left Houston for Honolulu with Apollo 13 astronauts' wives, Mrs. James A. Lovell, Jr., Mrs. Fred W. Haise, Jr., and parents of bachelor astronaut, John L. Swigert, Jr. In Honolulu, President Nixon presented Presidential Medal of Freedom to Apollo 13 astronauts. He said in part: "we have received over 100 messages from foreign governments-from the Soviet Union, from Poland, other countries behind the Iron Curtain, from countries in the free world. This is truly a welcome from all the people of the world to three very brave men." Citation on each medal read: "Adversity brings out the character of a man. Confronted suddenly and unexpectedly with grave peril in the far reaches of space, he demonstrated a calm courage and quiet heroism that stand as an example to men everywhere. His safe return is a triumph of the human spirit-of those special qualities of man himself we rely on when machines fail, and that we rely on also for those things that machines cannot do. "From the start, the exploration of space has been hazardous adventure. The voyage of Apollo 13 dramatized its risks. The men of Apollo 13, by their poise and skill under the most intense kind of pressure,. epitomized the character that accepts danger and surmounts it. Theirs is the spirit that built America. With gratitude and admiration, America salutes their spirit and their achievement." (PD, 4/27/70, 548-50)
More than 50 engineers at MSC and at NR's Downey, Calif., plant were working through weekend to complete "life history" of ruptured Apollo 13 oxygen tank, John N. Wilford reported in New York Times. "The only time in the tank's history even the slightest doubt was raised about its preflight condition was during precountdown preparations . . . . Technicians reported having trouble draining the liquid oxygen from the tank after a test. The tank seemed to empty slower than usual. But the next time it was checked out, the drainage problem did not occur." Report on tank's manufacture, installation, testing, and flight would be submitted to Apollo 13 Review Board. (NYT, 4/19/70, 54)
NBC estimated Apollo 13 splashdown TV audience at more than 40 million viewing portions of coverage from Houston Control or pickups from sea off American Samoa. Since millions abroad watched event, "global total that joined in the final moment of relief probably can never be measured," Jack Gould said in New York Times. ABC, CBS and NBC had "acquitted themselves most handsomely" during day "that added emotion to emotion before the climax that left a viewer almost drained of the powers of response." Apollo Astronauts Walter M. Schirra, Jr., Charles Conrad, Jr., and Eugene A. Cernan had assisted network commentators in reporting technical aspects of mission. "For the first time on TV, the viewer could see for himself the fruits of the imaginative training program of NASA." Washington Post said networks "deserved the criticism they got for slow reaction to the unexpected danger. . on Monday night" but "deserve praise today for the crisp, professional reporting and for some unusual restraint." (NYT, 4118/70; Laurent, W Post, 4/18/70, A12)
Apollo 13 editorials: Baltimore Sun: "The simple, grateful welcome home' spoken throughout the world yesterday not only lifted a burden of dread; it celebrated a new and unforgettable triumph in man's exploration of space and his own resources of courage and ability at their highest." (B Sun, 4/18/70)
New York Times: "Only in a formal sense, Apollo 13 will go into history as a failure . . . Apollo 13's booster rocket was sent crashing into the moon on schedule, and that did produce some useful and important scientific data. But in a larger sense, Apollo 13's flight was enormously productive. The emergency which so gravely endangered its crew turned this flight into a crucial-though unintended experiment in space rescue . . . . The lessons learned from this near-disaster will help save spacefarers who are still unborn. And Apollo 13's ordeal must raise more insistently than ever the question of creating an international space rescue organization with the rockets, crews, and other necessities required to give aid to distressed travelers in space." (NYT, 4/18/70)
Cleveland Plain Dealer: "The very real triumph of Apollo 13, the successful return of a crippled craft, could help the United States space program. What NASA can learn from its inquiry into the cause of the accident could further advance space science and technology -and safety. Certainly further evaluation of the space program's timetable is in order. But man learns from his failures as well as from his spectacular achievements." (C Plain Dealer, 4/18/70)
New York News: "President Nixon has very fittingly proclaimed tomorrow a day of national thanksgiving. And with that attended to, the U.S. space research and exploration program should proceed full-speed ahead; with special reference to more manned moon shots, and the sooner the better. To falter or fail now would be. ..unworthy of Americans or America." (NY News, 4/18/70)
Nature: "One of the striking features of the past days has been the sheer competence of the people who have been concerned on the ground as well as in the sky. As always, NASA has put on a good show, and there is more to this than the mere capacity to keep a stiff upper lip or even to diminish real dangers." NASA had functioned "superbly" during daring exploits. "A part of the secret has been that there have been enough men on hand to think of everything, or nearly everything. Another has been the logic of the planning," Conduct of Apollo would be "monument to the way in which pure reason can accelerate complicated technical developments. Nothing decided in the next few months should diminish the importance of this brilliant demonstration. Those who are inclined to complain that there had been an accident should, rather, wonder why it has not happened before." (Nature, 4/18/70; 197)
Discovery by radar astronomers at JPL's Goldstone Tracking Station of several nearly continent-sized rough areas on Mercury's surface was reported by Dr. Richard M. Goldstein, head of JPL Communications Research Section, at meeting of U.S. National Committee of International Scientific Radio Union in Washington, D.C. Areas were similar to ones observed on Venus but "larger relative to the size of the disk," and had much less contrast to the surrounding areas. (JPL Release 550)
Display of Apollo 11 lunar rocks and Apollo 12 space helmet opened at New York State Museum in Albany, N.Y. Display had been lent by General Electric Co. and NASA. Exhibit would continue through April 26. (UPI, NYT, 4/18/70, 12)
Study of defense industry profits by Logistics Management Institute, DOD-subsidized research organization, had shown lower profits on defense work than on commercial sales, Armed Forces Journal said. Overall profit percentage on total capital investment for major defense companies was 6.8% for 1968, down 0.7% from 1967. (AFJ, 4/18/70, 2-3)
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