I was invited as an observer to a Zoom meeting today between Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise by Valley View science teacher Jill Weaver and her class of middle school students. Running an hour, from 10 am to 11 am, it was a fascinating and personal look at the Apollo 13 disaster which happened almost exactly 55 years ago. Haise is now 91.
The meeting was moderated by Logan Jaeren, a collector of space mission patches.
Valley View Junior High School students met in their gym and were able to ask Haise questions about his life.
"Apollo 14 and 16 almost did not land," said Haise. But problems were solved and the missions went ahead. Apollo 13 was faced with an explosion of an oxygen tank and Haise knew right away the mission was over.
Haise also flew the Space Shuttle Enterprise during its "Approach and Landing Tests" in late 1977.
When the Apollo 13 tank exploded, said Haise, "Lovel and I were in the landing craft. The LM served as a lifeboat to bring them safely home.
Apollo 13 Command Module credit: NASA
How tight was the LM with three astronauts when it was designed for just two? "We weren't sure cramped," Haise said, He explained that the earlier Gemini spacecraft provided an even more confined space.
The return trip home was cold. "I wore three sets of underwear," he said.
Haise signed off the Zoom meeting by sharing the screen with h is beloved dog. I believe he said the name was Tito.
Only three (above) attended the meeting by Zoom.
Valley View Science Teacher Jill Weaver
Fred Haise credit: NASA
The Apollo 13 crew landed safely on April 17, 1970.
Fred Haise (l-r), Jim Lovell and Jack Swigert
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