I was 13 years old in 1970 when Apollo 13 launched and I used a reel to reel tape recorder* in front of our TV to record this, the BBC television coverage of the launch with Michael Charlton in the London studio and James Burke in Florida wittnessing his first Apollo launch.
* Some years later I copied all the reel to reel tapes to cassettes before and this was the source for this video.
I have included NASA photos which are available on the amazing Apollo Lunar Surface Journal website so hats off to Eric M Jones and the team.
https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a13/images13.html
Regrettably I only have this coverage of Apollo 13 – having to go to school somewhat spoilt things but of course the TV schedule for coverage went out of the window as things went a little “off norminal” as the Everyday Astronaut @Erdayastronaut would say!!
My Dad became a big space fan as my interest rubbed off to him. There is a special moment later on in this recording for me as you hear the first live TV from orbit being played – I say something picked up by the microphone, somewhat quietly, before you hear my Dad say “they are weightless – in freefall”!
Two years and 8 months later my Dad and I stood on the banks of the Banana River and saw the night launch of Apollo 17 together. Incredible. I am processing his cine films of that amazing trip from england to the USA and will share them in due course.
As for Apollo 13, it left me pretty upset that Jim lovell never got to walk on the Moon. Jim and Fred would have got to Cone crater and it would have been amazing to see the photos after the mission. It seemed a long time before the Apollo magic returned finally with Apollo 15 – for me the 14 mission was uninspiring with Al Shepard and Ed Mitchell out of sight on the lunar surface. I never took to Shepard I’m afraid – not my American hero from his first American in space 15 minutes trip as I was too young, and it did not seem fair how he got himself onto the 14 crew at the expense of the initially chosen astronaut after he was returned to flight status. Americans can disagree!
Apollo 13 was an incredible survival success thankfully, with engineers excelling and ingenuity prevailing to bring them back. Lessons learned and future successes more assured.
Big thanks to Tracy Thompson for her review of this film after pushing me in the nicest way to get it finished and shared:
“That was AMAZING!!!
I cried (happy Saturn V launch tears – always happens) and smiled. Although my heart hurt a little when they spoke about the landing site.
I’m so glad you did that. I know loads of people who will love listening to it.”
Enjoy! I look forward to sharing more in due course and to reading any reviews you leave.
Thanks
Graham @GBApollo
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