Minute 102: Ten Percent Thrust for Thirty Nine Seconds

In the Lunar Module, the astronauts prepare for the course correction.

“Okay, this gonna take all three of us,” says Lovell. “Freddo, you handle the pitch. But on the translation controllers all backwards so if the… the Earth starts drifting down you need to

thrust ‘aft’ not ‘forward’. I’ll do the same on mine with everything else. We’re gonna burn at 10 percent thrust for thirty-nine seconds, Jack, you time us.”

“Got it,” says Swigert.

“Give us a count of the last ten seconds up to thirty-nine,” says Lovell to Swigert. “Let’s not miss this.”

Lovell turns to Haise. “You up to this, Freddo?” asks Lovell.

“I’m with you,” replies Haise.

Lovell keys his radio microphone. “Standing by for corridor control burn,” says Lovell.

“Okay, Jim,” says CAPCOM. “You can fire when ready. You are go for the manual burn.”

“Okay,” says Lovell. “X plus button at 10 seconds. Mark.”

“Come on, baby. One more burn!” says Haise.

Swigert begins the countdown. “9, 8,…”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell

Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert

Bill Paxton as Fred Haise

Ned Vaughan as CAPCOM