Fred W. Haise Jr. was a member of the Apollo 13 crew that struggled for more than three days to return to Earth after an oxygen tank explosion aboard the spacecraft aborted the mission as it approached the moon in 1970...
The lunar module pilot will answer your questions about his time in space (or here on Earth). The deadline to post your question (as a reply to this topic) is 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) on Tuesday, July 31.
Haise will answer via video, which will be posted here and on ASF's website in the following weeks.
Posts: 1031 From: New Jersey, USA Registered: Mar 2010
posted 07-24-2012 09:52 AM
During the Apollo 13 mission did you think that due to the fact that the CM was built by the lowest bidder, this disaster was their fault?
Thanks
Dave
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3208 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 07-24-2012 09:54 AM
The CM/LM configuration had never been flown before and was unique to Apollo 13. Did you have any concerns about flying in the CM/LM configuration after SM separation?
Were you in the LM when the explosion occurred?
When was the LM landing gear extended?
randy Member
Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
posted 07-24-2012 11:39 AM
What was it like flying the Enterprise? Were you a little nervous being so close to the SCA?
Charlie16 Member
Posts: 494 From: Italy Registered: Dec 2010
posted 07-24-2012 04:31 PM
Dear Freddo, what do you remember with pleasure about your great career, and what do you think about the disappointments that you've tried. Luigi Pizzimenti (Italy)
Tom Member
Posts: 1597 From: New York Registered: Nov 2000
posted 07-24-2012 05:12 PM
Mr. Haise, had the Apollo program ran its full course, you would have been the Commander on Apollo 19. Any thought on what you may have named your lunar module and/or command module on what would have been the final lunar landing mission? Thank you.
gliderpilotuk Member
Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
posted 07-25-2012 12:42 PM
I believe the fifth approach and landing test revealed a problem with the flight control system that made it somewhat susceptible to Pilot-Induced Oscillation (PIO). This was a major safety finding in advance of STS-1. Aside from this how did Enterprise handle as the world's biggest glider?
SpaceAngel Member
Posts: 307 From: Maryland Registered: May 2010
posted 07-25-2012 04:05 PM
Would you have wanted to command an actual space shuttle mission, had you considered to stay in the program a litter longer?
dabolton Member
Posts: 419 From: Seneca, IL, US Registered: Jan 2009
posted 07-25-2012 10:03 PM
Are you still an active pilot?
Rocket Chris Member
Posts: 342 From: Registered: Nov 2009
posted 07-26-2012 03:42 AM
Fred, did you got a deeper consciousness of God after the experiences you've made in space (for example viewing the earth from moon or your safe return after splash down)? Thanks and best regards.
alexbaja Member
Posts: 448 From: Naxxar, Malta Registered: Dec 2010
posted 07-26-2012 05:26 AM
Do you still remember the three day visit you had in Malta from the 11th October to the 13th October 1970?
Here in Malta as we are a very Roman Catholic Island I remember as a six year old when my family and I used to sit down every evening and prayed for the safe return of all the crew of Apollo 13.
I wish you good health.
Nigel Mc Member
Posts: 182 From: Sheffield, UK Registered: Jan 2011
posted 07-26-2012 05:29 AM
Do you keep up to date with advances in space technology and exploration? If so, which mission is capturing your interest?
uk spacefan Member
Posts: 168 From: London Registered: Jan 2007
posted 07-26-2012 03:52 PM
Could you please tell us some details about your life as a young man and who or what inspired you to follow your career path?
AstroBioProf New Member
Posts: From: Registered:
posted 07-27-2012 08:23 AM
Years ago I worked under you at Grumman Aerospace Corporation in support of the prime contract for the original space station design. Do you believe that if that original design had been implemented, today the USA would have a more robust manned space program?
astro-nut Member
Posts: 946 From: Washington, IL Registered: Jan 2006
posted 07-27-2012 11:03 AM
If Apollo 13 would of have landed at Fra Mauro, what would of have been your first words on the Moon?
How did you learn that you were chosen for the Approach and Landing Test program?
Thank you.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-27-2012 11:20 AM
Fred, you were about a year out from retiring from NASA when the late Sally Ride was chosen with the Thirty-Five New Guys (TFNG) as the 1978 astronaut class.
Did you have any interaction with Ride during that overlapping year? And if so, can you share any stories about her from that time?
OV-105 Member
Posts: 816 From: Ridgecrest, CA Registered: Sep 2000
posted 07-27-2012 11:42 AM
Who came up with the idea for the ALT patch? were there ever plans for each ALT crew to have their own patches?
Mike Isbell Member
Posts: 551 From: Silver Spring, Maryland USA Registered: Aug 2003
posted 07-27-2012 01:05 PM
I recall that the names of the CSM and the LM for Apollo 13 were originally going to be Auriga and Aquarius. How did the change to Oddyssey and Aquarius come about?
SBIV-B Member
Posts: 47 From: Dacula, GA USA Registered: Aug 2008
posted 07-27-2012 02:41 PM
After Apollo 13, what were a few of the contingencies built/adapted into both the LEM and the CSM to prevent this from happening again or to aid in survival if it did?
MarylandSpace Member
Posts: 1337 From: Registered: Aug 2002
posted 07-28-2012 08:44 PM
Did you ever fly a glider before flying in the shuttle? - Garry
dragon001 Member
Posts: 47 From: Allentown, PA, USA Registered: Apr 2012
posted 07-29-2012 12:04 AM
I recall seeing images of Enterprise during the free glide tests with the aerodynamic tail cone attached and some tests with the cone removed and SSME attached.
Wouldn't this configuration impact the engineering data on lift/drag and other flight characteristics gathered after separation from the SCA?
Andy Anderson Member
Posts: 82 From: Perth, Australia Registered: Dec 2009
posted 07-29-2012 12:42 AM
This is a follow up to the question that LM 12 asked earlier inquiring if you were still in the LM at the time of the "bang." However from the Flight Director Loop transcript, at the time that Jack was calling in that you had "had a problem," the TELMU was reporting to Gene Kranz that the LM hatch was closed – inferred I guess from a current drop reflecting the flood lights powering off as the LM hatch was closed.
I assume that this TELMU conclusion may have occurred due to ratty data possibly associated with the Main B undervolt and that the LM hatch was in fact still open and wonder if you can recall whether you were in fact, in the LM or in the tunnel.
During the LM activation, Jack Lousma was calling up rapid fire LM Activation Checklist page and step numbers. Do you recall if these procedures were written down somewhere and if so where and by whom?
Later on, in addition to making changes to the various checklists that you had to work, other procedures were required to be written on "scratch" paper. I guess, possible sources were the Crew Log at the back of the Launch Checklist, the Photo Log and any blank pages in redundant checklists. Do you remember what actually was used for this purpose?
Another question that has been touched on previously. How different was flying Enterprise with the fairing off as compared to flying with it on and were the control response rates (flight control computer laws) kept the same during these free flight tests.
And finally, apart from tests on the captive flights, were there any ground based simulators for you to work with prior to the ALT flights?
posted 07-29-2012 10:14 AM
You once flew the M2F1 in tow mode behind a C47 tow aircraft. How did you become involved in the lifting body program and did that have anything to do with being assigned the Alt tests?
Torsten Member
Posts: 35 From: Oberhausen, Germany Registered: Jan 2012
posted 07-30-2012 02:26 AM
During Apollo 13, did you talk with Jim and John what will be if you won't make it back to earth?
gliderpilotuk Member
Posts: 3398 From: London, UK Registered: Feb 2002
posted 07-30-2012 06:04 AM
When can we expect your autobiography?
ASF1984 Member
Posts: 167 From: Titusville, Florida USA Registered: Sep 2009
posted 10-02-2012 07:27 AM
Thank you to everyone who participated! See if your question was answered in the video:
uk spacefan Member
Posts: 168 From: London Registered: Jan 2007
posted 10-13-2012 11:57 AM
Very interesting — thank you for sharing.
LM-12 Member
Posts: 3208 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: Oct 2010
posted 12-11-2012 10:29 AM
Regarding who was where when the explosion occurred, there is this info from Section 8 of the Apollo 13 Technical Crew Debriefing:
LOVELL: To the best of my knowledge, Jack, you were in the left-hand seat. SWIGERT: I was in the left-hand seat. LOVELL: I was in the LEB, and Fred was somewhere up in the LM. We all heard the explosion together.
posted 07-24-2012 09:47 AM
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