Apollo 13 has a lot going on. One feature the players rarely get to see is the magnetic moon that captures balls. A lot of owners, yours truly included, have noticed no matter how special balls you use in the game, you'll end up with 13 fridge magnets very soon if the moon is in use. Here you can see it temporarily activated for cleaning. It has no major effect for gameplay, the balls just get returned to inlane instead of plungerlane. #pinball#apollo13#arcade
#OnThisDay, April 13, 1970, the NASA Mission Control Center received a radio communication from Apollo 13 astronauts John "Jack" Swigert and Jim Lovell: “Uh, Houston, we’ve had a problem.” (depicted in Apollo 13, 1995)
"Glynn Lunney had just started his shift as Flight Director when Apollo 13 had 'a problem.' His incredible memory and quick thinking helped get the Apollo 13 crew home safely."
(above context via Facebook)
"NASA Remembers Legendary Flight Director Glynn Lunney
Wendy K. Avedisian
Mar 19, 2021
RELEASE: J21-001
NASA Remembers Legendary Flight Director Glynn Lunney
Legendary NASA Flight Director Glynn Lunney, 84, died Friday, March 19 [2021]"
The man who, in all likelihood, saved the lives of the three Apollo 13 astonauts - and probably the remaining Apollo missions.
Hell, possibly even NASA itself. Losing 3 astronauts to die in space, with its attendant publicity, could well have destroyed the agency.
"Mattingly, who knew the spacecraft intimately, worked with engineers and others as they analysed the situation and scrambled to find solutions and pass on instructions to the crew."