I'm an expert in aerospace history with a particular interest in the Apollo missions. I've spent considerable time studying the Apollo 13 mission and its various aspects, including the environmental conditions the astronauts faced during their perilous journey back to Earth.

The Apollo 13 mission, which was launched on April 11, 1970, was intended to be the third lunar landing mission. However, an oxygen tank explosion in the service module forced the crew to abort the landing and focus on survival and a safe return to Earth. The temperature inside the spacecraft became a critical issue as the astronauts had to conserve power and deal with a rapidly deteriorating environment.

It is true that there was a study conducted to understand the temperature conditions during the Apollo 13 rescue. The temperature of 38 degrees Fahrenheit mentioned is a figure that has been widely reported, and it refers to the temperature in the Command Module (CM), specifically in the areas that were not actively heated due to power conservation measures. Jack Swigert, the lunar module pilot, had to move into the Lunar Module (LM) with the other crew members, James A. Lovell, Jr., and Fred W. Haise, after the explosion, as the CM was not designed to support the crew for the extended return journey without the LM's resources.

The LM was designed to be a "lifeboat" in such emergencies, and it had its own environmental control system to maintain a habitable environment. However, the LM was not equipped to handle the extended stay of all three crew members, and the temperature dropped as a result. The astronauts had to wear their space suits for added insulation and huddle together to conserve body heat.

The situation was further complicated by the need to conserve power, which meant that not all areas of the spacecraft could be heated. The crew had to shut down non-essential systems to ensure that the critical life-support functions could continue. This resulted in a colder environment than what was typically maintained during other Apollo missions.

It's important to note that the temperature varied throughout the spacecraft. The areas that were actively heated, such as the cabin where the astronauts were, were warmer than the unheated sections. The 38 degrees Fahrenheit figure is likely a low-end estimate of the temperature in the less insulated parts of the spacecraft.

The astronauts faced a harrowing ordeal, and their survival was due in large part to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the crew, as well as the mission control team on the ground. The Apollo 13 mission stands as a testament to human resilience and the ability to overcome adversity in the face of extreme conditions.

read more >>

Someone did a later study about how cold Apollo 13 actually was. I know that 38 degrees F was sort of accepted as the temperature during the rescue. (This was the reported temperature in the far reaches of the dead Command Module quarters where Jack Swigert dwelled.)May 7, 2010read more >>