Off Topic > Other Conspiracy Theories

HBO Miniseries From the Earth to the Moon

<< < (6/6)

JayUtah:

--- Quote from: Ranb on September 15, 2025, 06:28:36 PM ---For example, the contribution by Grumman to resolving the emergency was limited to a single character in the film claiming they cannot ensure that anything will work.
--- End quote ---

An unfair characterization, since the Grumman went to enormous effort to support the Apollo 13 contingent mission.


--- Quote ---The book contained a brief anecdote about a bill (from Grumman to McDonnell Douglas) for towing and accommodation in the LM during the lifeboat rescue back to Earth, being passed around Mission Control.
--- End quote ---

From Grumman to North American. There were actually three versions of this: two invoices on Grumman's standard forms and one in letter form on Grumman letterhead. We have a framed copy of one of the invoices on the wall in our accounting division at work. Fred Haise autographed one of the invoices and added, "Thanks for the lift!"

Jason Thompson:

--- Quote from: Ranb on September 15, 2025, 06:28:36 PM ---There was lots of material in the book that was not shown in the Apollo 13 film.  For example, the contribution by Grumman to resolving the emergency was limited to a single character in the film claiming they cannot ensure that anything will work.  There were more course corrections and a battery explosion to deal with also.
--- End quote ---

Fair point. Grumman definitely got shafted in the movie, being made to look like they were more concerned about liability in the event of problems (and then the cliched 'I knew it all along' reaction when the burn works) than in doing everything possible to ensure it succeeded.

Ranb:
It is interesting what Lovell left out of his book.  He devoted only two sentences to Apollo 13 liftoff and TLI.

--- Quote ---Apollo 13 was launched on schedule, at 13:13 Houston time on April 11, and three hours later blasted out of Earth orbit toward the moon. For Swigert and Haise, neither of whom had ever been in space before, the experiences of launch and orbit and translunar burn were inexpressably novel.
--- End quote ---
Nothing about the severe pogo during the 2nd stage of the flight that resulted in the center engine shutting down early.

In his book, in contrast to the film, the reaction of Grumman was also interesting.

--- Quote ---The engineering support team that would be here to monitor the LEM during a lunar mission consisted of only a few people, and their cars would normally be lost in the asphalt prairie that surrounded the buildings.

Tonight the scene was very different. As far as Kelly could tell, there were day-shift crews here, evening crews, design crews, assembly crews, and crews that for the life of him he couldn’t name. Even in an emergency, Grumman wouldn’t call in this many people in the middle of the night. Clearly, these were employees who had heard on their own about the emergency in space and had come to the plant unbidden.
--- End quote ---

JayUtah:

--- Quote from: Jason Thompson on September 16, 2025, 03:49:25 AM ---Fair point. Grumman definitely got shafted in the movie, being made to look like they were more concerned about liability in the event of problems (and then the cliched 'I knew it all along' reaction when the burn works) than in doing everything possible to ensure it succeeded.
--- End quote ---

Even worse, the dialogue between the umbrella character and Gene Kranz ("I guess you get to keep your job") makes it sound even more personal and petty.

Northrop Grumman has taken over the old Thiokol assets (by way of Morton-Thiokol, ATK, Orbital-ATK) and with them the contracts I held with them. It's the same rank-and-file people here in Utah I've worked with for many years, but the NG management has been pretty good.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[*] Previous page