Story:
Last month, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA’a) Boeing Starliner spacecraft landed in New Mexico, but uncrewed. Astronaut duo – Indian-origin Sunita Williams and Barry E ‘Butch’ Wilmore – are likely to remain in the International Space Station (ISS) until February 2025. They made a trip to ISS aboard Starliner in June this year, but couldn’t return on the same due to the spacecraft’s technical issues.
Amid the crucial space news, Netflix released Apollo 13: Survival. Directed by Peter Middleton, the new documentary features exclusive archival videos and pictures, underlining the thoughts and processes during the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program in 1970. But more importantly, it showcases how the three astronauts’ motivation and resilience to stay alive and positive during such an intense period become an inspiration for all.
Review:
Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise were all set to land on the Moon after they departed from Earth on April 11, 1970, when an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) of the spacecraft ruptured two days into the mission, disabling the electrical and life-support system. However, the three men didn’t let all the money and effort of thousands of people go in vain and successfully looped around the Moon in a circumlunar trajectory before embarking on their journey back home.
The nearly 100-minute documentary highlights the grit and reasoning that helped the three astronauts return home safely even after an unsuccessful mission and multiple life-threatening complications. Apollo 13: Survival is a retelling of the real-time crisis and confusion at the Mission Control Centre, and the chaos among the friends and family of the spacemen. It makes the viewers feel connected and more thorough about the actual situation.
Verdict:
The Netflix film gives an insight into a time in history when space technologies might be still developing, but the will to gain knowledge and learn extraordinary secrets about the universe was fierce. In the end, flight director Glynn Lunney says, “I think 13 [Apollo 13] was a milestone in survival. The odds were overwhelming. I’ll forever be proud of being a part of that set of people.” Personally, an “unsuccessful mission” like Apollo 13 is as inspiring as a successful one.
Apollo 13: Survival
Watch on:Netflix
Director:Peter Middleton
Cast:Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, Fred Haise and Glynn Lunney
Rating:3.5 stars
