:34:04
In four minutes, the leading edge
of the command module...
:34:07
will bite into the atmosphere.
:34:08
And, as the accelerating ship
encounters the thickening air...
:34:12
friction will begin to build...
:34:14
generating temperatures of 4,000 degrees
across the face of the heat shield.
:34:18
If this energy generated
by the infernal descent...
:34:22
were converted to electricity...
:34:24
it would equal
86,000 kilowatt hours...
:34:27
enough to light up Los Angeles
for one and a half minutes.
:34:31
If it were converted
to kinetic energy...
:34:35
it could lift every man, woman and child
ten inches off the ground.
:34:39
For the craft, however,
it will have but one effect.
:34:42
As temperatures rise, a dense cloud
of ionized gas will surround the ship...
:34:46
reducing communication to a hash
of static for about three minutes.
:34:51
If radio contact is restored at the end
of this time, controllers will know...
:34:55
that the heat shield is intact...
:34:57
and the spacecraft did survive.
:34:59
If not, they will know that
the crew was consumed in flames.
:35:04
Odyssey, Houston. We just had
one last time around the room...
:35:07
and everybody says
you're looking great.
:35:11
I know all of us want to thank
all you guys down there...
:35:14
for the very fine job you did.
:35:16
That's the nicest thing
anybody's ever said.
:35:19
All right, LOS in about a minute
or a minute and a half.
:35:21
In entry attitude, we'd like
omni charlie. And welcome home.
:35:25
Thank you.
:35:29
Apollo 13 is re-entering the atmosphere.
:35:33
We are awaiting reacquisition of signal
in approximately three minutes.