Question

1. what event led to the explosion on the command module? (what was jim swigert doing when the explosion occurred? be specific)

1. what does lm stand for?

1. what does cm stand for?

1. the explosion caused the lose of 2 oxygen tanks. the oxygen was important for breathing, but it was more important for two other functions. what were these two functions?

1. an hour and a half after the \bang\, mission control center notified the crew that \were starting to think about the lifeboat\. what was the \lifeboat\?

Explanation:

1. This refers to the Apollo 13 mission: a damaged wire inside Service Module Oxygen Tank 2 caused an explosion when Jim Swigert was stirring the tank's contents to check oxygen levels.
2. This is a standard acronym for Apollo mission spacecraft components.
3. This is a standard acronym for Apollo mission spacecraft components.
4. On Apollo 13, oxygen served critical non-breathing roles for the spacecraft's systems.
5. After the Apollo 13 explosion, the crew needed an alternate craft to sustain them; this term refers to that backup vehicle.

Answer:

1. A short circuit in Service Module Oxygen Tank 2 triggered the explosion. Jim Swigert was stirring the oxygen tank to monitor its oxygen quantity at the time of the blast.
2. Lunar Module
3. Command Module
4. The two functions were: 1) Generating electrical power (via fuel cells that combined oxygen and hydrogen) 2) Providing pressurization for the spacecraft's cabin
5. The "lifeboat" was the Lunar Module (LM), which the crew used for life support, propulsion, and navigation to return to Earth after the command/service module was damaged.