NASA Photo ID: AS13-62-8929 File Name: 10075507.jpg
Film Type: 70mm Date Taken: 04/14/70
Title: Interior view of "mail box" for purging carbon dioxide from Lunar Module
Description:
Interior view of the Apollo 13 Lunar Module (LM) showing the "mail box", a
jerry-rigged arrangement which the Apollo 13 astronauts built to use the
Command Module lithium hydroxide canisters to purge carbon dioxide from the
Lunar Module. Lithium hydroxide is used to scrub CO2 from the spacecraft's
atmosphere. Since there was a limited amount of lithium hydroxide in the
LM, this arrangement was rigged up to utilize the canisters from the CM.
The "mail box" was designed and tested on the ground at the Manned
Spacecraft Center before it was suggested to the Apollo 13 crewmen.
Because of the explosion of one of the oxygen tanks in the Service Module,
the three crewmen had to use the LM as a "lifeboat".
Subject terms:
AIR PURIFICATION
APOLLO 13
APOLLO PROJECT
CARBON DIOXIDE REMOVAL
COMPONENTS
LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEMS
LUNAR MODULE
ONBOARD ACTIVITIES
SPACECRAFT CABIN ATMOSPHERES
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