40 Years after Apollo 13

On the 11th April 1970 at 19:13:00 GMT, Apollo 13 lifted off the launch pad and NASA embarked on it's third mission to land a further two men on the surface of the Moon. James Lovell and Fred Haise were to explore the Fra Mauro highlands while John Swigert would continue orbiting the Moon in the Command and Service Module, Odyssey. History however denied Lovell and Haise with the enviable experience to explore the surface of the Moon because of an explosion two days into the mission.

At 03:07:53 GMT on the 14th April 1970 when John Swigert stirred the oxygen and hydrogen tanks of Odyssey, the second oxygen tank exploded. The explosion was caused when faulty wiring ignited it's insulation causing a rapid increase in pressure resulting in the oxygen tank rupturing. 321,860 km from Earth Odyssey was bleeding precious oxygen required for fuel and and life support into space putting the lives of the three astronauts at grave danger.

Apollo 13 is widely regarded as Nasa's finest hour. Despite an explosion which crippled Odyssey, Lovell, Haise and Swigert beat the odds with the aid of Mission Control to return home successfully. The crew and support team on the ground showed fortitude seldom exhibited in humanity. This rare calibre of heroic people rescued a failing spaceship, resolved the dangerous levels of carbon dioxide and secured the safe return of Lovell, Haise and Swigert.

Since Apollo 17 we have not returned to the Moon, nor have we embarked on the next great journey across our solar system to Mars. Despite successful events such as the historic landing of Apollo 11 and the safe return of Apollo 13 we have not ventured beyond the orbit of our planet. The furtherest we have gone is a meagre 346 km beyond the atmosphere on expeditions to the International Space Station.

I find this a very sad state of a fairs. Presently Governments and Nations are preoccupied by social, economic and ideological instabilities which distract from visionary agendas such as those laid out by President John F. Kennedy at Rice University on 12th September 1962.

"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

Seven years after the Rice University speech by Kennedy, Neil Armstrong said the following while stepped off the footplate of Eagle on to the surface of the Moon.

"That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind"

This single phrase resonated around the globe like no other in the 20th Century. Now in the 21st Century I believe we must once again look to heaven to galvanise and renew are humanity. To do this we must find the energy and vigour to disgard the shackles of the Nanny State, rolling back the final frontier and continuing our exploration of the solar system. Failing to do so will limit creativity, experience and innovation. Only by stretching ourselves with grand visions do we grow the collective experience, knowledge and wisdom held by society.

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