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Main Parachute Suspension Line Mission: Apollo 13 CM: Odyssey LM: Aquarius   Crew: James A. Lovell Fred W. Haise, Jr. John L. Swigert, Jr. Launch: April 11, 1970   Landing: April 17, 1970   Duration: 5 Days, 22 hours   Comment: "Houston, we've had a problem here." This 4-inch long segment of suspension line was cut from one of three 83.5-foot ringsail main parachutes that slowed Odyssey to a South Pacific Ocean splashdown. The main parachutes each weighed 127 lbs. including canopy, risers and deployment bag. They were deployed at 10,000 ft. to reduce the speed of the command module from 175 to 22 mph when, at an angle of 27.5 degrees, the spacecraft hit the water on its "toe" for the least impact load. Suspension lines held the main parachutes at a length of 120 ft. above the command module. This piece of line was cut by North American Rockwell Apollo Recovery Team member Ossie Reid and authenticated by North American Rockwell Apollo Launch Team member Robert Miner. back to Artifacts © 1999-2008 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved. Questions? E-mail contact@collectspace.com