Apollo 13

This film documents the voyage of the spacecraft Apollo 13, which was meant to be a routine flight, but nearly became a catastrophe due to an oxygen malfunction. The astronauts, stranded in space, fight desperately to survive while the NASA ground crew struggles to develop a rescue plan.

Clip (0:49:45-0:54:40). While conducting some routine maintenance aboard Apollo 13, astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) inadvertently send the space capsule into an uncontrolled tumble. The astronauts fight off panic as they attempt to ascertain what happened. Eventually, Lovell discovers that the capsule is leaking its oxygen supply into space. At mission control, flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) urges his staff to remain calm to find a solution to the problem.

Questions to Trigger Reflection and Discussion:

What evidence do you see that the astronauts and mission control staff are experiencing stress? What are the functional and dysfunctional outcomes of their stress?

What behaviors and routines help the astronauts maintain their composure in the face of stress? What are possible sources of their resiliency?

What role does Gene Kranz play both interpersonally and symbolically--in appropriately handling the stress of this situation? In what ways can we become the voice of calm in a stressful organization? In our own lives?