More than half a century on, we take a look back at the Omega timekeeping that helped to ensure the safe return of the Apollo 13 mission
Few timepieces have as illustrious and intrepid a history as the Omega Speedmaster, which famously accompanied the astronauts on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969 as mankind touched down on the moon for the first time. The watchmaker’s precision timekeeping had in fact been keeping Nasa on track for a few years prior, having been deemed “flight qualified for all manned space missions” since 1965, and since played a role in all six moon landings.
Astronaut James A. Lovell Jr., commander for Nasa’s Apollo 13 mission. Courtesy of Nasa
However, it is when things go wrong that is the true test of reliability. The ill-fated Apollo 13 in 1970 – the third mission meant to land on the moon – is the ultimate example. After an oxygen tank exploded on board just two days after launch, the crew was forced to move into the Lunar Module. It was not designed to support so many people, so they were forced to shut down nearly all of their power, thus making the on-board digital timers obsolete.
Apollo 13 crew recovery after splashdown. Courtesy of Nasa
That’s when their trusty mechanical Speedmaster chronographs came to the rescue. The mission had drifted off course, meaning that the module would re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at the wrong angle and subsequently bounce back into space. To rectify the life-threatening situation, an extremely precise 14-second burn of the engine was required. Led by commander James Lovell, with some considerable help from Omega’s timekeeping, the manoeuvre worked perfectly and on 17 April they landed safely back home.
Omega Speedmaster ‘Silver Snoopy Award’ 50th Anniversary
The story doesn’t stop there, however. On 5 October 1970, Omega received the Silver Snoopy Award. Depicting the cartoon character in a spacesuit and wearing his famous Flying Ace scarf, this prestigious accolade is given to a rare handful of companies or individuals that Nasa believes have contributed significantly to the success of human space flight missions. To this day, the Speedmaster remains as popular and reliable as ever, and in some very special circumstances you might even spot the loveable beagle on the dial.
