Unit 6: Apollo 13 Oxygen Tank Explosion (1970) | STEM Aerospace Engineering Case

Investigate the most famous "successful failure" in human spaceflight history with this complete 6-page printable STEM Case Study Packet! Designed specifically for middle and high school classrooms, this unit provides a deep, informative look at the 1970 Apollo 13 Oxygen Tank Explosion, supercritical cryogenic thermodynamics, Teflon wire insulation breakdown, fuel cell power generation, lithium hydroxide CO2 scrubber geometry, and emergency orbital trajectory mechanics. What’s Included in this 6-Page Deep-Dive Packet: Page 1: Historical Case Study & Technical Breakdown – Full historical narrative of the April 13, 1970 explosion 200,000 miles from Earth, cryogenic liquid oxygen tank architecture, electric fan stir short-circuits, fuel cell shutdown, and comprehension check questions. Page 2: Day in the Life Scenario Challenge – Students step into the shoes of an EECOM (Electrical, Environmental, and Communications) Flight Controller at NASA Mission Control in Houston, analyzing real-time telemetry logs, pressure drops, and Lunar Module lifeboat activation. Page 3: Hands-On Unplugged Simulation & Applied Math – Simple step-by-step math calculations comparing oxygen depletion rates, power consumption amp-hour budgets, and square vs. round Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) canister scrubbing hours. Page 4: Engineering Ethics & Workplace Dilemma – Manufacturing drop accidents vs. ground test anomalies: analyzing the 1968 factory drop incident, running 65-volt ground heaters through 28-volt thermostatic switches, and pre-launch anomaly sign-off ethics. Page 5: Redesign Brief & Innovation Lab – Creative blueprinting assignment where students design "Apollo Service Module Cryo System V-2," featuring an isolated third oxygen tank, stainless steel conduit wire routing, universal CO2 canister adapters, and emergency battery buses. Page 6: Teacher Answer Key & Scoring Rubric – Complete answer key for all questions and math problems, plus a 10-point grading rubric on Page 6 for evaluating student work on Page 5. Teacher Benefits: 100% Unplugged & Copy-Paste Friendly – Clean text layout with zero dark background boxes, code block syntax, or special math symbols for seamless editing in Word, Google Docs, or Canva. Multi-Day Classroom Value – Covers 3 to 5 full class periods; perfect for Physics, Physical Science, Aerospace Science, Chemistry, CTE electives, or emergency sub plans. Highly Engaging Content – Combines real NASA telemetry data, electrical short-circuit math, life-support chemistry, space ethics, and spacecraft engineering redesign!