NASA Questions Sale of Apollo 13 Checklist

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When -- developments today in the battle between NASA and one of the most famous astronauts of all time over a notebook.

And not -- notebook the handwritten calculations of Apollo thirteen commander Jim level.

That save the lives of the three man crew of the doomed mission.

Apollo thirteen launch on April 11 1970.

Two days later an oxygen tank on board exploded crippling the spacecraft like the developing drama was broadcast on television.

But because the accident -- the -- power the rest of the story played out in the dark.

Both captivating and terrifying the nation for six long days ago.

Okay we had a problem -- visited Tuesday in ways I had a problem.

-- I I think.

We have credit card bank.

There is a bulletin from ABC news.

-- Apollo thirteen spacecraft is not a serious power supply malfunction.

At the moment the astronauts are continuing to try to isolate their trouble late report does the spacecraft now is operating on battery power alone.

The crew was forced to move into the lunar landing module and it was the calculations.

A commander level which you can see him with in this video.

That -- key indicting the damaged spacecraft back to earth on April 17.

Love who recently sold those hand written calculations.

Through an auction company.

But after the sale NASA -- and questioning whether level actually owned that checklist in his hand written notes on it and now the space agency is demanding it back.

Joining me in an extremely rare appearance for astronauts from the Apollo program.

Jim level commander of the ill fated Apollo thirteen mission along with astronauts Charlie duke the tenth man to walk on the moon Apollo sixteen.

And rest issue -- who was the first person to test pilot the new lunar module Apollo nine.

And Jean -- and in the last man to walk on the moon you flew -- ten and seventeen gentlemen what an honor.

For me for the program and for Fox News to have all of you together thank you so much for being here.

Jim let me start with -- you sell this notebook looking to earn some extra money -- -- a restaurant now.

And NASA steps in and says -- you don't have the right that property is ours and what we want it back.

-- map for 42 years -- thirty still has a problem.

Actually -- the -- does no significance.

But.

Really what it really boils down to in the early days only -- Apollo astronauts.

We've got well back moral views and -- friend and our ownership the -- man -- artifacts that NASA has given us.

And we've kept them for many years.

Many of my contemporaries have -- now given these things do museums and science senators and that universities and colleges with the idea that -- that they had transferred ownership to these various facilities.

Now all of a sudden because the last thing I had -- my drawer was this little check book that I was about ready to throw away.

And I looked at us all that had some second and and so I decided to see if someone wanted to own auction.

And that's what started the whole ball -- and we had a very good dinner meeting with the administrator -- Charlie balloon today hopefully we can resolve this problem this misunderstanding.

And come to some conclusion that we'll be equitable.

Lol.

Well I know that it certainly did draw some interest because -- sold for 388000.

Dollars which was fifteen times its initial list price.

You know astronauts are exactly the richest guys on earth in terms of financial gain anyway and I enters another -- may be but.

I'm sure would be nice to have 388000.

Dollars.

I want to ask you Charlie because you've you back -- James claimed that for forty years NASA has been letting you guys keep this stuff.

And it's cut came as a big surprise you to learn suddenly they were asserting a claim to some of this -- -- memorabilia.

I was shocked personally.

The year right -- for forty years we if our over all -- are over forty years since some of our cases we've had these items in our possession.

-- new.

And the original management gave in to us.

A lot of the things we gave away is fact I was and president there would Nixon with John young and we gave dean.

-- piece of the Apollo.

The lunar surface equipment and that -- administrator was standing right there and -- he had no qualms and for seven.

Administrators.

Since a lot of these items have been.

Fallen -- -- and there has been basically no protests so hopefully.

After our meeting today we'll have some positive equitable resolution.

Jeanne what.

Think it led NASA to do this in the first place.

Make your parents.

Are the rest of us Clark Charlie are are pretty confused and upset about at all itself.

-- -- first order of business is to get.

The acknowledgment there.

That memo -- and indeed belongs to us personally was given to us it was transferred -- us we didn't have time for paperwork we're going to the -- I took time.

But I think more than that Megan.

Thing that bothers me and several of us -- -- in -- men -- on our personal harm integrity.

For for almost half a century now we -- a trusted the American people and now we're being.

That that trust is is this is being civilian violator were being accused of violating that trust and I resent that quite personally.

I think we -- is -- -- -- there appears as if speaking can't have our hand interruption but this is videotape of you Ottawa -- answer.

Well I'm just stand I personally resent that because we gave everything we had at the time to what we're doing what we're doing was important to us.

You know there was model mom -- lot of monitor return at a time we were all involved in and military most of us -- in the military.

And today I can I got something that was given to me.

By an administrator of NASA that I now can't even give -- my daughter so she can give.

To my grandchildren.

And that's not right end and we feel pretty strong -- -- who really has.

Ownership of those articles and that's why we're here today.

Rusty you know NASA's position is hey that that belongs to NASA -- and US government belongs to the taxpayer will put in a museum where everybody can enjoy it.

You guys just because you went up there as.

You know uniformed officers in effect in the United States don't get to keep the stuff what -- you stated that.

Well I think that in in fact there is some question about the the issue of ownership and that's what we came in to talk with NASA about the administrator this morning.

And I have to say that were all quite happy with the meeting that we had.

And we've agreed with Charlie Bolden NASA administrator that we're going to be working together on resolving.

The issues here.

And that issue of course is the ownership of the things that we're given to us back there.

Forty some years ago and that since then in in fact have been disposed of by.

People in various ways in contributions.

To the astronaut scholarship fund.

For example where the astronaut scholarship fund.

Took an item which we contributed.

And auctioned in order to provide scholarships for young people.

To study engineering and and science.

And there there have been millions of dollars given to.

Causes of that time -- these items and all of that was sort of thrown ends up in the air.

Would this recent actions so it was rather confusing to -- and and frankly quite disturbing.

But this morning I think we're.

Finding ourselves what it well on the way to resolution of it.

It's amazing it's amazing I don't know.

But a little solidarity and your heart will do and and may be how little media attention to such an issue -- affecting national heroes as well -- How do you feel about your -- your fellow -- -- to your defense is standing shoulder to shoulder with you on something like this.

In particular on an item that isn't just you know about property that was on the spacecraft but it's your own handwriting.

In an effort to save your life and the life of your fellow crew members and it really did play a critical role for NASA now to be coming back in challenging you and yet.

It resulted in quite a moment for you and your colleagues here.

I think all the astronauts -- we have not just Leo for a bus here and they are all behind Goosen and wanna see this situation resolved you know as a matter of fact -- my -- I've heard about all this issue is not your handwriting and mental checklist.

What -- just duration and get her back get back they -- -- the a checklist I said no no it's now of historic values so -- Politico that.

We are so honour to speak with you and so grateful to all of you for your service all the best top four of you.

-- speaker thank you so much Hollywood minute and thank you million -- million.

How great is that how -- -- What an honor that's -- that's got to be like the best part of my job to talk to guys like that I'm I'm thrilled they came on and I'm thrilled you watched it because.

I mean just to see there be a day on this earth when we don't get to talk to those guys anymore and it's just such a treasure.

To have them and speak spent anyway Kelly yet foxnews.com -- comment.

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NASA Questions Sale of Apollo 13 Checklist

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