Calling all duct tape enthusiasts! Avon Park, OH, has something just for you on June 18th.

How can you pass it up when they're giving away 500 rolls?

Duct tape happens to also have saved the lives of the Apollo 13 crew.

CO2 accumulates in the air of the space craft over time as it is breathed. The Lunar Module was the only part of the ship that was powered on for most of their trip, it was being used as a life raft of sorts. It only had supplies to keep the air fresh for a shorter period of time and for one fewer crew member than was demanded of it.

The part that needed frequent replacing was a 'scrubber' cartridge that had an active ingredient that would waste over time. The crew had plenty of cartridges to supply the Command Module (which had to remain powered down), but they were not compatible with the Lunar Module. Solution: they kludged together an adaptor using spare parts, and DUCT TAPE to hold it all together.

That was such a great movie! What a cliffhanger -- I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how it would end. ;)

I'm afraid I remember this from my childhood. It happened right before I was born, but it was STILL the talk of the house by the time I was old enough to remember and "wanna be a spaceman!"

Brian

In your house, were they using the Apollo 13 failure/triumph to convince you to avoid being a spaceman, or to encourage you?

I worship duct tape.

I have mixed emotions on this one... it kills the trademark, but it's still pretty neat...

Duct tape is a trademark? I thought it was originally 'grey tape' in the military and then they used it for heating ducts. That can't be a tradmark.

So maybe not a trademark, but the novelty of the "grey-ness" sorry bout that... :o

Actually it ranges from various shades of dull grey to shiney silver. Then you get into other colors like the military greens.:)