NASA's Apollo program was an electrifying accomplishment in America's history, an effort that truly catapulted our country into a shimmering, new era. There was a time, however, where the Apollo program was literally -- not just figuratively -- electrifying.
On November 14th, 1969, four months after the captivating success of Apollo 11, America was set to return to the moon with Apollo 12. Though murky clouds that occasionally poured spats of light rain concealed the sun's cheery light, the spirits of the eager onlookers who came to Cape Canaveral that day to witness a repeat of history weren't dampened in the least. While the atmosphere in the skies was downcast, the ambiance on the ground was enthusiastic.
Firmly fastened to their seats within the command module "Yankee Clipper," Astronauts Charles Conrad, Alan Beam, and Richard Gordon were excited, too. Following a renowned NASA countdown, 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..., they blasted off from the launchpad at 11:22 A.M. EST.
However, 36.5 seconds into the flight, about a mile and a half up, the crew experienced a flash of white light and a jolt. Though the astronauts didn't fully realize it yet, their craft had been struck by lightning.
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