The Best Ken Mattingly Quotes

Ken: Here's the order of what I want to do. I want to power up Guidance, E.C.S., Communications, warm up the pyros for the parachutes, and the command module thrusters.
John: The thrusters are gonna put you over budget on amps, Ken.
Ken: Well, they've been sitting at 200 below for four days, John. They've got to be heated.
John: Fine. Then trade off the parachutes, something.
Ken: Well, if the chutes don't open, what's the point?
John: Ken, you're telling me what you need. I'm telling you what we have to work with at this point. I'm not making this stuff up.
Ken: They're gonna need all these systems, John.
John: We do not have the power, Ken. We just don't have it.
Ken: Okay. I'm gonna go back and re-organize the sequencing again and find more power. Let's start from scratch. Clear the board.
John: [covering his mic, to John Young] I don't know where the hell we're gonna find it.

[Swigert has just successfully powered up the Command Module]
Jack: Uplink completed. We got her back up, Ken. Boy, I wish you were here to see it.
Ken: I'll bet you do.

Ken: 13, this is Houston, do you read?
Jim: Roger that, Ken. Are the flowers blooming in Houston?
Ken: That's a negative, Jim. I do not have the measles.
[stares at the flight surgeon]

Ken: [after another power-up simulation fails] I know this sequence works, John.
John: The sequence looks good, we're just over budget on the amperage.
Ken: By how much?
John: Three or four amps.
Ken: Goddamn it, John! Is it three or four?
John: Four.
John: Four!
Ken: [sighs] Four more amps...
[He ponders for a moment]
Ken: We know they have some power left in the LEM batteries, right?
John: Yeah.
Ken: We have an umbilical that provides power from the Command Module to the LEM.
John: Right. It's a backup for the LEM power supply.
John: I'm listening.
Ken: So, reverse it. Reverse the flow and see if we can draw these four amps from the LEM batteries before we cut it loose. Why can't we do that?
John: [Looks at John] We don't have a procedure for that, do we?
John: You're gonna lose a lot in the transfer, Ken.
Ken: Yeah, yeah. But all we're talking about here is four amps.

Jack: [about to turn power back on in the capsule] Ken, there's an awful lot of condensation on these panels. What's the story of them shorting out?
Ken: Umm... We'll just have to take that one at a time, Jack.
Jack: [to himself] Like trying to drive a toaster through a car wash.