Apollo 12 Gets Struck by Lightning – Twice (1969)
Introduction: A Thunderous Beginning
On November 14, 1969, the Apollo 12 mission, humanity’s second attempt to land on the Moon, roared off the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center. Just 36 seconds into the flight, disaster struck—or rather, lightning did. Not once, but twice, bolts of electricity shot through the Saturn V rocket, threatening to end the mission before it had barely begun. What followed was a breathtaking demonstration of quick thinking, engineering brilliance, and sheer luck. Apollo 12’s story is one of resilience: how a mission that could have ended in tragedy instead became a triumph of human determination and ingenuity.
This is not just the tale of a rocket hit by lightning—it is a story of courage, teamwork, and the razor-thin margins that defined the space race.
The Context: Apollo’s Bold Continuation
By late 1969, the world had just witnessed Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk on the Moon during Apollo 11. The Apollo program had achieved its grand objective, but NASA had no intention of stopping. Apollo 12 was designed to prove that moon landings could be repeated with precision.
Unlike Apollo 11, which landed in the relatively safe Sea of Tranquility, Apollo 12 targeted a far riskier site: the Ocean of Storms. Engineers wanted to demonstrate the ability to land within walking distance of Surveyor 3, a robotic spacecraft that had been resting on the lunar surface since 1967.
The crew of Apollo 12—Charles "Pete" Conrad (commander), Richard Gordon (command module pilot), and Alan Bean (lunar module pilot)—were ready for this bold challenge. But fate had a storm of its own waiting.
The Launch: A Clear Sky and Hidden Danger
November 14, 1969, dawned cloudy and stormy along Florida’s Atlantic coast. Lightning was a known risk factor for launches, but weather conditions were deemed safe enough to proceed. As the Saturn V began its deafening ascent, thousands of spectators cheered.
Then, at 36 seconds into the flight, a flash of white ripped across the sky. A lightning bolt struck the rocket, running down its body like a giant electrical conductor. The cockpit went dark as warning lights flared.
Before the crew could process the shock, another bolt struck at 52 seconds after launch, intensifying the chaos.
The Saturn V was still climbing, but its control systems were in complete disarray.
Chaos in the Cockpit
Inside the command module Yankee Clipper, alarms screamed. Nearly every system went offline: the guidance computer reset, fuel cells failed, and warning lights blanketed the panels.
Alan Bean recalled later:
“It was like Christmas in there, with every light you could think of coming on.”
Commander Pete Conrad, though, remained calm. “We just lost the whole thing,” he quipped in his famously humorous tone, trying to steady the nerves of his crew.
Mission Control in Houston was equally panicked. For a brief, terrifying moment, the possibility of aborting the mission loomed large. If they couldn’t restore power, Apollo 12 might end in a fireball over the Atlantic.
The Unsung Hero: “Try SCE to AUX”
At that crucial moment, one flight controller’s memory saved the mission. John Aaron, a young electrical engineer in Mission Control, recognized the bizarre telemetry readings. He remembered a similar issue during a test flight where the remedy had been to switch the Signal Conditioning Equipment (SCE) to its auxiliary setting.
Calmly, Aaron advised:
“Flight, try SCE to AUX.”
Inside the cockpit, confusion reigned. Pete Conrad had no idea what that meant. Dick Gordon admitted he didn’t know where the switch was. Fortunately, Alan Bean remembered. With a flick of the switch, the auxiliary system came online, and power readings stabilized.
The lights dimmed, systems rebooted, and Apollo 12 was saved. The Saturn V roared upward, continuing its journey to space.
That simple phrase—“SCE to AUX”—would go down in NASA lore as one of the most legendary saves in aerospace history.
The Aftermath in Orbit
Once in Earth orbit, the Apollo 12 crew assessed the damage. Miraculously, the lightning strikes hadn’t caused permanent harm. The Saturn V rocket, a beast of engineering, had absorbed the electrical shock without catastrophic failure.
The only casualty was the fuel cells, which had temporarily shut down but restarted successfully. After careful checks, Mission Control gave the “go” for translunar injection. Apollo 12 was on its way to the Moon.
The Lunar Mission Continues
Despite the rocky start, Apollo 12 went on to achieve all its objectives. On November 19, 1969, Pete Conrad and Alan Bean piloted the lunar module Intrepid to a pinpoint landing near Surveyor 3.
Conrad’s humor surfaced again as he stepped onto the Moon and famously said:
“Whoopee! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me.”
The crew retrieved parts of Surveyor 3 for study, deployed scientific instruments, and collected lunar samples. Their work proved that Apollo missions could land precisely at targeted sites—an essential step for future exploration.
Meanwhile, Richard Gordon remained in orbit, photographing the lunar surface for future missions.
The Science Behind the Lightning Strike
How could lightning hit a rocket in flight? The Saturn V didn’t just get struck by random atmospheric lightning. Instead, it triggered lightning.
The towering rocket, with its ionized exhaust plume, created the perfect pathway for electrical discharge. When the Saturn V passed through electrically charged clouds, it essentially invited lightning to travel along its structure.
This phenomenon, known as triggered lightning, has since influenced NASA’s strict launch rules. Today, launches are often delayed if weather conditions show even slight electrical potential. Apollo 12 became the textbook case for why these rules matter.
The Human Factor: Humor, Calm, and Bravery
Perhaps what makes the Apollo 12 lightning incident so remarkable is not just the engineering save, but the human reactions.
- Pete Conrad, ever lighthearted, cracked jokes even as disaster loomed. His humor kept panic at bay.
- Alan Bean’s quick recall of the obscure SCE switch saved the mission.
- John Aaron’s genius in Mission Control turned a likely failure into a miraculous recovery.
It was a team effort, highlighting the razor-sharp focus required in space exploration.
Legacy of Apollo 12’s Lightning Strike
Apollo 12 taught NASA invaluable lessons:
- Weather rules were tightened—launches would never again take place under such stormy conditions.
- Flight controller training expanded—controllers were drilled to recognize obscure system failures.
- The “SCE to AUX” story became legend, inspiring engineers about the importance of expertise and memory.
Though overshadowed by Apollo 11’s first steps and Apollo 13’s near-tragedy, Apollo 12 remains one of the most dramatic spaceflight stories.
Conclusion: Triumph in the Storm
Apollo 12 could easily have ended in disaster just seconds after liftoff. Instead, thanks to calm astronauts, brilliant engineers, and a little bit of luck, it became a shining example of human resilience.
The sight of lightning tearing through a Saturn V rocket is a haunting reminder of the dangers of spaceflight. Yet it also underscores the triumph of Apollo 12: a mission that not only survived the storm but went on to achieve scientific and engineering greatness.
When future generations look back at the Apollo program, they will see Apollo 12 as more than “the second moon landing.” It was the mission that proved lightning, chaos, and near-catastrophe could not break the human spirit.
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Reviewed by Sagar B
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June 14, 2025
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