In early 1970, NASA faced significant budgetary challenges that led to a restructuring of its Apollo lunar program. Deputy Administrator George Low announced the cancellation of Apollo 20, the final planned Moon landing, to allocate the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo Applications Program (AAP), later named Skylab. As a result, lunar landing missions were rescheduled to occur every six months rather than every four, with Apollo 13 delayed from March to April 1970.
The prime crew for Apollo 13, consisting of James Lovell, Thomas Mattingly, and Fred Haise, continued their training for the mission, which included extensive preparations for surface excursions on the Moon. The mission's objectives included deploying the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP) and conducting geological explorations at the Fra Mauro landing site.
Meanwhile, a Lunar Science Conference held in Houston gathered over 140 scientists to discuss findings from Apollo 11 lunar samples. This conference, which highlighted the chemistry and mineralogy of the samples, has since evolved into the annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.
In addition to programmatic changes, NASA also underwent key management shifts. New appointments included Dale Myers as the Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight and Wernher von Braun taking a new role at NASA Headquarters.
As Apollo 14 was rescheduled for October 1970, astronauts continued their training, which included the introduction of the Modular Equipment Transporter (MET) to enhance efficiency on the lunar surface. This innovative tool stemmed from feedback from previous Apollo missions.
The developments in the Apollo program during this period reflect both the challenges and innovations that characterized NASA's efforts in space exploration during the early 1970s.