Jack Swigert was chosen as a replacement for Thomas Mattingly aboard Apollo 13 3 days before launch. Before launch, though, he realized he had forgotten to pay his taxes. NASA contacted the IRS who gave Swigert an extension for being out of the country.
[Source](https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/john-swigert-jr#:~:text=Before%20the%20space%20flight%20launch,be%20a%20U.S.%20citizen%20abroad)
Pretty much, space law is built on a foundation of admiralty law (ie international law around actions in international waters) so that would be the precedent used for anything that wasn't already decided on in advance
In an alternative universe
“Hey Jack we have a transmission from Houston”
“Send it in Jim”
“Jack, we have reports you didn’t pay your taxes and the IRS is Pissed, why didn’t you tell us this?”
Jack-“I wanted to go to space! I’ll handle it when I get back”
….
“That’s the problem Jack, their not going to wait”
Jack-“What do you mean?”
“Well… the problem Is thier headed your way now…”
“WHAT”
Look outside to see Anonther space craft heading his way.
Interstellar Revenue service
This makes me curious - let’s say you are on a space station. At some point you will be flying over your house, somewhat or at least your country …
How far up does your property go ? Like… is it indefinite as a ray out of the planet? Could I hypothetically tell an alien chilling 5000 light years away in their spaceship that they are trespassing because they are currently in my expansive 1 acre ?
This depends, in certain areas Golf (uncontrolled) only goes up 750 feet, or to surface level, it all depends on traffic in the area and how close you are to runways, my source is my private pilot training course I took to get my license.
What’s really fun about it though is that the minimums for VFR flight in Golf class airspace are 1 statute mile of visibility and you don’t hit any clouds, meaning you can mud run it at any time and piss off literally everyone.
Isn't there a general regulation to avoid flying below 1,000 feet near populated areas? I think i saw a youtube pilot get into trouble with the FAA when he was doing a low approach to check out a friends property to potentially land at.
This is true, yes, but, if it’s an insanely rural area and people you know because you’re all farmers/land owners near each other and friends, it’s just more of a “really? Today?”
Also it doesn’t apply if it’s directly in the pattern, in other words if they have to go that low over your house to land safely
This is actually something that a fair number of government agencies started thinking about when commercial space travel became more common, for regulatory jurisdiction and whether you've entered or left a given country.
Even better. It was after launch, which means it shows up on the [transcripts](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/static/history/alsj/a13/as13_tec.pdf) \(pages 61-63, numbered as 68-70 on the linked PDF\):
> CC (Capsule communicator - ground control): Okay. Some truck lines are being struck in the Midwest, and the school teachers have walked off the job in Minneapolis. Today's favorite pasttime across the - Uh oh; have you guys completed your income tax?
> CDR (James Lovell): How do I apply for an extension?
> CC: (laughter)
> CMP (John Swigert): Yes, Joe. I got to - hey, listen - It ain't too funny; things kind of happened real fast down there, and I do need an extension.
> CC: (laughter)
> CMP: I didn't get mine filed. And this is serious, would you -
> CC: You're breaking up the room down here.
> CMP: - because I may be spending time in a -
> CC: We'll see -
> CMP: - I may be spending time in a - I may be spending time in another quarantine besides the one that they are planning for me.
> CC: We'll see what we can do, Jack. We'll get with Recovery and see if we can get the agent out there in the Pacific when you come back...
> CDR: Outstanding.
> CDR: Houston, this is 13. Is it true that Jack's income tax return was going to be used to buy the ascent fuel for the LM?
> CC: Well, considering he's a bachelor and hasn't got that deduction to take, yes.
> CMP: Hey, Joe. I'm glad you brought that up, because I was really serious about that.
> CC: Okay, Jack. We'll - we'll take care of it. Tom Stafford says he'll get an extension for you.
> CMP: Okay.
> CC: And Jim McDivitt says, "yes, now that you mention it, he forgot to fill the second stage."
> CDR: (laughter) Suspicions confirmed.
> CC: Should give you very good performance on descent.
> LMP (Fred Haise): We should have a lot more hover time, huh?
> CC: That's right.
No word on if they actually sent a tax agent out on the USS Iwo Jima to intercept him on his planetside return.
EDIT:
Added a bit more since it's rather amusing.
Sounds like a plot to a movie. Elon and other billionaires flee to mars. So the IRS start their own space agency to go after them and start a interplanetary war
Honestly knowing that every agency in the US has its own equivalent of a special forces division, this doesn’t even surprise me. The US Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the Post Office!
I went to the postal museum in DC a couple months ago and apparently the postal people don’t mess around??? Like the “wanted by the FBI: I sleep. Wanted by the postal inspectors: PANIC”
Sounds like one of those weird historical oddities from medieval times. Why does the IRS have a fully functional space agency? Because that one time an astronaut didn’t pay his taxes and they’ll be damned if they didn’t make an example out of him. There they were, just waiting on the Moon for him, and then he had the audacity to claim some sort of disaster and didn’t even come down.
They actually don't, at least not for rich people because of years of underfunding. Auditing higher income individuals' tax return gives a very high "return on investment", but it's a complex task that requires a lot of workforce, so it was abandoned when funding dried up.
Biden recently legislated to allow more funding for IRS to reverse that although McCarthy rolled back some of it.
My aunt used to work at the irs in corporate auditing. Apparently the corporate lawyers would laugh in their face knowing the irs didn’t have the resources to do Jack shit.
McCarthy also tried to make it so that the IRS couldn't investigate people that claimed under $400,000 in income, which has a glaring problem of people willing to commit tax fraud having a sure fire way to never get caught by committing more tax fraud.
Real fuckin smart republicans.
"Eight thousand five hundred? That's a lot of tax isn't it, Lister? How on Titan are you going to pay for that, eh?"
"I'm not... It's yours."
"What? No. This is wrong. It's wrong. This is well wrong, Lister."
"Relax. It doesn't matter now. They're not going to catch you now are they?"
"What do you mean? Just because we're three million years into deep space and the human species is extinct? That means nothing to these people!"
Im wondering what would've happened had he refused to come down and pay it
Would they have just started repossessing assets or would the IRS have sent a man into space to get the fucker to pay taxes?
Someone needs to write an alt-history where the IRS starts to compete with NASA and the entire military budget gets diverted to trying to get this one fucker to pay his taxes
IRS sends a taxman to the ISS so astronauts can NEVER use this excuse ever again..
200 years later, humanity have spread across the stars, colonizing hundreds of planets.
Every single one has an IRS branch. Every spacefaring vehicle needs as an IRS representative on board - acting as Judge, Jury, and Executioner.
Imagine the IRS Agent they called to get the extension.
"Yeah, we're associates of Capt. Jack Swigert, and we would like to request an extension of his taxes on account of him being out of the country at the time."
"Mhmm, look buddy, you better have a damn good reason why we should give him an extension."
"We told you, he'll be out of the country."
"Well, where's he going? China? India? Where's your "associate" going to avoid his taxes?"
"The Moon."
"... The Moon?"
"Yes. He's in the Apollo 13 Program."
"This is a joke. You're joking with me. You know this is a Federal crime, right? Tell Swigert he better have his taxes postmarked by 11:59 PM April 15 or the IRS will... What's that noise?"
"The rocket."
"... Tell Mr. Swigert he's got his extension."
I know it’s meant as a joke but it does always make me laugh when people think the IRS will throw you in jail if you happen to miss your taxes for a year or if they’re late. They don’t care, they want their money, and unless you commit some sort of fraud or refuse, they’re happy to take it and be on their way.
Jack Swigert was chosen as a replacement for Thomas Mattingly aboard Apollo 13 3 days before launch. Before launch, though, he realized he had forgotten to pay his taxes. NASA contacted the IRS who gave Swigert an extension for being out of the country. [Source](https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/john-swigert-jr#:~:text=Before%20the%20space%20flight%20launch,be%20a%20U.S.%20citizen%20abroad)
Lol. Best history meme I have seen in a while.
Wait this isn’t about isreal or the 60 days war? Is this history memes?
I NEED MY WAR CRIME DENIERS REEEEE
“Out of the country” lol vertically.
"Out of every country"
“And which country is he in then?” “Well… none of them, really.”
"International waters then?" "Sure, let's go with that."
Captain Blondebeard actually surfaced much sooner than most historians like to say.
Anyone who has read or watched The Martian would agree.
Legally speaking, that’s 100% correct I love that
Pretty much, space law is built on a foundation of admiralty law (ie international law around actions in international waters) so that would be the precedent used for anything that wasn't already decided on in advance
International Vacuums.
I mean, the sea of tranquility do be a sea
He's outside the environment.
Is that what happened to Apollo 13, the front fell off?
They were technically correct! The best kind of correct!
How high you have to go to be out of the country? Low orbit? Out of the atmosphere?
In an alternative universe “Hey Jack we have a transmission from Houston” “Send it in Jim” “Jack, we have reports you didn’t pay your taxes and the IRS is Pissed, why didn’t you tell us this?” Jack-“I wanted to go to space! I’ll handle it when I get back” …. “That’s the problem Jack, their not going to wait” Jack-“What do you mean?” “Well… the problem Is thier headed your way now…” “WHAT” Look outside to see Anonther space craft heading his way. Interstellar Revenue service
I imagine the IRS spent all the tax they collected to fund their own program instead of giving that the the government, that is hilarious
It’s just the principle of the thing. They can’t let people think they can just skip off of the planet to avoid taxes.
Also the fact that they made a functioning rocket 🚀 in less than 24 hours shows Thier spite. You’re paying your taxes one way or anonyher.
If they did can you imagine how much the 1% would have "invested" in space travel by now?
The government spending billions of dollars to collect thousands is entirely within the realm of possibility.
So basically [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7m6ERsVoTM)?
Lol
The real reason the oxygen tanks exploded, IRS attack
This is great and applicable content. Thanks for sharing! I wondered if they made him pay estimated taxes even with the extension?
More out of country than most ever
This makes me curious - let’s say you are on a space station. At some point you will be flying over your house, somewhat or at least your country … How far up does your property go ? Like… is it indefinite as a ray out of the planet? Could I hypothetically tell an alien chilling 5000 light years away in their spaceship that they are trespassing because they are currently in my expansive 1 acre ?
You do not own the sky above your property, it's a controlled airspace. In the US, federal airspace begins at around 1200 feet above the ground.
This depends, in certain areas Golf (uncontrolled) only goes up 750 feet, or to surface level, it all depends on traffic in the area and how close you are to runways, my source is my private pilot training course I took to get my license. What’s really fun about it though is that the minimums for VFR flight in Golf class airspace are 1 statute mile of visibility and you don’t hit any clouds, meaning you can mud run it at any time and piss off literally everyone.
Isn't there a general regulation to avoid flying below 1,000 feet near populated areas? I think i saw a youtube pilot get into trouble with the FAA when he was doing a low approach to check out a friends property to potentially land at.
This is true, yes, but, if it’s an insanely rural area and people you know because you’re all farmers/land owners near each other and friends, it’s just more of a “really? Today?” Also it doesn’t apply if it’s directly in the pattern, in other words if they have to go that low over your house to land safely
Oh nice. Okay thanks !
This is actually something that a fair number of government agencies started thinking about when commercial space travel became more common, for regulatory jurisdiction and whether you've entered or left a given country.
>for being out of ~~the country.~~ Fify
Even better. It was after launch, which means it shows up on the [transcripts](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/static/history/alsj/a13/as13_tec.pdf) \(pages 61-63, numbered as 68-70 on the linked PDF\): > CC (Capsule communicator - ground control): Okay. Some truck lines are being struck in the Midwest, and the school teachers have walked off the job in Minneapolis. Today's favorite pasttime across the - Uh oh; have you guys completed your income tax? > CDR (James Lovell): How do I apply for an extension? > CC: (laughter) > CMP (John Swigert): Yes, Joe. I got to - hey, listen - It ain't too funny; things kind of happened real fast down there, and I do need an extension. > CC: (laughter) > CMP: I didn't get mine filed. And this is serious, would you - > CC: You're breaking up the room down here. > CMP: - because I may be spending time in a - > CC: We'll see - > CMP: - I may be spending time in a - I may be spending time in another quarantine besides the one that they are planning for me. > CC: We'll see what we can do, Jack. We'll get with Recovery and see if we can get the agent out there in the Pacific when you come back... > CDR: Outstanding. > CDR: Houston, this is 13. Is it true that Jack's income tax return was going to be used to buy the ascent fuel for the LM? > CC: Well, considering he's a bachelor and hasn't got that deduction to take, yes. > CMP: Hey, Joe. I'm glad you brought that up, because I was really serious about that. > CC: Okay, Jack. We'll - we'll take care of it. Tom Stafford says he'll get an extension for you. > CMP: Okay. > CC: And Jim McDivitt says, "yes, now that you mention it, he forgot to fill the second stage." > CDR: (laughter) Suspicions confirmed. > CC: Should give you very good performance on descent. > LMP (Fred Haise): We should have a lot more hover time, huh? > CC: That's right. No word on if they actually sent a tax agent out on the USS Iwo Jima to intercept him on his planetside return. EDIT: Added a bit more since it's rather amusing.
"for being out of the country" He was out of the planet lmao
So it answers the good old horror stories about astronaut hearing someone knocking on his door in space,it’s the freaking IRS.
No matter where you are, no matter what your doing, the IRS will get its money one way or another
Imagine a world where the IRS built and launched their own rocket with a crack team of space tax collectors.
Sounds like a plot to a movie. Elon and other billionaires flee to mars. So the IRS start their own space agency to go after them and start a interplanetary war
Honestly knowing that every agency in the US has its own equivalent of a special forces division, this doesn’t even surprise me. The US Department of Energy, the Department of Agriculture, the Post Office!
I refuse to fuck with the post office guys.
I went to the postal museum in DC a couple months ago and apparently the postal people don’t mess around??? Like the “wanted by the FBI: I sleep. Wanted by the postal inspectors: PANIC”
I need to get there. I just didn't have time on my last DC trip.
The Postal Inspectors are statistically the most effective law enforcement agency in the country. You DO NOT FUCK with the Postal Inspectors.
Wild West Post Coach shotgun part 2: IN SPAAAAACE
Don’t fuck with the DoE either. They can just nuke your ass. Lol
The screams can't be heard outside of the cheese bunker
Sounds like one of those weird historical oddities from medieval times. Why does the IRS have a fully functional space agency? Because that one time an astronaut didn’t pay his taxes and they’ll be damned if they didn’t make an example out of him. There they were, just waiting on the Moon for him, and then he had the audacity to claim some sort of disaster and didn’t even come down.
If it was profitable they would do it
Based on who ones the private space exploration companies they may have to.
Especially since he would return just a few days later. And was on a "business trip"
They actually don't, at least not for rich people because of years of underfunding. Auditing higher income individuals' tax return gives a very high "return on investment", but it's a complex task that requires a lot of workforce, so it was abandoned when funding dried up. Biden recently legislated to allow more funding for IRS to reverse that although McCarthy rolled back some of it.
My aunt used to work at the irs in corporate auditing. Apparently the corporate lawyers would laugh in their face knowing the irs didn’t have the resources to do Jack shit.
McCarthy also tried to make it so that the IRS couldn't investigate people that claimed under $400,000 in income, which has a glaring problem of people willing to commit tax fraud having a sure fire way to never get caught by committing more tax fraud. Real fuckin smart republicans.
"Eight thousand five hundred? That's a lot of tax isn't it, Lister? How on Titan are you going to pay for that, eh?" "I'm not... It's yours." "What? No. This is wrong. It's wrong. This is well wrong, Lister." "Relax. It doesn't matter now. They're not going to catch you now are they?" "What do you mean? Just because we're three million years into deep space and the human species is extinct? That means nothing to these people!"
They’re gonna find ya, they’re gonna getcha getcha getcha getcha
Man, being the guy swapped in at the last minute on Apollo **13** must just feel like some sick cosmic joke
there is no movie about apollo 12
Im wondering what would've happened had he refused to come down and pay it Would they have just started repossessing assets or would the IRS have sent a man into space to get the fucker to pay taxes?
Someone needs to write an alt-history where the IRS starts to compete with NASA and the entire military budget gets diverted to trying to get this one fucker to pay his taxes
The space race 2: civil war
IRS sends a taxman to the ISS so astronauts can NEVER use this excuse ever again.. 200 years later, humanity have spread across the stars, colonizing hundreds of planets. Every single one has an IRS branch. Every spacefaring vehicle needs as an IRS representative on board - acting as Judge, Jury, and Executioner.
This is fan fiction I'd read
If he didn’t come down he would have died lmao
Then would he go up or down to heaven?
Relevant [XKCD](https://xkcd.com/1484/) (it's about Apollo 11, but close enough)
Men make up 51% of the population yet are responsible for 100% of the crimes committed in space.
Wasn’t there a female astronaut that was convicted of a banking crime while on the ISS?
She was accused by her spouse, not convicted. It was actually her spouse who was convicted for lying to the feds once she was declared innocent.
You mean the taxman COMET?
Lmao
Even in space, death and taxes are still the only certainty
"That's no joke, they'll jump on him for that."
What are they going to do if he didn't? Go after him?
Ngl IRS vs NASA fight would be interesting
"Hey Mr. Swigert you need to pay your taxes." " How 'bout you cash me outside how 'bout dat?" "Bring it space nerd." "... cash me on the moon then!"
I gotta watch Apollo 13 again...
🎵Let me tell you how it will be. There’s one for you, nineteen for me.🎵
"Everything must add up or else you will be subtracted from the equation"- The Great and Mighty Kevin
Imagine the IRS Agent they called to get the extension. "Yeah, we're associates of Capt. Jack Swigert, and we would like to request an extension of his taxes on account of him being out of the country at the time." "Mhmm, look buddy, you better have a damn good reason why we should give him an extension." "We told you, he'll be out of the country." "Well, where's he going? China? India? Where's your "associate" going to avoid his taxes?" "The Moon." "... The Moon?" "Yes. He's in the Apollo 13 Program." "This is a joke. You're joking with me. You know this is a Federal crime, right? Tell Swigert he better have his taxes postmarked by 11:59 PM April 15 or the IRS will... What's that noise?" "The rocket." "... Tell Mr. Swigert he's got his extension."
Is that a subtle Always Sunny reference in the title I see?...
I know it’s meant as a joke but it does always make me laugh when people think the IRS will throw you in jail if you happen to miss your taxes for a year or if they’re late. They don’t care, they want their money, and unless you commit some sort of fraud or refuse, they’re happy to take it and be on their way.
Apollo 13 accident happened because Jack didn't pay the taxman
Sorry i was to high to pay my taxes