Apollo 13 Explodes: NASA Saves Three Astronauts
An oxygen tank exploded aboard Apollo 13 on April 13, 1970, at 9:07 PM Houston time, 55 hours and 54 minutes into the mission and 205,000 miles from Earth. Commander Jim Lovell reported "Houston, we've had a problem here." The explosion crippled the Service Module, eliminating the main oxygen supply and most electrical power. Mission Control and the crew improvised solutions using materials aboard the Lunar Module Aquarius, including a carbon dioxide scrubber built from duct tape, flight manual covers, and plastic bags. The crew endured near-freezing temperatures and severe water rationing during the four-day return journey. They splashed down safely in the Pacific on April 17. Lovell, Haise, and Swigert never walked on the Moon.
April 13, 1970
56 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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