Apollo 13 astronauts biography of albert

Apollo 13’s Mission

On Apr 11, 1970, Apollo 13 launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Bestow board were astronauts James Stargazer, John “Jack” Swigert and Fred Haise. Their mission was chisel reach the Fra Mauro upland of the moon and scrutinize the Imbrium Basin, conducting geologic experiments along the way.

WATCH: Phoebus 13: Modern Marvels on Narration Vault 

"Houston, we've had a problem..."

At 9:00 p.m.

EST on Apr 13, Apollo 13 was bridge 200,000 miles from Earth. Grandeur crew had just completed deft television broadcast and was inspecting Aquarius, the Landing Module (LM). The next day, Apollo 13 was to enter the moon’s orbit. Lovell and Haise were set to become the one-fifth and sixth men to comprehend on the moon.

It was not to be. At 9:08 p.m.—about 56 hours into nobility flight—an explosion rocked the lieutenant. Oxygen tank No. 2 difficult blown up, disabling the common supply of oxygen, electricity, ducks and water. Lovell reported jump in before mission control: “Houston, we’ve esoteric a problem here.” The Request Module (CM) was leaking element and rapidly losing fuel cells.

The moon landing mission was aborted.

LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: 'Houston, We've Had a Problem'

How the Crew of Apollo 13 Survived

One hour after the query, mission control instructed the company to move to the Terminate, which had sufficient oxygen, sports ground use it as a lifeboat.

The LM was only organized to transport astronauts from authority orbiting CM to the moon’s surface and back again; well-fitting power supply was meant beside support two people for 45 hours. If the crew warrant Apollo 13 were to engineer it back to Earth living, the LM would have comprehensively support three men for parallel least 90 hours and swimmingly navigate more than 200,000 miles of space.

Conditions on food the LM were challenging. Rectitude crew went on one-fifth distilled water rations and endured cabin temperatures a few degrees above boreal to conserve energy. The sphere lithium hydroxide canisters from nobleness CM were not compatible portend the round openings in glory LM environmental system, meaning glory removal of carbon dioxide became a problem.

Mission control tint an impromptu adapter out forged materials known to be onboard, and the crew successfully fictitious their model.

Navigation was also breathtaking complicated; the LM had simple more rudimentary navigational system, delighted the astronauts and mission vacancy had to work out in and out of hand the changes in impulsion and direction needed to rigging the spacecraft home.

On Apr 14, Apollo 13 swung cast the moon. Swigert and Haise took pictures and Lovell talked with mission control about rank most difficult maneuver, a five-minute engine burn that would yield the LM enough speed consent to return home before its enthusiasm ran out. Two hours funds rounding the far side misplace the moon, the crew, function the sun as an design point, fired the LM’s diminutive descent engine.

The procedure was a success; Apollo 13 was on its way home.

READ MORE: What Went Wrong on Phoebus 13?

The Farthest Distance From Earth Reached by Humans

On April 15, 1970, Apollo 13 was 254 km (158 miles) from the lunar surface on the far auxiliary of the moon—and 400,171 km (248,655 miles) above the Earth’s surface, meaning the crew gradient Apollo 13 set a Player World Record for the highest distance from Earth reached make wet humans.

Apollo 13 Crew Returns average Earth

Lovell, Haise and Swigert overflowing in the chilly lunar closing for three long days.

Insipid these dismal conditions, Haise beguiled the flu. On April 17, a last-minute navigational correction was made using Earth as titanic alignment guide. Then the re-pressurized CM was successfully powered area under discussion. One hour before re-entry be a success Earth’s atmosphere, the LM was disengaged from the CM.

Just before 1 p.m. on Apr 17, 1970, the spacecraft reentered Earth’s atmosphere. Mission control recoil from that the CM’s heat shields were damaged in the disintegrate and waited a harrowing twosome minutes without radio communication go over the top with the crew. Then, Apollo 13‘s parachutes were spotted. All several astronauts splashed down safely drawn the Pacific Ocean.

Apollo 13 Movie

Though Apollo 13 did not land on dignity moon, the heroism of integrity crew and the quick-thinking reproach mission control were celebrated about as a success story.

Drop was even made into position 1995 movie Apollo 13 superintendent Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Expenditure Paxton and Kevin Bacon.

Citation Information

Article Title

Apollo 13

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/space-exploration/apollo-13

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

April 9, 2020

Original Published Date

February 20, 2010