Astronauts from left to right, Lunar Module pilot Fred W. Haise Jr., Command Module pilot John L. Swigert Jr. and Commander, James A. Lovell Jr.
April 11, 2012 marks the 42nd anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13, the ill-fated moon mission and the heroic rescue effort that brought the stricken capsule and all three astronauts safely back to Earth.
The launch came off without a hitch, and for two days the mission preceded as planned. Then an oxygen tank exploded, dashing hopes of a lunar landing and putting into jeopardy the lives of Commander James A. Lovell, Command Module pilot John L. "Jack" Swigert, and Lunar Module pilot Fred W. Haise. From then on, the goal was simply to save the astronauts.
It was dicey business. A power shortage forced the astronauts to endure temperatures as low as 40 °F, and an accumulation of carbon dioxide inside the command module forced to crew to make an improvised air filtration device. Ultimately, of course, the crew splashed down safely in the South Pacific.
The mission was memorably depicted in the critically acclaimed 1995 film "Apollo 13," and images of the improvised air filter that saved the day (known as the "mail box") were widely circulated.
But what did the rest of the mission look like? From the in-suit trainings that preceded the mission to the astronauts enjoying a steak and eggs breakfast on the fateful day, the images in the slideshow below give an in-depth look at what happened before, after and during the crisis.
Launch Slideshow
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April 11, 2012 marks the 42nd anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13, the ill-fated moon mission and the heroic rescue effort that brought the stricken capsule and all three astronauts safely back to ...
April 11, 2012 marks the 42nd anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13, the ill-fated moon mission and the heroic rescue effort that brought the stricken capsule and all three astronauts safely back to ...
Interesting factoid: the island of the helicopter carrier USS Iwo Jima LPH-2, flagship of the task force that recovered Apollo 13 and seen in the photo above with the astronauts, is in permanent display at the Museum of the American G.I. in College Station, TX. The ship was retired after the Gulf War (she fell victim to a catastrophic boiler accident that kiIIed ten sailors and wounded many more) and sold for scrap in the mid-1990's.
ProudToBeVeryLiberal: Interesting factoid: the island of the helicopter carrier USS Iwo
We had a interest bump in our house after a visit to the local air museum. It turns out a CT engineering company played a part in maintaining the ship (keeping the crew alive) while NASA figured out a way to get them home. There was a small exhibit there with the movie playing. Well, the movie played hundreds of times in our house. One kid wants to be an astronaut now while another did her third grade "cereal box" book report on the mission's leader. They had to name the cereal and describe it's attributes. She got an A+ on her "Luscious Lovells" cereal.
With space shuttles now out of service, how do we dare to trust the Russians to bring our astronauts back safely from the international space station to earth? Their supply craft crashed on takeoff a couple months ago and if don't have a craft capable of making the flight some people in our government are placing far too much on faith on our "allies?" than wise people would ever give them.
cb523: With space shuttles now out of service, how do we
I remember this like it was yesterday and I remember everyone being terrified the astronauts would not survive. I never had that fear, not even a little bit. Somehow, I just knew NASA would get them home alive.
Rich_Cash: I remember this like it was yesterday and I remember
I felt the same way, Rich Cash, I was sure NASA would bring them home safely. I remember even as a small child when John Glenn orbited the earth. I followed the program very closely and was watching the shuttle crash on a small tv in the press room of a newspaper I was working for. A terribly tragic loss. I was watching CNN when the second shuttle broke up on reentry. Even with all the fatalities I don't believe a single person would have traded their spot with someone else. God bless our brave and heroic acts.
I was really into the space program as a kid...I was born in the mid 60's and I had all the toys, even the capsule, it was vinyl and about 5-6 feet tall and came with a Astonaut helmet....And now I realize what a crock most of this was...Either they lied about seeing the aliens or they never went...I have trouble believing all of it now...When you have talked to Astronaut Gordon Cooper as much as I did regarding this, you would have a whole different outlook on what is behind the curtain...If you haven't already go to you tube and watch some interviews with him concerning these matters
Tim_Day: I was really into the space program as a kid...I
lt was indeed. My late father worked in an aircraft plant for the defense industry. He helped build part of all of the, now OOS space shuttles and was proud to have been a part of it. I loved standing on the east coast whenever the space shuttle was launched in the early evening because we could see it shooting through sky. An unforgettable experience.
cb523: lt was indeed. My late father worked in an aircraft
The launch did not go off without a hitch. The J-2 center engine "number 5" on the second stage suffered pogo oscillations which threatened to rip apart the remaining Saturn V, which would have killed the astronauts, but it shut itself off for reasons still unknown to NASA. It's one of the big mysteries of the Apollo program... Why did number 5 shut down? It was as if someone had done it to save the crew.
Vincent_Blake_McConnell: The launch did not go off without a hitch. The
The don't make them, people, like that anymore. I watched one of the Apollo astronauts say the command module shook so badly from side to side at lift off the control panel was nothing but a blur. He swore it was going to break apart. Just his description of it alone scared me.
Truly amazing. I sure wish we had the kept the program going.
retrievals: The don't make them, people, like that anymore. I watched
That failed mission should teach us something today. Despite its initial failure, we adapted to the new challenge posed to mission control; how to salvage the mission and bring back that which mattered most, ourselves. In light of today's most pressing national problems, we must work together as a team, otherwise the mother ship will forever be lost in space.
bleedingheart9: That failed mission should teach us something today. Despite its
Roger it's what helped maintain america's leap into the future [ constant innovation ]. Other countries couldn't compete with us then. Now 40 years later other countries have caught up with us in every conceivable field, why because all of our jobs have been out sourced.
charleslennon: Roger it's what helped maintain america's leap into the future
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Posted: 04/11/2012 3:43 pm Updated: 04/11/2012 3:43 pm