Apollo 13

Quick Facts: Who was Apollo 13?

Subject:

Apollo 13

Known for:

Apollo 13: The mission that aborted a Moon landing but ensured a safe return to Earth.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Apollo 13 (April 11–17, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) exploded two days into the mission, disabling its electrical and life-support system. The crew, supported by backup systems on the Apollo Lunar Module, instead looped around the Moon in a circumlunar trajectory and returned safely to Earth on April 17.

Career & Major Achievements

The mission was commanded by Jim Lovell, with Jack Swigert as command module (CM) pilot and Fred Haise as Lunar Module (LM) pilot. Swigert was a late replacement for Ken Mattingly, who was grounded after exposure to rubella. A routine stir of an oxygen tank ignited damaged wire insulation inside it, causing an explosion that vented the contents of both of the SM's oxygen tanks to space.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Without oxygen, needed for breathing and for generating electrical power, the SM's propulsion and life support systems could not operate. The CM's systems had to be shut down to conserve its remaining resources for reentry, forcing the crew to transfer to the LM as a lifeboat.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1970: 1970 Milestone — Apollo 13 (April 11–17, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing.

Notable Quotes by Apollo 13

“Houston, We've Got a Problem.” (1970)

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Apollo 13

True or False: “Apollo 13 was originally intended to be the third crewed Moon landing mission.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The mission was part of the highly ambitious Apollo program, which had multiple objectives, including reaching the Moon multiple times.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. H. M. Jones — Historical peer (Died in 1970) (1970): Pioneering British historian of classical antiquity, specializing in the later Roman Empire.
• Abraham Maslow — Historical peer (Died in 1970) (1970): Pioneering American psychologist known for the Hierarchy of Needs and self-actualization theory.
• Apollo 15 — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Apollo 15: The pioneering J-mission with extended lunar exploration and scientific focus.
• Apollo 17 — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: NASA's final crewed mission; the sixth and most recent human landing on the Moon.
• Apollo 8 — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: First crewed mission to orbit the Moon, seeing Earthrise and the lunar far side.
• Apollo Lunar Module — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The spacecraft that landed men on the Moon during the Apollo program.

Frequently Asked Questions about Apollo 13