Apollo 13: A survival mission against the odds
What should have been a routine space landing became a fight for survival. Discover the true story of Apollo 13 and its astronauts.
Image: James A. Lovell Jr. (L), John L. Swigert Jr. (C), and Fred W. Haise Jr. (R) | Public Domain
The Apollo 13 mission was launched on 11th April 1970. It was NASA’s third crewed mission intended to land on the moon. What was supposed to be a routine mission quickly spiralled into a struggle to survive. An oxygen tank exploded, causing major damage to the spacecraft and forcing the astronauts to abandon their mission.
Their new objective was to stay alive and return to Earth safely. This was the beginning of a harrowing journey home for the crew of Apollo 13, and a story that stands the test of time as a symbol of human resilience against the odds.
Background of the Apollo 13 mission
NASA launched many missions as part of their Apollo program, intending to land humans on the moon and bring them safely back to Earth. They had previously achieved this twice with Apollo 11 and Apollo 12.
The main goal of Apollo 13 was to explore the Fra Mauro formation on the moon, with the intent of studying ancient lunar material. The crew included Commander James A. Lovell Jr, Command Module Pilot John L. Swigert Jr., and Module Pilot Dred W. Haise Jr.
They were set to travel on the Saturn V rocket, an impressive piece of engineering that carried their spacecraft into orbit on 11th April 1970.
At first, the mission went smoothly, with no obstacles during the launch and early operations. However, roughly 56 hours into their flight, during a routine procedure to stir their oxygen tanks, a massive failure occurred.
The events of the disaster
On 13th April 1970, only 56 hours into the mission, Command Module Pilot John L. Swigert Jr executed a routine command to stir their oxygen tanks. This resulted in a massive explosion which caused a sudden loss of electrical power and oxygen in the craft’s Service Module. This led to the now iconic transmission:
‘Houston, we’ve had a problem.’
In the wake of the explosion, the crew instantly switched to focusing on surviving rather than completing their mission. Their life support systems were compromised, making it impossible to complete a lunar landing safely.
The fight to survive
It became clear to both the crew and NASA engineers on the ground that they would have to find a way to get back to Earth. The Lunar module, Aquarius, was originally intended to land on the moon but was soon repurposed to become a lifeboat for the crew.
Aquarius offered the astronauts life support features and navigation functions that helped them as the team on the ground worked to design solutions. Some of the main challenges they had to overcome included maintaining a breathable atmosphere on board, conserving their dwindling power, and navigating back to Earth without the help of a functional Command Module.
NASA engineers and the crew worked around the clock to create solutions to their issues. One of the most integral moments during the rescue mission was the creation of a makeshift carbon dioxide filter that used only materials available on the spacecraft. This solution was one of the most vital pieces in the puzzle that allowed the crew to survive.
Returning home
The Apollo 13 mission quickly became one of the most impressive rescue missions in human history. Despite the intense damage the ship had suffered, the combined skills of the astronauts and ground control allowed the spacecraft to safely re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere on 16th April 1970.
The Command Module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, where the crew was quickly rescued by the USS Iwo Jima. The mission’s outcome was initially called a successful failure. While the primary objective of landing on the moon was not achieved, the safe return of the astronauts was a monumental achievement.
The aftermath of Apollo 13
In the wake of Apollo 13, NASA reviewed their hardware and procedures, leading to massive improvements in safety and reliability for future missions. The will to survive demonstrated during Apollo 13 has inspired people around the world, showing the importance of teamwork and human endurance.
The events of Apollo 13 were later featured in the acclaimed 1995 film Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks. This film is a fictionalised version of what happened, exposing the mission’s challenges and survival to a global audience.
