Apollo 13 was NASA's seventh mission in the Apollo Program, intended to be the third landing on the Moon. On April 13, 1970, an oxygen tank exploded, turning the mission into a high-stakes rescue. Learn how the three brave astronauts made it safely home!

What if you were traveling to the Moon, and suddenly your spaceship started falling apart?!

Thatā€™s exactly what happened to the brave crew of the Apollo 13 mission! This mission, which launched on April 11, 1970, was supposed to be the third time humans walked on the Moon. The three astronautsā€”Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigertā€”were ready for adventure. But just two days into their trip, about halfway to the Moon, BAM! A massive explosion rocked their spacecraft. Suddenly, the mission was no longer about exploring the Moon; it became the most exciting rescue mission in space history for kids to learn about!

Mira

Mira says:

"Wow, Mira! Imagine being 200,000 miles from Earth and hearing a loud bang! Thatā€™s when the real adventure, the one about teamwork and survival, began for the Apollo 13 crew."

What Was Apollo 13 Supposed To Do?

The Apollo Program was NASAā€™s awesome plan to send people to land on the Moon and bring them back safely to Earth. Apollo 13 was mission number seven and planned to be the *third* Moon landing!

Their target was a place called the Fra Mauro highlands. The astronauts were going to explore, drive a cool buggy, and collect important Moon rocks to help scientists learn how our solar system was made.

The spacecraft was made of three main parts: the Command Module (Odyssey), the Lunar Module (Aquarius), and the Service Module. The Command Module was the main living area that would splash down at the end. The Lunar Module was the small lander they would use on the Moon.

Mind-Blowing Fact!

The whole Apollo 13 mission lasted for 5 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes, and 41 seconds! Thatā€™s a long time to be stuck in a broken tin can in space!

The Big Problem: A Mid-Space Crisis

On April 13, 1970, about 56 hours into the flight, the problem happened. One of the oxygen tanks in the Service Module exploded!

This explosion was terribleā€”it damaged the other oxygen tank too! Oxygen is super important; itā€™s what the astronauts breathe, *and* itā€™s used in the fuel cells to create the electricity for their lights and computers.

Commander Lovell famously radioed Earth with the now-famous words: ā€œHouston, weā€™ve had a problem.ā€

200,000+ miles Distance from Earth
When the explosion happened
3 Astronauts
Who had to survive
40Ā°F (4Ā°C) Cabin Temperature
How cold it got

How Did They Turn the Lunar Module into a Lifeboat?

With the Command Module dying, Mission Control made a brave decision: use the Lunar Module, *Aquarius*, as a temporary lifeboat!

The *Aquarius* was only designed to keep two astronauts alive for about two days on the Moon's surface. Now it had to keep three people alive for four days on the way home!

The Race Against Carbon Dioxide

One big danger was the yucky air they were breathing! The *Aquarius* had filters to clean the air, but they were running out. The *Odyssey* had extra filters, but they were shaped completely differently. They couldn't just plug them in!

The brilliant ground control team in Houston had to invent a way to connect the square filter to the round hole using only things the astronauts had: plastic bags, cardboard, and duct tape! This amazing fix saved their lives.

💡 Did You Know?

Did you know that Jack Swigert was not on the original flight crew? He only joined the mission 48 hours before launch because the original Command Module Pilot, Ken Mattingly, was exposed to German measles! What a stressful last-minute change!

🎯 Quick Quiz!

What was the main purpose of the Lunar Module, *Aquarius*, during the Apollo 13 crisis?

A) To collect extra Moon rocks after the explosion.
B) To fire powerful engines and correct their path home.
C) To act as an emergency 'lifeboat' for all three astronauts.
D) To contact the International Space Station for help.

Who Were the Amazing Astronauts?

The crew worked together perfectly under unbelievable pressure. Commander Jim Lovell was the oldest and most experienced. Fred Haise and Jack Swigert were facing huge challenges too!

It wasn't just the astronauts! The entire Ground Control team in Houston were the real heroes here. They worked around the clock to solve impossible math and engineering problems to guide the crew home. Teamwork made the dream work, even when the dream turned into a survival test!

  • Jim Lovell (Commander): Already an expert, this was his fourth spaceflight!
  • Fred Haise (Lunar Module Pilot): Had to fight off a kidney infection during the ordeal.
  • Jack Swigert (Command Module Pilot): The last-minute swap meant he was flying a dangerous mission with almost no practice!

Against incredible odds, the crew swung around the Moon and headed back. On April 17, 1970, the *Odyssey* splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean. Even though they didn't land on the Moon, everyone agreed Apollo 13 was one of NASAā€™s greatest achievementsā€”a true testament to human cleverness and never giving up!

Questions Kids Ask About Space

What famous phrase came from the Apollo 13 mission?
The astronauts famously told Mission Control, ā€œHouston, we've had a problem.ā€ This phrase is now used all the time when something goes wrong!
What caused the Apollo 13 explosion?
A spark inside one of the oxygen tanks in the Service Module caused a fire and a huge explosion. This happened because of wiring issues that were not caught before the flight.
Why is Apollo 13 called a 'successful failure'?
Itā€™s called a 'successful failure' because the main goalā€”landing on the Moonā€”failed due to the damage. However, the successful return of all three astronauts alive against impossible odds made it a huge success for survival!

Keep Exploring the Stars!

The Apollo 13 crew showed us that even when things look their darkest, a little bit of science, a lot of teamwork, and never giving up can help you find your way home!