I'm an expert in space history, and I'm here to provide you with accurate information regarding the Apollo 13 mission. Apollo 13 was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and was intended to be the third lunar landing. However, it became a critical mission to save the lives of the astronauts on board after an explosion damaged the spacecraft's oxygen tanks and service module.

The crew of Apollo 13 consisted of Commander Jim Lovell, Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert, and Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise. The mission was launched on April 11, 1970, from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, with the aim of landing on the moon. However, on April 13, 1970, two days into the mission, an oxygen tank exploded, causing a critical failure in the spacecraft.

The explosion led to a loss of electrical power and a drop in cabin pressure, which forced the crew to abort the lunar landing and focus on returning safely to Earth. The astronauts faced numerous challenges, including limited power, a shortage of water, and the need to manually control the spacecraft using the Lunar Module as a lifeboat.

Despite the dire situation, the efforts of the astronauts, mission control, and the ground support teams were successful in bringing the crew back to Earth safely. The spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere on April 17, 1970, and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, where the crew was recovered by the USS Iwo Jima.

It's important to note that no one died during the Apollo 13 mission. The astronauts faced life-threatening conditions but managed to survive and return to Earth. The mission is often referred to as a "successful failure" because, although it did not achieve its original goal of landing on the moon, it demonstrated the resilience and ingenuity of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

The Apollo 13 mission has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and films, most notably the 1995 film "Apollo 13," directed by Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell, Bill Paxton as Fred Haise, and Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert. The film accurately portrays the events of the mission and the challenges faced by the crew.

In conclusion, the Apollo 13 mission was a pivotal moment in space exploration history. It showed the world that even in the face of disaster, with the right preparation, teamwork, and determination, it is possible to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and achieve success.

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Fred Haise (left), Jack Swigert, and Jim Lovell pose on the day before launch. Swigert had just replaced Ken Mattingly as command module pilot after Mattingly was exposed to German measles. In an instant, the Apollo 13 spacecraft pivoted from a moon-bound landing unit to a crippled vessel.Dec 17, 2017read more >>