Apollo 13
Ingenuity Is Born Out Of Necessity
Ingenuity Is Born Out Of Necessity



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The mission encountered trouble when an oxygen tank exploded. Although a failed mission, NASA’s teamwork and ingenuity returned the astronauts safely to Earth.Loading...

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One of the oxygen tanks onboard Apollo 13 had been accidentally dropped during maintenance before the Apollo 10 mission in 1969, causing slight internal damage that didn’t show up in later inspections. On Earth, flight director Gene Kranz pulled his shift of controllers off regular rotation to focus on managing consumables like water and power. Other mission control teams helped the crew with its daily activities. Spacecraft manufacturers worked around the clock to support NASA and the crew.Loading...
The explosion forced the astronauts to have to use the LM as a life vessel.Loading...
Power in the LM was designed for forty-five hours, but the astronauts were ninety hours from Earth. All non-critical systems were turned off to conserve energy. Temperatures in LM dropped to 38 degrees Fahrenheit.The astronauts aboard Apollo 13 and engineers back at home had to alter the mission after the explosion.
EVENT DATE & TIME (EST) MISSION TIME
April 11 02:13:00 p.m. - Launch
April 11 02:25:40 p.m. - Earth orbit insertion
April 11 04:54:47 p.m. - Translunar injection
April 13 10:06 p.m. - LO2 tank anomaly (oxygen tank explosion)
April 14 9:40 p.m. - Trans-Earth injection
April 17 01:07:41 p.m. - Splashdown in South Pacific Ocean
April 11 02:13:00 p.m. - Launch
April 11 02:25:40 p.m. - Earth orbit insertion
April 11 04:54:47 p.m. - Translunar injection
April 13 10:06 p.m. - LO2 tank anomaly (oxygen tank explosion)
April 14 9:40 p.m. - Trans-Earth injection
April 17 01:07:41 p.m. - Splashdown in South Pacific Ocean
Time Spent On Each Part of The Mission
Lift off from Earth - .12 hours
CM smooth flying - 55 hours
Using LM as a lifeboat - 85 hours
Earth reentry - 1 hour
Lift off from Earth - .12 hours
CM smooth flying - 55 hours
Using LM as a lifeboat - 85 hours
Earth reentry - 1 hour
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