The jettisoned
Service Module of the
Apollo 13 spacecraft, photographed as the beleaguered Command Module was preparing for
reentry. The seventh manned mission in the
Apollo space program, Apollo 13 was launched on April 11, 1970. It was commanded by
James A. Lovell, with
John L. "Jack" Swigert and
Fred W. Haise as crew. After an oxygen tank exploded on April 13, the Service Module was crippled and a planned
lunar landing was aborted. Despite great hardship caused by limited power, loss of cabin heat, shortage of
potable water, and the critical need to make
makeshift repairs to the carbon dioxide removal system, the crew returned safely to
Earth on April 17, 1970.
Photograph: NASA