The Apollo Missions Gallery

Us-Astronautics-Apollo Xiii-Launch

The 363 foot-high (110 meters) Apollo 13 Saturn V space vehicle lifts off 11 April 1970 from the Kennedy Space Center's launch complex with astronauts James A. Lovell Jr., John L. Swigers Jr. and Fred W. Haise Jr. on what was supposed to be the third NASA's manned lunar landing mission. After the explosion of the ship's oxygen tanks 13 April as it had passed into the moon's gravitational field the crew had to leave the command module and climb into the LEM (Lunar Exploration Module). The three astronauts used primitive celestial navigation techniques to determine where they were and how to get back to earth. Despite continued peril, their calculations worked and on 17 April 1970 Apollo XIII splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean with all occupants intact. / AFP PHOTO

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Us-Space-Apollo 13-Moon

A NASA picture shows a partial view of the Moon from inside the Apollo 13 lunar module in April 1970. The third Apollo manned mission to the Moon launched on April 11, 1970 was cancelled due to onboard explosion. The crew had to leave the command module and climb into the LEM (Lunar Exploration Module). The three astronauts used primitive celestial navigation techniques to determine where they were and how to get back to earth. Despite continued peril, their calculations worked and on 17 April 1970 Apollo XIII splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean with all occupants intact. Astronauts James A. Lovell, Jr., John L. Swigert and Fred W. Haise, Jr. were rescued in good condition after command module Odyssey splashed down safely in the Pacific. / AFP PHOTO / NASA

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Apollo XII Crew

Members of the crew of the US space program "Apollo VII ", from L to R : Donn F. Eisele, Walter Schirra and Walter Cunningham, pose in front of the Apollo cabin after a workout, a Cape Kennedy 18 September 1968
Les membres de l'equipage du programme spatial americain "Apollo VII", de G a D: Donn F. Eisele, Walter Schirra et Walter Cunningham, posent devant la cabine Apollo a l'issue d'un entrainement, a Cap Kennedy le 18 septembre 1968. / AFP PHOTO

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