Remembering: Apollo 13

April 11, 1970 Apollo 13 successfully launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida with James A. Lovell, John L. Swigert, and Fred W. Haise aboard. Lovell and Haise were scheduled to become the fifth and sixth men to walk the moon.

On the 13th, just after completing a television broadcast, an explosion rocked the spaceship. "Houston, we've had a problem here", came Lovell's words to mission control. It was realized that oxygen tank 2 had exploded, disabling the normal amounts of oxygen, electricity, and water. The landing was scrapped.

Over the next few days the world held it's breath as the astronauts were carefully guided back to earth by mission control. They endured several days of near freezing temperatures, and fifth rations.

Even then worries abounded that there was more damage and they might not survive reentry. Luckily Apollo 13 held together. Thanks to the ingenuity of the astronauts and mission control they survived the entire ordeal.