The crew was forced to abandon the Command Module ( Odyssey ) and use the Lunar Module ( Aquarius ) as a makeshift "lifeboat" . Ingenuity Under Pressure
Superintendent’s Blog: The BSD-Apollo 13 Connection, Part 3 Apollo 13
The mission was crewed by Commander , Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise , and Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert . Following the explosion of oxygen tank number two, the Service Module was crippled, losing its ability to generate electricity and water. The crew was forced to abandon the Command
The "Successful Failure": Lessons from Apollo 13 On April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 launched with a clear objective: land on the Moon's Fra Mauro highlands. But 56 hours into the flight, a routine oxygen tank stir triggered an explosion that changed history. What followed wasn't a moon landing, but one of the greatest rescue stories in human history—often called NASA's " successful failure ". The Crisis in Deep Space The "Successful Failure": Lessons from Apollo 13 On
The rescue required solving a series of "impossible" problems using only the materials on hand. Key highlights of the mission's survival include: