Apollo 13 Being Fueled Before Launch at Launch Complex 39A

Apollo 13 Being Fueled Before Launch at Launch Complex 39A

Apollo 13 at Launch Complex 39A

John F. Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

Merritt Island (Fla.)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (U.S.)

NASA

Apollo Project (U.S.)

Project Apollo (U.S.)

Apollo 13 (Spacecraft)

With the Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) in the foreground, the Saturn V of Apollo 13 being fueled at Launch Pad 39A of John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. Apollo 13 was crewed by Mission Commander Jim Lovell (1928-), Lunar Module Pilot Fred Haise (1933-), and Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert (1931-1982). Apollo 13 was termed a "successful failure," because the crew survived even though they did not accomplish its original objective of landing on the moon. Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970, but an oxygen tank in the Service Module had exploded around 56 hours into the mission, as a result of a series of mismatched modifications and unfortunate testing, causing the mission and the astronauts being put in jeopardy. The Moon landing did not happen, but the astronauts landed safely in the Pacific Ocean on April 17.

Original black and white photographic print, March 26, 1970: Larry Summers Collection.

1970-03-26

Digital reproduction of original black and white photographic print, March 26, 1970.

Florida Space Coast History Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.

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1 black and white photographic print

eng

Still Image

John F. Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida

Donation

History Teacher

Civics/Government Teacher

Copyright to this resource is held by Larry Summers and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.

Michlowitz, Robert

Cepero, Laura

"APOLLO 13 (AS-508)." Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Accessed July 8, 2015. http://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/topics/apollo/apollo-program/landing-missions/apollo13.cfm.

1 black and white photographic print