On This Day

Apollo 13 announces, "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here" after a Beech-built oxygen tank exploded en route to the

Apollo 13 announces, "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here" after a Beech-built oxygen tank exploded en route to the Moon

Apollo 13 (April 11–17, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) exploded two days into the mission, disabling its electrical and life-support system. The crew, supported by backup systems on the Apollo Lunar Module, instead looped around the Moon in a circumlunar trajectory and returned safely to Earth on April 17. The mission was commanded by Jim Lovell, with Jack Swigert as command module (CM) pilot and Fred Haise as Lunar Module (LM) pilot.

Historical Significance

Apollo 13 (April 11–17, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing.

Events Before

  1. Apollo 11 Moon Landing

    NASA's Apollo 11 mission successfully lands the first humans on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first people to walk on the lunar surface.

  2. Tommy Morrison is born

    Tommy Morrison, American professional boxer, known for american boxer, was born on 1969-01-02.

  3. Christy Turlington is born

    Christy Turlington is born

  4. Jack Kent Cooke, owner of the NHL's LA Kings, fines each player $100 for not arguing with the referees

    Jack Kent Cooke, owner of the NHL's LA Kings, fines each player $100 for not arguing with the referees

  5. Atlantic Records releases Led Zeppelin’s eponymous debut album in the United States

    Atlantic Records releases Led Zeppelin’s eponymous debut album in the United States

Events After

  1. Cigarette advertisements are banned from broadcast media in the US

    Cigarette advertisements are banned from broadcast media in the US

  2. 1st "Quickie" Divorce granted in UK

    1st "Quickie" Divorce granted in UK

  3. Tamla Records releases Marvin Gaye's single "What's Going On" about police brutality, from the album of the same name

    What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by the American soul singer Marvin Gaye. It was released on May 21, 1971, by the Motown Records subsidiary label Tamla.

  4. Military coup in Uganda led by Major General Idi Amin

    Idi Amin Dada Oumee (30 May 1928 – 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until his overthrow in 1979.

  5. General Idi Amin ousts Milton Obote and appoints himself President and Dictator of Uganda

    Idi Amin Dada Oumee (30 May 1928 – 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until his overthrow in 1979.

More from the 1970s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 13, 1970?
Apollo 13 (April 11–17, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) exploded two days into the mission, disabling its electrical and life-support system. The crew, supported by backup systems on the Apollo Lunar Module, instead looped around the Moon in a circumlunar trajectory and returned safely to Earth on April 17.
Why is Apollo 13 announces, "Okay, Houston, we've had a problem here" after a Beech-... significant?
Apollo 13 (April 11–17, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing.

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