APOLLO 13 TIMELINE

April 11, 1970

Apollo 13 launches from Florida at 1:13 p.m. Central. The mission proceeds as planned for the first 55 hours.

April 13, 1970

After a television broadcast about life aboard the spacecraft, Mission Control asks the crew to test the fans for the service module’s oxygen tanks. Two minutes after the test, the crew hears a loud bang, and warning lights flash in the cockpit. At 9:08 p.m. in Houston, or nearly 56 hours into the flight, Jack Swigert tells Mission Control that they’ve had a problem.

April 14, 1970

Within six hours of the explosion, the crew powers down the command service module and seeks refuge in the smaller lunar module, as a lifeboat. Just before the day ends, Apollo 13 makes its closest approach to the moon.

April 17, 1970

Crew returns to command module for re-entry into the atmosphere. The spacecraft splashes safely into the Pacific Ocean, nearly 143 hours after liftoff. The astronauts are rescued by helicopter 35 minutes later.