The Apollo 13 backup crew was a team of astronauts who were prepared to fly to the Moon in the event that the prime crew was unable to do so. The backup crew consisted of Jim Lovell (commander), Fred Haise (pilot), and Jack Swigert (command module pilot).
The backup crew was originally scheduled to fly on Apollo 14, but they were bumped up to Apollo 13 after the prime crew was injured in a training accident. The backup crew then flew on Apollo 13 after the prime crew was forced to abort the mission.
The backup crew was an impressive team of astronauts, and they did an excellent job of flying to the Moon and back. Thanks to their skills and expertise, the Apollo 13 mission was a success.
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Who were the 3 crew members of Apollo 13?
The Apollo 13 mission was launched on April 11, 1970, and was intended to be the third manned moon landing. However, on April 13 the spacecraft suffered a catastrophic explosion, and the crew was forced to return to Earth without landing on the moon. The three crew members of Apollo 13 were James Lovell, Jr., John Swigert, Jr., and Fred Haise, Jr.
James Lovell, Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 25, 1928. He served in the Navy during World War II, and after the war he attended the United States Naval Academy. He became a test pilot, and in 1962 he was selected as an astronaut. He was commander of Apollo 13.
John Swigert, Jr. was born in Denver, Colorado, on August 30, 1931. He attended the University of Colorado and the University of California at Berkeley, and he worked as a research scientist before becoming an astronaut in 1966. He was the flight engineer on Apollo 13.
Fred Haise, Jr. was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, on November 14, 1933. He served in the Air Force, and after the war he attended the University of Oklahoma. He became a test pilot, and in 1966 he was selected as an astronaut. He was the lunar module pilot on Apollo 13.
Did Apollo 13 crew members survive?
It was a close brush with death for the three astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft when an oxygen tank exploded en route to the moon in 1970. The crew – James Lovell, John Swigert, and Fred Haise – had to use the limited remaining oxygen and power to return to Earth.
For a time, it was unclear whether the crew would make it back alive. However, after a harrowing journey, all three astronauts returned safely to Earth.
The Apollo 13 mission has been immortalized in the 1995 movie Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell.
Did the 3 men survive Apollo 13?
On April 13, 1970, Apollo 13 was launched on a mission to the moon. The spacecraft was commanded by James A. Lovell, Jr., with John L. Swigert, Jr. as Command Module Pilot and Fred W. Haise, Jr. as Lunar Module Pilot. On April 14, the third day of the mission, an oxygen tank exploded on the spacecraft, causing a loss of power and disabling the guidance and navigation systems. The astronauts were forced to use the on-board systems to navigate the spacecraft back to Earth.
The crew successfully returned to Earth on April 17, but the journey was not without danger. The explosion had caused the loss of oxygen and water, and the spacecraft was badly damaged. The crew was also exposed to dangerous levels of radiation.
Despite these challenges, the crew survived and returned home safely. The Apollo 13 mission was widely regarded as a success, and the crew was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
How many of the Apollo 13 crew are still alive?
April 13, 1970. That date will forever be etched into the minds of those who witnessed the Apollo 13 disaster. The third manned moon landing mission turned into a nightmare when an oxygen tank exploded, crippling the spacecraft and forcing the crew to scramble to keep themselves alive.
Amazingly, all of the astronauts on board Apollo 13 – Jim Lovell, John Swigert, and Fred Haise – survived the ordeal. But of the three, only Lovell is still alive today. Swigert died of pancreatic cancer in 1982, and Haise passed away in 2010 after a long battle with pancreatitis.
Lovell, now 89, is the only living member of the Apollo 13 crew. He has been active in promoting space exploration, and in 2007 published an autobiographical account of the Apollo 13 mission titled “Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13”. He also appeared in the 1995 movie “Apollo 13”, playing himself.
Despite the tragedy that befell Apollo 13, the crew’s miraculous survival is a testament to the power of human ingenuity and determination. Jim Lovell and his fellow astronauts will always be remembered as heroes, and their story remains an inspiration to us all.
Who was the real hero of Apollo 13?
The Apollo 13 mission, which launched on April 11, 1970, is widely considered to be one of the most successful and harrowing missions in NASA’s history. The mission was intended to be the third moon landing, but it quickly turned into a harrowing journey when an oxygen tank exploded onboard the spacecraft, leaving the astronauts stranded without power or a means of communicating with Earth.
While the astronauts themselves are widely considered to be the heroes of the Apollo 13 mission, there are many who argue that the real hero was mission control. Mission control was responsible for devising a plan to get the astronauts back to Earth safely, and many of the decisions that were made during the mission were critical in ensuring the astronauts’ survival.
Without the expertise and dedication of the team at mission control, the astronauts would not have been able to return home safely. While the astronauts are the ones who risked their lives during the mission, mission control is the one who deserves the real credit for ensuring their safety.
Did the Apollo 13 crew sleep?
The Apollo 13 crew did not sleep during the flight.
Which Apollo blew up and killed?
On January 27, 1967, Apollo 1 was destroyed in a fire that killed all three astronauts on board: Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. The cause of the fire was determined to be a spark that ignited the pure oxygen atmosphere in the spacecraft.
