April 17, 2022
On this date in 1970, the Apollo 13 command module safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. Only 2 days into the mission, an oxygen tank failed, and the mission was cancelled midflight. Instead of landing on the lunar surface as originally planned, the spacecraft looped around the moon and returned to Earth.
Astronaut Lovell emerging from the command module “Odyssey” as crewmates Haise and Swigert watch from the recovery raft just minutes after splashdown. Image credit: NASA