Space Rescue

The astronauts flew through space. Apollo 13 was made up of three main modules, or parts.  

On one side was the lunar module. In the middle was the command module. That is where the men lived. On the other side was the service module. It held most of the ship’s power and oxygen.

It was not easy being on Apollo 13. The men ate dried food mixed with water. There were no sinks, showers, or toilets. There was no gravity. Gravity holds things down and keeps them from floating away. The men floated around in the ship.

The men also had to pee and poop into bags! The bags with pee were left in space. The bags with poop would be brought back to Earth. 

The astronauts flew through space. Apollo 13 was made up of three parts. The parts are called modules.

On one side was the lunar module. In the middle was the command module. This is where the men lived. On the other side was the service module. It held most of the ship’s power and oxygen.

It was not easy being on Apollo 13. The men ate dried food mixed with water. There were no sinks or showers. There was no gravity. Gravity holds things down. It keeps them from floating away. The men floated around in the ship.

There were no toilets. The men had to pee and poop into bags! The bags with pee were left in space. The bags with poop would be brought back to Earth.

The astronauts flew through space. Apollo 13 was made up of three main modules, or parts.

On one side was the lunar module. In the middle was the command module, where the men lived. On the other side was the service module which held most of the ship’s power and oxygen.

It was not easy being on Apollo 13. The men ate dried food mixed with water. There were no sinks, showers, or toilets. There was no gravity to keep them from floating away. The men floated around in the ship.

The men also had to pee and poop into bags! The bags with pee were left in space, but the bags with poop would be brought back to Earth.

On April 13, the astronauts got ready to land on the moon. They were talking with engineers at Mission Control in Houston, Texas. Engineers design and work with machines. The engineers asked them to turn on fans in an oxygen tank. 

Swigert turned them on. Bang! The spacecraft shook. “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” he said.

An oxygen tank had blown up! The ship was damaged, or broken. Soon parts of the ship would run out of oxygen and power. Now the men could not go to the moon.

It was April 13. The astronauts got ready to land on the moon.

They were talking with engineers at Mission Control in Houston, Texas. Engineers design and work with machines. The engineers asked them to turn on fans in an oxygen tank.

Swigert turned them on. Bang! The spacecraft shook. “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” he said.

An oxygen tank had blown up! The ship was damaged. It was broken. Soon parts of the ship would run out of oxygen and power. They could not go to the moon.

On April 13, the astronauts got ready to land on the moon.

They were talking with engineers at Mission Control in Houston, Texas. Engineers design and work with machines. The engineers asked them to turn on fans in an oxygen tank.

Swigert turned them on. Bang! The spacecraft shook. “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” he said.

An oxygen tank had blown up! The ship was damaged and soon parts of the ship would run out of oxygen and power. Now the men could not travel to the moon.

The men had to get home. Everyone brainstormed about what to do. The engineers decided the astronauts needed to stay in the lunar module. Why? It had its own power, oxygen, and water. The men would be safe in it until they got close to Earth. 

But as they got close to Earth, the lunar module would get too hot. So the men would need to rush back into the command module. It had a heat shield to keep them safe. 

The trip back to Earth would take four days. The astronauts wanted to save power, so they shut off the heat. It was negative 454 degrees Fahrenheit outside! The men were freezing. 

People on Earth looked up at the sky. They hoped the astronauts would make it home.

The men had to get home. Everyone thought about what to do. The engineers decided the astronauts needed to stay in the lunar module. Why? It had its own power. It also had oxygen and water. The men would be safe in it until they got close to Earth.

There was a problem. The lunar module would get too hot when it got close to Earth. The men would need to rush back into the command module. It had a heat shield. It would keep them safe.

The trip back to Earth would take four days. The astronauts wanted to save power. They shut off the heat. It was negative 454 degrees Fahrenheit outside! The men were freezing.

People on Earth hoped the astronauts would make it home.

The men had to get home. Everyone brainstormed about what to do. The engineers decided the astronauts needed to stay in the lunar module because it had its own power, oxygen, and water. The men would be safe in it until they got close to Earth.

But as they approached Earth, the lunar module would get too hot. So the men would need to rush back into the command module where a heat shield could keep them safe.

The journey back to Earth would take four days. The astronauts wanted to save power, so they shut off the heat. It was negative 454 degrees Fahrenheit outside, so the men were freezing!

Back on Earth people looked up at the sky and hoped the astronauts would make it home.

On the morning of April 17, it was time to return to Earth. The men climbed into the command module. They needed the heat shield to work. If it did not, the ship would burn up. 

The men got ready. Soon the ship and Mission Control wouldn’t be able to talk to each other. If something went wrong, Mission Control would not know. 

In Houston, the room was packed. It was full of people. No one spoke. Everyone was too nervous. 

On the morning of April 17, it was time to return to Earth. The men climbed into the command module. They needed the heat shield to work. If it did not, the ship would burn up.

The men got ready. Soon the ship wouldn’t be able to talk to Mission Control. If something went wrong, Mission Control would not know.

In Houston, the room was full of people. It was packed. No one talked. Everyone was too nervous.

On the morning of April 17, it was time to return to Earth. The men climbed into the command module and hoped the heat shield would work. If it did not, the ship would burn up.

The men prepared. Soon the ship and Mission Control wouldn’t be able to communicate. If something went wrong, Mission Control would not know.

In Houston, the room was packed. No one spoke because everyone was too nervous.

Time passed. People in Mission Control tried to talk to the astronauts. It didn’t work. They tried again. It didn’t work again. Some engineers cried. 

Then a voice came over the radio. It was Jack Swigert! 

At Mission Control, the room filled with joy. People pumped their fists. The astronauts were alive!

Inside the ship, the astronauts watched the sky. It turned from red to pink to blue.

Pop! The ship’s parachutes opened. The ship floated to Earth. It landed in the Pacific Ocean. The Apollo 13 mission was over. It had failed. The astronauts had not been able to go to the moon. 

But many people thought it was one of the U.S. space program’s biggest successes. It was a win. The men got home safely. Everyone survived. 

Jim Lovell looked at the other two astronauts. He said, “Fellows, we’re home.”

Time passed. Mission Control tried to talk to the astronauts. 

It didn’t work.

They tried again. It didn’t work. Some engineers cried.

Then a voice came over the radio. It was Jack Swigert!

The room filled with joy. People pumped their fists. The astronauts were alive!

The astronauts watched the sky. It turned from red to pink to blue.

Pop! The ship’s parachutes opened. The ship floated to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean. The Apollo 13 mission was over. It had failed. The astronauts did not go to the moon.

Many people thought it was one of the U.S. space program’s biggest successes. It was a win because the men got home safely. Everyone lived.

Jim Lovell looked at the other two astronauts. He said, “Fellows, we’re home.”

Time passed. People in Mission Control tried to talk to the astronauts, but it didn’t work.

They tried again and failed. Some engineers cried.

Then a voice came over the radio—it was Jack Swigert!

At Mission Control, the room filled with joy and people pumped their fists. The astronauts survived!

Inside the ship, the astronauts watched the sky as it turned from red to pink to blue.

Pop! The ship’s parachutes opened and the ship floated to Earth landing in the Pacific Ocean. The Apollo 13 mission was over. It had failed because the astronauts had not been able to go to the moon.

But many people thought it was one of the U.S. space program’s biggest successes. It was a win because the men got home safely. Everyone survived.

Jim Lovell looked at the other two astronauts. He said, “Fellows, we’re home.”