Apollo 13. The Command Module of the Apollo 13 module being winched onto the recovery ship, USS Iwo Jima. Apollo 13 was launched on 11 April 1970, and was planned as the third manned Moon landing. Two days into the flight, 300,000km from Earth, an oxygen tank in the spacecraft exploded. With their normal supplies of oxygen and electricity destroyed, the astronauts used the Lunar Module as a 'liferaft' to keep them alive. After passing around the Moon, Apollo 13 headed back to Earth. Just before arriving, the crew transferred back into the Command Module for re-entry. Apollo 13 and its crew arrived back safely on 17 April 1970.