The Apollo 13 mission, which launched on April 11, 1970, was the third crewed mission intended to land on the Moon. The crew consisted of commander James Lovell, command module pilot John Swigert, and lunar module pilot Fred Haise. Two days into their journey, while en route to the Moon, an oxygen tank in the service module exploded, causing a loss of electrical power and propulsion capabilities. The explosion was caused by a combination of design flaws, prior damage to the tank, and a highly risky 'stirring' procedure intended to mix the tank's contents before launch, which had damaged the wiring.The explosion led to a series of contingency plans as the team faced life-threatening conditions, including limited oxygen and power. Lovell and his crew had to rapidly adapt to use their lunar module, Aquarius, as a lifeboat for the journey back to Earth. Engineers at Mission Control in Houston worked tirelessly to devise innovative solutions, including creating makeshift carbon dioxide scrubbers. The crew successfully executed a critical burn to return to Earth, splashing down safely in the Pacific Ocean on April 17, 1970, after four days of intense uncertainty and danger.