Which Apollo mission experienced an oxygen tank explosion?
Answer
Apollo 13
Answer
Apollo 13
Which Apollo mission experienced an oxygen tank explosion? Apollo 13 did, on April 13, 1970, en route to the Moon.
An oxygen tank in the mission’s service module exploded after damaged electrical wiring ignited insulation. The blast vented oxygen from both service-module tanks and disabled key systems, including electrical power, propulsion, and part of the life-support infrastructure.
The three astronauts—James Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert—abandoned plans to land and used the lunar module Aquarius as a lifeboat. Mission Control developed emergency procedures that allowed the crew to conserve power, remove carbon dioxide, and navigate back to Earth.
A common mix-up is Apollo 1, which suffered a fatal cabin fire during a ground test in 1967, not an oxygen-tank explosion in flight. Apollo 13’s damaged spacecraft returned safely, although the mission’s lunar landing was canceled.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026