What caused the explosion onboard the Apollo 13 that ruined the mission?

The Apollo 13 malfunction was caused by an explosion and rupture of oxygen tank no. 2 in the service module. The explosion ruptured a line or damaged a valve in the no. 1 oxygen tank, causing it to lose oxygen rapidly.

Why did they stir the tanks?

The O2 tanks were stirred in order to get an accurate reading on the gauging systems, as the cryogenic oxygen tends to solidify in the tanks, and stirring allows for a more accurate reading on the quantity of O2 remaining in the tank.

What was the first problem the crew of the Apollo 13 experienced?

“Houston, we’ve had a problem” An explosion in one of the oxygen tanks crippled the spacecraft during flight and the crew were forced to orbit the Moon and return to the Earth without landing.

What was the Cryo-stir of the Apollo 14 mission?

56 hours into the mission, at about 03:06 UT on 14 April 1970 (10:06 PM, April 13 EST), the power fans were turned on within the tank for the third “cryo-stir” of the mission, a procedure to stir the oxygen slush inside the tank which would tend to stratify.

What caused Apollo 13 to explode?

Chain Reaction Leads to Explosion The Mission Control Center photographed on April 13, 1970, during the fourth television transmission from the Apollo 13 mission. One of four Apollo 13 flight directors views the large screen at front as astronaut Fred Haise, Lunar Module pilot, is seen on the screen.

What happened to the oxygen tank on Apollo 13?

The Apollo 13 Accident. The explosion ruptured a line or damaged a valve in the no. 1 oxygen tank, causing it to lose oxygen rapidly. The service module bay no.4 cover was blown off. All oxygen stores were lost within about 3 hours, along with loss of water, electrical power, and use of the propulsion system.

What happened to the Apollo 11 moon landing mission?

The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, from Kennedy Space Center, but the lunar landing was aborted after an oxygen tank in the service module (SM) exploded two days into the mission. The crew instead looped around the Moon, and returned safely to Earth on April 17, 1970, six days after launch.