From Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, to Apollo 11’s first landing on the Moon and Apollo 13’s return from behind it — the paths of those who left the Earth
NASA/Apollo 17 crew; taken by either Harrison Schmitt or Ron Evans · Public domain · Source
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite. Shocked, the United States founded NASA, and the space race between the two powers began.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the Moon.
In April 1970 America’s Apollo 13, on its way to the Moon, lost an oxygen tank in an explosion on its third night, gave up the landing, swung around the Moon using the lunar module as a lifeboat, and brought all three men home on 17 April.
At 03:08 UTC on 14 April 1970 (the night of the 13th in Houston) an oxygen tank exploded in the service module of Apollo 13 on its way to the Moon. Mission Control and the three astronauts found a way home using the lunar module as a lifeboat.
On 17 April 1970 Apollo 13’s command module Odyssey splashed down in the South Pacific. The three astronauts were taken aboard the assault ship USS Iwo Jima, 6.5 km away.
American astronaut who flew Gemini 7 and 12 and Apollo 8, then commanded Apollo 13 on his second trip to the Moon — but never landed on it
American astronaut who became Apollo 13’s command module pilot three days before launch, replacing Ken Mattingly after a rubella exposure; elected to Congress in 1982, he died before taking office
American astronaut, Apollo 13’s lunar module pilot, who after missing the Moon went on to fly the Space Shuttle’s approach and landing tests
NASA flight director who led Mission Control’s “White Team” when Apollo 13’s accident struck, and planned the way to bring the three men home
First Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party (1953–1964) who denounced Stalin and preached peaceful coexistence, yet confronted the US over the Berlin Wall and Cuba