A movie based on what was to be the third lunar-landing mission. This film shows the trials and tribulations of the Apollo 13 crew, mission control, and families after a near-fatal accident cripples the space vehicle. A mission that couldn't get TV airtime because space flights had become routine to the American public suddenly grabbed the national spotlight. This is a tale of averted tragedy, heroism and shows a testament to the creativity of the scientists who ran the early space missions.

Footage of the Saturn V was computer generated specifically for this film; no Saturn V stock footage was used.

[watching the Apollo 11 landing on TV]


Pete Conrad:
Jim, you think it's too late for him to abort?


Jim Lovell:
No, he still has time to get outta there, he just needs someone to wave him off.

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The film contains an explicit notice that "certain characters and events have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes", so these changes are not goofs. For instance, the Lovells did not host a party during the Apollo 11 landing; Ken Mattingly was already at Mission Control when the Apollo 13 accident happened, and was not really the person who devised the power-up procedure. There are various other minute contradictions of history and the film is prey to a large number of factual errors due to the large volume of documentary footage/evidence from the actual event. This is not a documentary.

Written by Carlos Santana, David Brown, Gregg Rolie, Michael Shrieve (as Mike Shrieve),
Jose Chepito Areas (as Jose Areas), Mike Carabello
Performed by Santana
Courtesy of Columbia Records
by arrangement with Sony Music Licensing