This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission – made famous for its “successful failure” by the 1995 film named for the mission, starring Tom Hanks, Kathleen Quinlan, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise and Ed Harris. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation want the country to come together for a virtual celebration of these brave men and their families. Join in by tuning in to watch the classic film at the time of launch in 1970 – 2:13 p.m. EST on Saturday, April 11 – via a favorite streaming service, and share your watch party pictures by tagging @kennedyspacecenter on Instagram and following #Apollo13inquarantine on Twitter.
The real men behind the Apollo 13 mission are astronauts James (Jim) Lovell Jr. (Commander), Fred Haise (Lunar Module Pilot) and John (Jack) Swigert Jr. (Command Module Pilot). The crew launched via a Saturn V rocket at 2:13 p.m. on April 11, 1970 from the iconic Launchpad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Though the mission of reaching the moon, and conducting moon walks was not realized, the mission was successful in its safe return of the crew and learnings applied to future missions.
“The Apollo 13 mission has been an inspiration to generations of space explorers – and continues to inspire future space explorers today,” said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “The crew’s story of resourcefulness and perseverance in a time of distress is especially meaningful today as we deal with this global pandemic.”
For more information visit www.kennedyspacecenter.com.
About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, brings to life the epic story of the U.S. space program, offering a full day or more of fun, inspiration and educational activities. Through our mission of education, we are continuing to provide virtual learning opportunities via our social channels while our doors remain closed to protect the health and safety of our employees and guests. This includes the Apollo/Saturn V Center, which features an actual Saturn V Moon rocket, and was recently upgraded and expanded in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch and Moon landing. Also included with admission are Heroes & Legends, featuring the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, presented by Boeing, the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour, Space Shuttle Atlantis®, Shuttle Launch Experience®, 3D space films, Astronaut Encounter, Journey To Mars: Explorers Wanted, and the Rocket Garden. Add-on experiences available for an additional fee include the new Astronaut Training Experience® Exploring with Lockheed Martin, Cosmic Quest, Dine With An Astronaut and Special Interest Tours. For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.
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