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Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, but the lunar landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the command module had depended. Despite great hardship caused by limited power, loss of cabin heat, shortage of potable water, and the critical need to make makeshift repairs to the carbon dioxide removal system, the crew returned safely to Earth on April 17, 1970, six days after launch. Flight Directors were Gene Kranz (White team), Glynn Lunney (Black team) and Gerry Griffin (Gold team). Christoper Kraft was called into Mission Control by Gene Kranz almost immediately after the accident and Kraft chaired the meeting of senior managers which decided the mode that Apollo 13 would use to return to Earth. Christopher Kraft and Gerald Griffin (w/ Apollo Flight Director inscription) have both hand signed this 8x10 Photo. JSA Hologram #EE62700 and JSA Certificate of Authenticity.
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