‘Houston, We’ve Had a Problem’ — Official Apollo 13 Theory Isn’t Right

For decades, it was assumed that that if the Apollo 13 astronauts hadn’t done things just right, they would have tumbled into an endless orbit. Turns out—as we approach the 40th anniversary of that ill-fated mission—that theory is wrong. Astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise still would not have survived, but a new simulation by Analytical Graphics, Inc., shows they were actually on a collision course for Earth. (Video courtesy of Analytical Graphics, Inc.)