Fifty years ago today, the crew of Apollo 13 safely landed in the Pacific ocean. The ordeal was incredibly stressful, but following an oxygen tank explosion, that crippled the space craft, it was truly amazing that they made it back. The New York Times reports that luck played a major role, in the astronauts safe return. If the explosion had happened much later in the mission, there would have been a much greater chance that a successful return would have been impossible.
But I am not so convinced about that “luck” assessment. Theologically, providence had that role to play. What really stands out is the incredible effort, that the astronauts and the ground crew had, in working together, to solve the problem, and get the astronauts safely back home. That, in and of itself, is a lesson we can all learn.
A fascinating website chronicles the journey of Apollo 13, moment by moment.
What do you think?