Apollo 13 was the third mission scheduled to land on the moon. Only 55 hours into the flight, an oxygen tank ruptures and cripples the service module. The flight director, Gene Kranz, makes the decision to immediately abort the mission and get the three astronauts safely home. Intended for only two people, the three astronauts move to the lunar module to use as a lifeboat for the trip back home. Many structural inadequacies are discovered and have to be solved quickly. For example, the shape differences in the lithium hydroxide supply canisters to remove carbon dioxide between the command module and the lunar module are incompatible. The men at ground control improvise a way to join the cube-shaped command module canisters to the lunar module's cylindrical canisters and draw air through them using a suit return hose.--Ministry of Education website.

English language arts 10 (2011). Originally published as: Lost moon. Alternate title: Apollo thirteen.