Essay On Apollo 13

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Oftentimes, the thought of watching a movie based on true events conjures up images of boring history lessons. Few of us think such a movie could be enthralling and action-packed. Apollo 13, however, is just that. This 1995 film directed by Ron Howard, is an incredibly accurate portrayal of an event in United States spaceflight history, meant to strengthen the public’s opinion surrounding similar missions and commemorate the crew and mission control who partook in Apollo 13.
When Apollo 13’s crew set out for the moon’s Fra Mauro highlands on April 11, 1970, they had no idea they would soon be fighting for their lives. Astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise ran into trouble after just over two days in space when an explosion damaged their spacecraft (“Apollo 13”). What started out as an expedition to collect lunar rocks turned into a race …show more content…

The film’s plot closely resembles the actual events that occurred, both in the lonely capsule thousands of miles from earth and on the ground (Apollo 13). The commonalities perhaps indicate that director Ron Howard wished to convey the true spirit of the mission. Being the “successful failure” that it was, the public’s perception of the mission is what conveyed its true significance (Apollo 13; “Remembering Apollo 13”). The public had started to grow disinterested toward the Apollo missions, but through the safe return of the Apollo 13 crew, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration proved their ability to face challenges (“Remembering Apollo 13”). This detail and its portrayal are significant because the film was released in 1995, just twenty-five years after the actual mission took place (Apollo 13). Therefore, the movie would have been able to boost the public’s morale surrounding the spaceflight program. In addition to this, it could have also brought attention to the extraordinary efforts required to salvage the mission, thereby honoring everyone

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