--- title: Why Apollo 13 Was Called NASA's Most 'Successful Failure' description: It was a successful learning experience for NASA canonical: https://time.com/3818495/apollo-13-45-anniversary/ author: Alex Rogers article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-04-11T21:16:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T06:19:49.213Z article:section: Science og:title: Why Apollo 13 Was Called NASA's Most 'Successful Failure' og:description: Forty-five years have passed since the flight launched og:url: https://time.com/3818495/apollo-13-45-anniversary/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf91f9a4fd71115df/6987eac40b72e360276e1720/nasa-apollo.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2024 og:image:height: 1139 og:image:alt: Apollo 13 launch. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why Apollo 13 Was Called NASA's Most 'Successful Failure' twitter:description: Forty-five years have passed since the flight launched twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf91f9a4fd71115df/6987eac40b72e360276e1720/nasa-apollo.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Why Apollo 13 Was Called NASA's Most 'Successful Failure' > Sponsored content. 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Future Proof is TIME's weekly climate and energy newsletter, written by senior correspondent Justin Worland. It connects the energy transition to the decisions reshaping business, technology, policy and markets. #### Where can I follow the energy transition as a business story? Future Proof covers climate and energy as an economic and business story rather than only an environmental one. It publishes every Friday and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes Future Proof? Justin Worland, a senior correspondent at TIME and an award-winning climate journalist, writes Future Proof. #### Is Future Proof free? Yes. Future Proof is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Alex Rogers](https://time.com/author/alex-rogers/) ## Alex Rogers Apr 11, 2015 9:16 PM UTC  Apollo 13 launch. Apollo 13 launch. Nasa by [Alex Rogers](https://time.com/author/alex-rogers/) ## Alex Rogers Apr 11, 2015 9:16 PM UTC After losing oxygen and power in its unsuccessful trip to the moon, Apollo 13 still managed to do one thing well: [land](http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1982779,00.html) back on Earth. April 11 marks the 45th anniversary of the mission’s launch from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center with the goal of landing on the moon. 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