Lot no. 316
316. [Apollo 13] THE SCRUBBED ORIGINAL APOLLO 13 CREW: replaced one day before launch due to Ken Mattingly's exposure to measles
NASA, February 1970
Printed 1970.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper.
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse (issued by NASA Kennedy Space Centre, Florida).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
This historic photograph captures the original Apollo 13 prime crew, which was replaced just one day before launch due to Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly's exposure to measles.
Pictured in front of their Saturn V rocket at Kennedy Space Centre are Fred Haise (Lunar Module Pilot), Jim Lovell (Commander), Ken Mattingly (Command Module Pilot).
Due to concerns that Mattingly, who had never contracted measles, could develop symptoms mid-flight, NASA made the difficult decision to replace him with backup astronaut Jack Swigert at the last minute.
This last-minute crew swap became a pivotal moment in Apollo history. Just days later, the crew of Apollo 13—Lovell, Haise, and Swigert—would face one of the most dramatic survival challenges in space exploration after an onboard explosion crippled their spacecraft, turning their planned lunar mission into a heroic fight to return home safely.
Pictures credits: Contact organization
Photographs and film
About the sale04/28/2025
Catalog
FOR ALL MANKIND THE ARTISTIC LEGACY OF EARLY SPACE EXPLORATION: Victor Martin-Malburet Collection
75008 Paris - France
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