Harrowing space accidents from catastrophic fires to parachute tragedy

On April 11, 1970, astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert launched aboard Apollo 13 from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The mission initially proceeded as planned, but just under 56 hours in, an oxygen tank exploded, dramatically altering the course of the flight.

With the Moon landing now impossible, to a critical rescue effort: loop around the Moon and bring the crew home safely. The astronauts switched to “lifeboat mode,” relying on the lunar module to keep the spacecraft operational. On April 17, the crew safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near Samoa.

While they were lucky to with their lives, not all astronauts have been as fortunate.

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Parachute failure

Vladimir Komarov was part of the Soviet Union’s first group of cosmonauts chosen to venture into space. He became the first person to travel to space twice—though tragically, his second mission would be his last.

During the flight of Soyuz 1, the Soviet Union’s first spacecraft designed as a step toward reaching the Moon, Komarov faced critical technical issues that ultimately led to his death. The mission called for Soyuz 1 to orbit Earth and then rendezvous with Soyuz 2. The plan was for the two spacecraft to synchronise their orbits and attempt the first docking manoeuvre in spaceflight history.

Once Komarov reached orbit, it became clear that significant problems with Soyuz 1—previously overlooked—were now impossible to ignore. The mission of Soyuz 2 was cancelled when it was discovered that one of Soyuz 1’s solar panels had failed to deploy, drastically reducing power on board.

As a result, vital equipment malfunctioned, and control of the spacecraft became increasingly difficult. Mission control determined the flight could not proceed, and Komarov prepared for re-entry.

However, re-entry brought new challenges. After a rough passage through Earth’s atmosphere, the parachutes on Soyuz 1 failed to deploy properly, preventing the spacecraft from slowing down. On April 24, 1967, Soyuz 1 crashed, killing Komarov on impact. He became the first human to die during a spaceflight. Komarov’s courage and dedication have since been honoured with memorials both at the crash site and throughout , commemorating his place in the history of space exploration.

Water leak

On July 16, 2013, European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano found himself in a tense situation during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. While working on Expedition 36, he noticed water slowly filling his helmet.

In the microgravity of space, the liquid clung to his face and floated around his head, eventually covering his eyes, ears, and nose, cutting off his ability to hear or communicate with the team.

At first, it seemed like the water might’ve come from his drinking bag—but it turned out to be leaking from the suit’s cooling system, making it unsafe to consume. And even if it were safe, trying to sip water floating around your face in zero gravity isn’t exactly easy.

The spacewalk was cut short, and after more than an hour outside, Parmitano made it safely back inside the ISS—soaked but unharmed, and quickly handed a towel. The incident led to the cancellation of the walk, making it the second shortest spacewalk in ISS history.

Challenger disaster

The Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986, remains one of the most tragic moments in space exploration history. Just 73 seconds after lift-off, the space shuttle began to break apart due to a failure in the O-rings—rubber seals designed to separate sections of the rocket boosters. In the freezing 26°F (−3°C) , the O-rings lost flexibility, allowing hot gases to escape and ignite the external fuel tank.

Traveling faster than the speed of sound, Challenger disintegrated mid-air, resulting in the loss of all seven crew members, including Christa McAuliffe, a civilian schoolteacher participating in NASA’s Teacher in Space program. She had been set to teach lessons and conduct experiments from space.

The mission had also included plans to deploy satellites and test astronomy equipment, including instruments for observing Halley’s Comet. While the launch wasn’t widely televised, the explosion was seen live by many on the ground.

Tragically, engineers had warned that the cold temperatures posed serious risks to the O-rings, but NASA proceeded with the launch after previous delays. In the aftermath, the space shuttle program was suspended, and the Rogers Commission was formed to investigate the causes and assign accountability.

Deadly spin

In 1967, test pilot Michael J. Adams died when his X-15 rocket plane disintegrated during atmospheric re-entry at Mach 5.

X-15 Flight 191—also designated X-15 Flight 3-65-97—was a high-risk test flight of the hypersonic, rocket-powered North American X-15, an experimental aircraft jointly operated by NASA and the U.S. Air Force for cutting-edge research in high-altitude and high-speed flight.

On November 15, 1967, pilot Michael released the X-15 from its B-52 mothership at 45,000 feet above Nevada. Despite some early electrical issues, Adams guided the aircraft to a peak altitude of 266,000 feet—over 50 miles high, reaching the edge of space.

His next task was to perform a planned wing-rocking manoeuvre so an onboard camera could capture the horizon. But midway through, the X-15 began to shake violently, forcing Adams to abort the manoeuvre and focus on descent.

At around 230,000 feet, the aircraft entered a deadly spin at Mach 5, triggered by rising dynamic pressures. The violent forces proved too much. At approximately 65,000 feet, the X-15 broke apart mid-air. Adams was killed in the accident. Later, the investigators found his wedding ring 20 miles away from the main crash site.

The U.S. Air Force posthumously awarded him astronaut wings, honouring his achievement of crossing the boundary of space in service of aerospace advancement.

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