Astronaut Profile
John L. 'Jack' Swigert Jr.
Command Module Pilot
Jack Swigert joined the Apollo 13 crew just three days before launch and radioed the famous words, "Houston, we've had a problem," after an oxygen tank exploded en route to the Moon.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Command Module Pilot • Deceased
Biography
The person behind the mission
John L. 'Jack' Swigert Jr. was an American engineer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut who flew a single spaceflight, Apollo 13, as Command Module Pilot. Originally the mission's backup CMP, Swigert was moved onto the prime crew only three days before launch after Ken Mattingly was exposed to German measles. When an oxygen tank exploded two days into the flight, Swigert's calm report to Mission Control became one of the most famous transmissions in spaceflight history. After leaving NASA, Swigert was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982 but died of cancer weeks before he could take office.
Astronaut Details
Born
August 30, 1931
Died
December 27, 1982
Birthplace
Denver, Colorado, USA
Role
Command Module Pilot
Program
Apollo
Time in Space
5 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes
EVA Time
None
Missions
Apollo 13
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- Presidential Medal of Freedom
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal