New Apollo 13 bronze statue now on display

See the newly installed one-of-a-kind, seven-foot bronze statue depicting the Apollo 13 astronauts, Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise.

The new Apollo 13 bronze statue, by George and Mark Lundeen and Joey Bainer, depicts the safe return of Apollo 13 astronauts, Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise the moment they stepped down from the recovery helicopter onto the USS Iwo Jima, a United States Navy assault ship.

The sculpture’s placement at Space Center Houston serves to honor both the Apollo 13 astronauts and the flight controllers in Mission Control at NASA Johnson Space Center who worked around the clock for more than five days to ensure the crew’s survival and safe return.

“Through our new Apollo 13 sculpture, we are educating the public how innovation, perseverance and true teamwork can achieve incredible success,” said William T. Harris, president and CEO, Space Center Houston. “We thank The Grainger Foundation of Lake Forest, Illinois for their generous contribution allowing this historic moment in space exploration to be shared with the world and inspire the next generation of explorers.” 

See the new sculpture along with the “Apollo 13: Failure is not an option” exhibit, presented by JSC Federal Credit Union, and the Apollo-era Saturn V rocket, one of only three Saturn V rockets assembled with flight-ready parts on display in the world. 

The Apollo 13 sculpture is the center’s newest addition to Rocket Park as part of its NASA Tram Tour experience.

The “Apollo 13: Failure is not an option” exhibit is included in general admission.