But an explosion in space cost him the chance to reach the moon -- and nearly cost the crew their lives.

VOA: special.2010.04.28

One of the pirates pointed a gun at Captain Phillips and demanded that he order the crew to surrender.

VOA: special.2009.05.27

The repairs carried out in May by the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis are expected to be the last.

VOA: special.2009.09.30

Three hours later, NASA officials told the crew that everything was "OK" for what they called TLI, or trans-lunar injection.

VOA: special.2009.07.08

Each year on November tenth, a ceremony is held there to remember the crew members of the Fitzgerald.

VOA: special.2009.11.11

Their goal: hijack the ship and hold the crew hostage until the ship's owners paid for their release.

VOA: special.2009.05.27

But the crew avoided capture by hiding in places like the engine room for many tense hours.

VOA: special.2009.05.27

Captain Richard Phillips sounded a warning and the crew took positions in several parts of the ship.

VOA: special.2009.05.27

When the storm ended, the crew of the Flying Cloud could see the very southern coast of South America a place called Tierra del Fuego.

VOA: special.2009.12.23

It happened so early in the flight, at a level of about 900 meters, that the crew had little time to decide what to do.

VOA: special.2009.01.30

When the storm ended, the crew of the Flying Cloud could see the very southern coast of South America -- a place called Tierra del Fuego.

VOA: special.2011.07.06

This was the time for the crew to test all the spacecraft systems.

VOA: special.2009.07.15

The crew moved back to the command module a few hours before landing.

VOA: special.2009.07.22

That record belonged to the ship, the crew,the captain and the navigator.

VOA: special.2009.12.23

Astronauts Frank Borman and James Lovell were the crew of Gemini Seven.

VOA: special.2009.07.01

David Scott,Alfred Worden and James Irwin were the crew for Apollo Fifteen.

VOA: special.2009.07.29

Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell were the other members of the crew.

VOA: special.2009.07.29

Apollo Eleven circled the moon while the crew prepared for the landing.

VOA: special.2009.07.15

The crew followed the lifeboat holding Captain Phillips and his captors.

VOA: special.2009.05.27