Apollo 13 Commander and NASA Legend Jim Lovell Passed Away At 97

Jim Lovell, the famed astronaut who commanded the troubled Apollo 13 mission, has died at the age of 97.

NASA confirmed his passing on Friday and shared a statement from his family per NPR.

“We are enormously proud of his amazing life and career accomplishments, highlighted by his legendary leadership in pioneering human space flight. But, to all of us, he was Dad, Granddad, and the Leader of our family. Most importantly, he was our Hero. We will miss his unshakeable optimism, his sense of humor, and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible. He was truly one of a kind.”

Jim Lovell was a legendary American astronaut, naval officer, and engineer best known for commanding the dramatic Apollo 13 mission. Born on March 25, 1928, in Cleveland, Ohio, Lovell developed an early interest in aviation. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy and became a test pilot before joining NASA’s astronaut program in 1962.

Lovell flew on four space missions during his career. His first was Gemini 7 in 1965, where he and astronaut Frank Borman spent nearly 14 days in space, setting a record at the time. He returned to space again in 1966 on Gemini 12 with Buzz Aldrin. The mission was a success and helped prove astronauts could perform effective spacewalks.

Lovell’s third flight was Apollo 8 in 1968, the first mission to orbit the Moon. Alongside Borman and Bill Anders, Lovell helped pave the way for the eventual Moon landing. The crew became the first humans to see the far side of the Moon and to witness Earthrise from lunar orbit.

His most famous mission came in 1970, when he served as commander of Apollo 13. What was supposed to be NASA’s third Moon landing turned into a fight for survival after an oxygen tank exploded. Lovell and his crew, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, worked with engineers on the ground to safely return to Earth. Their story of problem-solving under extreme pressure became legendary and was later dramatized in the hit movie Apollo 13, where Tom Hanks portrayed Lovell.

After retiring from NASA and the Navy, Lovell went into business and public speaking. He often spoke about leadership, teamwork, and overcoming adversity. He also co-authored a book, Lost Moon, which inspired the Apollo 13 film.

Lovell received many honors during his life, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Though he never walked on the Moon, his legacy is one of courage, calm under pressure, and inspiring a generation of explorers.