James Lovell, the legendary NASA astronaut and heroic commander of Apollo 13 who masterfully guided his crew through one of the most dangerous moments in space exploration history, died Thursday, NASA confirmed on Friday.
The 97-year-old American icon passed away in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy said, in part, in a lengthy statement Friday, “NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades. Jim’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements.”
On his personal X account, Duffy added, “Capt. Jim Lovell’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon. He embodied the bold resolve and optimism of both past and future explorers, and we will remember him always.”
NASA also honored Lovell on social media, writing alongside a photo, “We are saddened by the passing of Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13 and a four-time spaceflight veteran. Lovell’s life and work inspired millions. His courage under pressure helped forge our path to the Moon and beyond—a journey that continues today.”
Lovell is perhaps best known for commanding the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. What was meant to be the third Moon landing turned into a tense rescue mission after an oxygen tank explosion damaged the spacecraft. Lovell and his crew, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, worked closely with NASA’s Mission Control to safely return to Earth, demonstrating extraordinary calm and leadership under pressure. This mission was later immortalized in the 1995 film Apollo 13, in which Tom Hanks portrayed Lovell, who also made a cameo appearance.
After retiring from NASA and the Navy in 1973, Lovell transitioned to a successful business career and co-authored the book Lost Moon, which detailed the Apollo 13 mission and inspired the movie adaptation. Throughout his life, Jim Lovell has been recognized for his contributions to space exploration and his leadership, receiving honors such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
Born in 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio, Lovell grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From an early age, he was fascinated by aviation and space, which inspired him to pursue a career in the Navy.
After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1952, Lovell became a naval aviator and later a test pilot. His dedication and skill eventually led to his selection by NASA in 1962 as part of its second group of astronauts, often called the “New Nine.”
Lovell’s NASA career was marked by several important space missions. He first flew in space as the pilot of Gemini 7 in 1965, a mission that set a then-record for the longest manned spaceflight at nearly 14 days.
He then commanded Gemini 12 in 1966, where he and Buzz Aldrin successfully completed critical spacewalks that helped perfect techniques needed for future Apollo missions. In 1968, Lovell served as the Command Module Pilot on Apollo 8, the first mission to orbit the Moon, which was a historic milestone for NASA and mankind.
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