James Lovell, the Apollo 13 commander who turned a near-disaster into one of NASA’s greatest rescue missions, has died at the age of 97.
NASA confirmed Lovell’s death on Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois, in a statement on Friday, praising his “character and steadfast courage” that helped turn a failed moon mission into a triumph of problem-solving.
Lovell, one of NASA’s most experienced astronauts in its first decade, flew four space missions — Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13. He was immortalized in the 1995 film “Apollo 13,” in which actor Tom Hanks portrayed him and delivered the now-famous line, “Houston, we have a problem.”
In 1968, Lovell, along with Frank Borman and William Anders, became part of the Apollo 8 crew — the first humans to leave Earth’s orbit and circle the moon, putting the U.S. ahead in the space race. Their iconic photo of Earth from the moon and their Christmas Eve reading from Genesis became moments of hope during a turbulent year.
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Lovell’s most famous mission came in April 1970, when Apollo 13 suffered an oxygen tank explosion en route to the moon. With survival at stake, Lovell and crewmates Fred Haise and Jack Swigert used the lunar module as a lifeboat, enduring four cold days while NASA engineers worked to bring them home safely. The mission, although unable to land on the moon, became a textbook example of leadership under pressure.
Across his four missions, Lovell spent more than 715 hours in space, a record at the time. He later reflected that surviving Apollo 13 changed his perspective, saying he no longer worried about crises: “I could have been gone back in 1970. I’m still here.”
Born on March 25, 1928, in Cleveland, Lovell attended the University of Wisconsin before graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1952 — marrying his wife, Marilyn, the same day. He joined NASA in 1962 and retired from both the Navy and space program in 1973, later co-authoring the book “Lost Moon,” which inspired the Apollo 13 film.
Lovell’s wife died in 2023. He is survived by four children. His family remembered him as “our hero,” praising his optimism, humor, and ability to inspire others to believe they could achieve the impossible.
Source: Agency