Legendary Apollo 13 Astronaut Jim Lovell Dies At 97
In Loving Memory Of Jim Lovell (NASA)
Legendary Astronaut & Apollo 13 Hero Jim Lovell Has Passed Away
Jim Lovell, the legendary astronaut who commanded the Apollo 13 mission, has passed away in Lake Forest, Illinois at the age of 97.
Lovell was a pioneering figure in the early days of NASA, flying on four space missions, Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13, making him the first person to travel to the Moon twice, and the only one to do so without landing, AP News reported.
In 1968, Apollo 8 marked the first time humans orbited the Moon and his crew captured the iconic Earthrise photo.
“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,” NASA wrote in a statement.
Jim’s Life & Heroic Legacy
In addition to his spaceflights, Jim also proudly served in the United States Navy.
“Jim also served our country in the military, and the Navy has lost a proud academy graduate and test pilot. Jim Lovell embodied the bold resolve and optimism of both past and future explorers, and we will remember him always.”
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy credited Lovell’s “calm strength under pressure (that) helped return the crew safely to Earth and demonstrated the quick thinking and innovation that informed future NASA missions.”
Jim was the first astronaut to complete four spaceflights, spending over 715 hours in space. A member of NASA’s second astronaut class, dubbed the “New Nine” and selected in September 1962, he cemented his legacy through key roles in pivotal missions.
In 2018, the astronaut recalled his duty as Apollo 8 navigator.
“To me, it was a mini Lewis and Clark expedition,” Lovell said. “We were going someplace new to observe the far side of the moon, which had never been seen before.”
Jim’s Proud Family Posts A Statement
Jim’s family posted a statement following his passing, undoubtedly proud of his incredible accomplishments.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father, USN Captain James A. ‘Jim’ Lovell, a Navy pilot and officer, astronaut, leader, and space explorer. He was 97,” the family said. “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.”
