Jim Lovell, the former NASA astronaut who commanded the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission, has died at the age of 97.
Why it matters: Lovell was a pioneering astronaut who helped pave the way for NASA’s lunar ambitions and inspired generations with his calm leadership during the Apollo 13 crisis.
The details:
- Lovell was the first astronaut to fly into space four times, with two missions each in the Gemini and Apollo programs.
- He served as Command Module Pilot on Apollo 8, the first crewed flight to orbit the Moon, and uttered the famous phrase, “Please be informed, there is a Santa Claus,” after a successful engine burn.
- Lovell is best known for commanding Apollo 13, where an oxygen tank explosion forced the crew to abandon their lunar landing and fight for survival on the journey back to Earth.
- His expert navigation skills and familiarity with the Apollo guidance computer were crucial in guiding the crippled spacecraft safely home.
Lovell’s experiences inspired the book “Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13” and the film “Apollo 13,” in which he made a cameo appearance.
What they’re saying:
- Tom Hanks, who portrayed Lovell in “Apollo 13,” paid tribute, saying, “There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to places we would not go on our own.”
- Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy said, “Jim Lovell embodied the bold resolve and optimism of both past and future explorers, and we will remember him always.”
“Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into space and for longer than any other person of our planet, was that kind of guy,” Hanks added.
The legacy: Lovell was the last survivor of the elite group of men who traveled to the Moon twice, leaving behind a legacy as one of NASA’s most accomplished astronauts.
