Former Astronaut James Lovell, Commander of Apollo 13, Dies at 97

James Lovell, the celebrated astronaut best known for commanding the ill-fated but ultimately triumphant Apollo 13 mission, has died in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was 97 years old. NASA Administrator Sean Duffy hailed Lovell as an embodiment of the courage and hope associated with space exploration, stating that his memory would endure.

Born on March 25, 1928, in Cleveland, Ohio, Lovell’s distinguished career began after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1952 and subsequently completing the rigorous U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1958, according to NASA records. He joined NASA’s astronaut corps in 1962, participating in earlier missions including Gemini VII, Gemini XII, and Apollo 8 before taking command of Apollo 13 in 1970.

The Apollo 13 mission is largely remembered for a critical malfunction that occurred during its journey to the moon. An explosion involving the Service Module’s cryogenic oxygen system prompted the now-iconic radio communication: “Houston, we’ve had a problem.” With warning indicators signaling the loss of two out of three fuel cells, Lovell guided his crew and collaborated with engineers on Earth in improvising solutions that enabled their safe return.

The dramatic events were later dramatized in the acclaimed film Apollo 13, where Tom Hanks portrayed Lovell. While the movie brought the story to a vast audience, Lovell’s family emphasized his significance beyond the cinematic portrayal, describing him as “Dad, Granddad, and the Leader of our family,” and simply, their “Hero.”

During his spaceflight career, Lovell accumulated 715 hours and 5 minutes in orbit—a record at the time that was later surpassed by Skylab missions. He formally retired from NASA’s astronaut program in 1973. His family’s statement concluded with a poignant reflection on his character, noting they would miss his “unshakeable optimism, his sense of humor, and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible.”