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Famed Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell passed away on Aug. 7, 2025 in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was 97 years old.
The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy appeared on NASA website;
“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.
“From a pair of pioneering Gemini missions to the successes of Apollo, Jim helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.
“As the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 8, Jim and his crewmates became the first to lift off on a Saturn V rocket and orbit the Moon, proving that the lunar landing was within our reach. As commander of the Apollo 13 mission, his calm strength under pressure helped return the crew safely to Earth and demonstrated the quick thinking and innovation that informed future NASA missions.
“Known for his wit, this unforgettable astronaut was nicknamed Smilin’ Jim by his fellow astronauts because he was quick with a grin when he had a particularly funny comeback.
“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.”
Jim Lovell was a veteran of the Gemini VII, Gemini XII, and Apollo 8 missions before becoming the Mission Commander for the nearly disastrous Apollo 13 mission to the Moon.
During his Naval career he has had numerous aviator assignments, including a 4-year tour as a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. While there he served as Program Manager for the F4H “Phantom” Fighter. A graduate of the Aviation Safety School of the University of Southern California, he also served as Safety Engineer with the Fighter Squadron 101 at the Naval Air Station, Oceana, Virginia.
He has logged more than 7,000 hours flying time–more than 3,500 hours in jet aircraft.
Captain Lovell was selected as an Astronaut by NASA in September 1962. He has since served as backup pilot for the Gemini 4 flight and backup Commander for the Gemini 9 flight, as well as backup Commander to Neil Armstrong for the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission.
On Dec. 4, 1965, he and Frank Borman were launched into space on the history-making Gemini 7 mission. The flight lasted 330 hours and 35 minutes and included the first rendezvous of two manned maneuverable spacecraft. The Gemini 12 mission, commanded by Lovell with Pilot Edwin Aldrin, began on Nov. 11, 1966. This 4-day, 59-revolution flight brought the Gemini program to a successful close.
Lovell served as Command Module Pilot and Navigator on the epic six-day journey of Apollo 8 – man’s maiden voyage to the moon – Dec. 21-27, 1968. Apollo 8 was the first manned spacecraft to be lifted into near-earth orbit by a 7-1/2 million pound thrust Saturn V launch vehicle; and Lovell and fellow crewmen, Frank Borman and William A. Anders, became the first humans to leave the Earth’s gravitational influence.
He completed his fourth mission as Spacecraft Commander of the Apollo 13 flight, Apr. 11-17, 1970, and became the first man to journey twice to the moon. Apollo 13 was programed for ten days. However, the original flight plan was modified en route to the moon due to a failure of the Service Module cryogenic oxygen system.
Because of this issue “Houston, we have a problem” became a popular misquote of a phrase spoken during Apollo 13. After the failure of the Service Module cryogenic oxygen system on board the spacecraft, Jack Swigert, the command module pilot, reported to Mission Control Center in Houston, Texas: “Okay, Houston … we’ve had a problem here.” After Swigert was prompted to repeat his words by Jack R. Lousma, the capsule communicator at Mission Control, Jim Lovell, the mission commander, responded: “Ah, Houston, we’ve had a problem.”
Lovell and fellow crewmen, John L. Swigert and Fred W. Haise, working closely with Houston ground controllers, converted their lunar module “Aquarius” into an effective lifeboat. Their emergency activation and operation of lunar module systems conserved both electrical power and water in sufficient supply to assure their safety and survival while in space and for the return to earth.
Captain Lovell held the record for time in space with a total of 715 hours and 5 minutes until surpassed by the Skylab flights.
On Mar. 1, 1973, Captain Lovell retired from the Navy and from the Space Program to join Bay-Houston Towing Company in Houston, Texas. Bay-Houston Towing company is a diversified company involved in harbor and coastwise towing, mining and marketing of peat products for the lawn and garden industry, and ranching. He was promoted to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer on Mar. 1, 1975.
Photo credit: NASA
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