Apollo Astronaut Jim Lovell Dies at 97

Lovell was the commander of Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 moon missions.

Apollo Astronaut James Lovell, of Apollo 8 and Apollo 13, participates in a news conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington on July 20, 2009. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Another Apollo astronaut has passed on without seeing his country complete its long-awaited return to the moon.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that Gemini and Apollo astronaut and Navy Captain Jim Lovell passed away in Lake Forest, Illinois, on Aug. 7 at the age of 97.

“NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades,” acting administrator Sean Duffy said in a statement. “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,” he added.

Perhaps most famous for being the commander of the nearly ill-fated Apollo 13 mission, and his famous quote “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” Lovell was also the backup for Neil Armstrong for Apollo 11, and flew three previous missions before Apollo 13. He even, at one point, held the record for the most time cumulative spent in space by one man.

According to NASA, Lovell was selected as an astronaut in September 1962, becoming part of the class known as “the New Nine.” His first trip to space came in December of 1965 on Gemini 7 with astronaut Frank Borman. The historic mission lasted nearly 14 days and was part of the first-ever rendezvous of two manned spacecraft. His next mission, Gemini 12, came in 1966 with Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin, the second man to set foot on the moon.

Aldrin took to X on Aug. 8 to express his grief for the loss of one of his “best friends,” sharing several pictures of the two of them from their mission together.

“Our mutual respect had no limits,” Aldrin said. “The Gemini 12 mission we flew together paved the way for the Apollo missions.

“Heartfelt condolences to Jim’s family. Farewell Jim. You will be missed, my friend. Godspeed!”

Lovell was then selected to join Borman and Bill Anders for Apollo 8, the first time a manned spacecraft left Earth for another celestial body. He orbited the moon 10 times—one Earth day—before returning home. The Apollo 13 mission made Lovell the first man to journey to and fly around the moon twice.

“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,” Duffy said.

“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.”

Lovell follows several of his fellow astronauts in his passing, including Armstrong and Apollo 8 crewmates Anders, Borman, and Gene Cernan, the last man to set foot on the moon.

NASA’s latest update to its Artemis program aims for humanity’s return to the lunar surface in mid-2027.