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.