Apollo 13 commander James ‘Jim’ Lovell, one of the last seven surviving astronauts from America’s early spaceflight program, has died on August 7th at age 97. A veteran of four spaceflights, Lovell flew in two Gemini missions and served on crews for Apollo 8 and Apollo 13.
Lovel was proud of his accomplishments but considered himself a family man. He was remembered as an “amazing leader” who inspired millions with his courage and optimism. Lovell accumulated over 7,000 flying hours during his military career and joined the Mercury Seven as part of the ‘Next Nine’ group that included Neil Armstrong.
He made history on December 4, 1965, as the first person to rendezvous two crewed spacecraft during the Gemini 7 mission. Lovell also flew in the Apollo 8 mission, which marked the first human trip to the Moon. He commanded the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission in April 1970, when an explosion on board almost led to disaster.
Despite the near catastrophic turn of events, Lovell and his crew made it back safely thanks to quick thinking and teamwork with ground control. His bravery and leadership earned him a place in history, and he remains an inspiration to millions.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/08/08/jim-lovell-apollo-8-13-astronaut-dies-at-97