Apollo 13 Commander James Lovell Dies

Jim Lovell, the commander of the Apollo 13 mission and a highly decorated United States — NASA astronaut, has died at the age of 97 in Lake Forest, Illinois. United States — NASA confirmed his passing, celebrating his character and courage that turned a potential tragedy into a success. Jim Lovell was a veteran of four space missions: Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13. He was part of the first crew to orbit the Moon on Apollo 8, a mission credited with inspiring the environmental movement and providing national uplift during a tumultuous 1968. His most famous mission, Apollo 13 in April 1970, involved an oxygen tank explosion 200,000 miles from Earth, forcing the crew to use the lunar module as a lifeboat and return safely through the ingenuity of the astronauts and United States — NASA ground control. This harrowing event was immortalized in the 1995 movie Apollo 13, where Jim Lovell was portrayed by Tom Hanks. Jim Lovell retired from the Navy and the space program in 1973, later co-authoring 'Lost Moon,' the book that inspired the film. He was awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor by Bill Clinton in 1995.