James Lovell death: Apollo 13 commander known for saving crew on doomed moon mission dies at age 97
Famed astronaut James Lovell dies at 97
- James Lovell, the legendary NASA astronaut and commander of the Apollo 13 mission, has died at the age of 97.
- Lovell, known for the iconic phrase “Houston, we've had a problem,” masterfully guided his crew through a critical oxygen tank explosion during the 1970 Apollo 13 mission, ensuring their safe return to Earth.
- His leadership during the ill-fated third Moon landing attempt was immortalized in the 1995 film Apollo 13, where Tom Hanks portrayed him.
- Lovell had a distinguished career, including piloting Gemini 7, commanding Gemini 12, and serving as Command Module Pilot on Apollo 8, the first mission to orbit the Moon.
- After retiring from NASA, he pursued a successful business career and co-authored Lost Moon, the book that inspired the film, and was recognized with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.