Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell Dies at 97

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — James A. "Jim" Lovell Jr., the NASA astronaut who commanded the harrowing Apollo 13 mission and helped turn near-disaster into what the space agency called a "successful failure," died Aug. 7 at his home in Lake Forest, Illinois. He was 97.

Lovell's death was announced by the Cosmosphere space museum in Hutchinson, Kansas, where artifacts from his missions are displayed.

"The Cosmosphere was saddened to learn of Captain Lovell's passing. He was an icon and true American hero," said Jim Remar, the museum's president and CEO.

Lovell commanded Apollo 13 in April 1970 when an oxygen tank explosion crippled the spacecraft en route to the moon. His calm leadership and quick thinking, along with that of his crew and mission control, helped bring the three astronauts safely back to Earth in a dramatic rescue that captivated the world.

The mission, originally intended as the third moon landing, instead became one of NASA's most celebrated examples of problem-solving under pressure. The story was later immortalized in the 1995 film "Apollo 13," with Tom Hanks portraying Lovell.

Lovell flew on four NASA missions during the 1960s space race. He was part of the two-week Gemini 7 flight in 1965, commanded Gemini 12 in 1966, and served as command module pilot for Apollo 8 in December 1968 — the first crewed mission to orbit the moon.

Born March 25, 1928, in Cleveland, Lovell graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1952 and became a test pilot before joining NASA's astronaut corps in 1962.

The Cosmosphere houses the Apollo 13 command module "Odyssey," which carried Lovell and his crew back to Earth. Museum officials said the artifacts will continue to honor Lovell's legacy and inspire future generations.

Lovell was surrounded by family at the time of his death.