Apollo 13 Astronaut Jim Lovell Dies Aged 97

Legendary astronaut Jim Lovell, commander of the Apollo 13 mission, has passed away at the age of 97. Before he was chosen to command Apollo 13, Jim Lovell was already a well-known NASA astronaut, having flown on the Gemini 7, Gemini 12, and Apollo 8 missions.

NASA administrator Sean Duffy has released a statement confirming Lovell's passing. "NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades," the US space agency said in the statement. Lovell, a celebrated figure in the US space program, is best known for two historic missions. In 1968, he was the command module pilot for Apollo 8, the first mission to carry humans beyond Earth's gravity to orbit the Moon. He was the last surviving crew member of that flight, which also included Frank Borman II and William Anders.

His most famous voyage was the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, which was intended to be the third lunar landing. An explosion of an oxygen tank in space nearly led to a disaster. Lovell, along with crewmates John Swigert Jr and Fred Haise Jr, helped pilot the lunar module back to Earth. This daring return cemented his reputation for calm leadership under pressure. Lovell, who was never able to walk on the lunar surface, was portrayed by actor Tom Hanks in the 1995 film "Apollo 13".