Famed Apollo 13 moon mission commander Jim Lovell dead at 97

Apollo 13 mission commander, astronaut Jim Lovell, has died. He was 97 years old. 

"We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father, USN Captain James A. 'Jim' Lovell, a Navy pilot and officer, astronaut, leader, and space explorer," his family said in a statement on Friday. 

Lovell died on Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois. 

 "We are enormously proud of his amazing life and career accomplishments, highlighted by his legendary leadership in pioneering human space flight," the family statement continued. "But, to all of us, he was Dad, Granddad, and the Leader of our family. Most importantly, he was our Hero. We will miss his unshakeable optimism, his sense of humor, and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible. He was truly one of a kind." 

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The statement concluded with the family asking for "privacy during this difficult time."

Lovell was part of a three-man crew in 1970 that safely returned to Earth following an in-space emergency when a critical oxygen tank exploded during the Apollo 13 mission. It was intended to be the third mission to the moon. 

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He was played by Tom Hanks in the 1995 movie "Apollo 13," directed by Ron Howard. 

"NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades," acting NASA Director Sean Duffy said in a statement Friday. "Jim's character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements."

Duffy added that Lovell "helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond."

"As the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 8, Jim and his crewmates became the first to lift off on a Saturn V rocket and orbit the Moon, proving that the lunar landing was within our reach. As commander of the Apollo 13 mission, his calm strength under pressure helped return the crew safely to Earth and demonstrated the quick thinking and innovation that informed future NASA missions." 

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He said, the "Navy has lost a proud academy graduate and test pilot. Jim Lovell embodied the bold resolve and optimism of both past and future explorers, and we will remember him always."