Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell Dies at 97, Honored by Tom Hanks

James "Jim" Lovell, the celebrated NASA astronaut and hero of the Apollo 13 mission, has died at age 97. Lovell's calm leadership during the 1970 Apollo 13 mission, which narrowly avoided disaster following an oxygen tank explosion, was instrumental in safely returning the crew to Earth, a story famously dramatized in Ron Howard's 1995 Oscar-winning film Apollo 13 starring Tom Hanks. Lovell also made history as the first person to fly to the Moon twice and participated in pioneering Gemini missions and Apollo 8, the first crewed lunar orbit. Tributes poured in from those who knew and portrayed him, including Ron Howard who honored Lovell's intellect, courage, and dedication, and Tom Hanks, who reflected on Lovell's fearless spirit and extraordinary career. NASA acknowledged Lovell's significant contributions to space exploration and his role in paving the way for future missions like Artemis. Lovell's legacy endures as a symbol of American heroism and the human spirit of exploration.