Retired astronaut and the commander of the famous Apollo 13 mission, Jim Lovell, has died aged 97.
In a post on X, NASA said: “We are saddened by the passing of Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13 and a four-time spaceflight veteran.
“Lovell’s life and work inspired millions. His courage under pressure helped forge our path to the Moon and beyond-a journey that continues today.”
Lovell helped turn the failed moon mission into a triumph after managing to get back to Earth safely after an oxygen tank explosion.
NASA Administrator Sean Duffy said his the astronaut’s life and work “inspired millions of people across the decades”.
“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,” he said. “We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements.
“From a pair of pioneering Gemini missions to the successes of Apollo, Jim helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the moon and beyond.”
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