Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Lake Forest, Illinois (WNN)—James "Jim" Arthur Lovell Jr., the famous NASA Apollo 13 Mission Commander, passed away on August 7th, 2025, at 97 in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy made a statement on 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. 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.
"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.
"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.
"Known for his wit, this unforgettable astronaut was nicknamed Smilin' Jim by his fellow astronauts because he was quick with a grin when he had a particularly funny comeback.
"Jim also served our country in the military, and 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."
Actor Tom Hanks portrayed Lovell in the 1995 Oscar-winning movie Apollo 13. The movie advanced the education of Lovell's efforts to get the crew back to Earth under dramatic circumstances. The 1970 Apollo 13 mission coined the phrase "Houston, we have a problem," but the actual words were "Houston, we've had a problem," spoken by Lovell and fellow astronaut John Swigert per NASA.
Tom Hanks' statement on Jim Lovell's death.
"There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to places we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into space and for longer than any other person of our planet, was that kind of guy,"
Lovell was scheduled for his first walk on the Moon during the Apollo 13 mission, but that mission was cut short, and he never got the opportunity again.
Jim Lovell and his wife Marilyn, who died in 2023, were married for 71 years and had four children.
Even though Jim Lovell never walked on the Moon, he gave the Moon to his wife for 71 years, a rare feat among the astronauts of that era.
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