James Lovellthe commander of the Apollo 13 that helped to convert a failed mission to the moon into an impromptu engineering triumph, died at age 97.
Lovell died Thursday at Lake Forest, Illinois, according to the POT In a statement on Friday.
“The character and firm value of James helped our nation to reach the moon and turned a possible tragedy into a success we learned greatly”NASA said. “We regret his departure, even while we celebrated his achievements.”
One of NASA’s most experienced astronauts in his first decade, Lovell flew four times – Geminis 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 -, his two Apollo missions being the ones that most captivated people on earth.
In 1968, the Crew of Apollo 8 —lovell, Frank Borman and William Anders – was the first to get out of the terrestrial orbit and fly to the moon to circumnavigate it. They could not land, but they advanced the United States against the Soviet in the space race. Letters of readers told them that their iconic photography of the Earth, a small blue point taken from the moon, and its Christmas Eve reading of Genesis saved the United States from a turbulent 1968.
The Apollo 13 left a mark of life in Lovell
The great rescue mission would arrive in April 1970. Lovell had to become the fifth man to step on the moon, but the Apollo 13 service module suffered the sudden explosion of an oxygen tank en route. The three astronauts barely survived, spending four cold and humid days in the small lunar module, used as a lifeboat.
“What I want most to remember is that, in a sense, it was a great success”Said Lovell in 1994. “Not that we achieve something, but we demonstrate the ability of NASA’s staff.”
Retired Captain of the Navy, known for his calm character, told a NASA historian that his encounter with death marked him: “I am no longer worried about crises. When I have a problem, I say: ‘I could have died in 1970. I am still breathing.’ So I don’t worry about crises.”
The 1995 Apollo 13 film gave him a new fame with Fred Haise and Jack Swigert, popularizing the phrase “Houston, we have a problem”, a film version of what was really said.
Almost 30 days in space
In total, Lovell spent 715 hours, 4 minutes and 57 seconds in space, world record until the mid -70s. In Apollo 8, he described the oceans and continents seen from the lunar orbit, reflecting how the earth would see in the eyes of an extraterrestrial traveler.
The historic flight director Gene Kranz described him as “One of the pillars of the early space program.”
Immortalized by Tom Hanks
In April 1970, towards the Moon, the explosion of an oxygen tank to 200,000 miles from the earth changed the mission in a race to survive. The team took refuge in the lunar module, rationing oxygen, water and energy, turning the moon to return to the earth.
The rescue was considered one of NASA’s brightest moments, comparable to the steps of Armstrong and Aldrin on the moon. “They showed the world that they could handle truly horrible problems and bring them back alive”said historian Roger Launius.
Although he regretted not having walked on the moon, Lovell said that “triumphing over a safe catastrophe” gave him deep satisfaction. “Going to the moon, if everything works well, is like following a recipe. It is not much. If something goes wrong, that’s where children’s men separate,” He said in 2004.
Personal life and retirement
James A. Lovell was born on March 25, 1928 in Cleveland. Studied at the University of Wisconsin before entering the Naval Academy of USAgraduating in 1952, the same day he married his wife, Marilyn.
He was a test pilot in Maryland before being selected Astronaut in 1962. He retired in 1973 and dedicated himself to business. In 1994 he co -written Lost Moon, a base for the movie Apollo 13, in which he had a cameo as Captain of the Navy.
Lovell and his family managed a restaurant in the suburbs of Chicago. His wife died in 2023. Four children survive.