Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Aug 9: Legendary American astronaut James “Jim” Lovell, commander of NASA’s ill-fated 1970 Apollo 13 mission that turned into a remarkable saga of survival and inspired the Hollywood hit Apollo 13, has died at the age of 97, NASA confirmed on Friday.

Lovell, who was portrayed by Tom Hanks in director Ron Howard’s acclaimed 1995 film, led the third planned lunar landing mission which went awry when an onboard explosion damaged the spacecraft 200,000 miles from Earth. With crewmates Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, Lovell endured freezing temperatures, food and water shortages, and rising carbon dioxide levels during a tense 3½-day journey back to Earth.

Dubbed a “successful failure” by Lovell, Apollo 13 showcased human ingenuity as astronauts and Mission Control worked tirelessly to save the crew. The mission ended with a safe splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 17, 1970, capturing the world’s attention.

A veteran of four spaceflights, Lovell’s career included Gemini 7 and Gemini 12 missions, as well as Apollo 8 — the first mission to orbit the Moon. He retired from NASA in 1973, later co-authoring Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, the basis for Howard’s film in which Lovell made a cameo appearance.

Born on March 25, 1928, in Cleveland, Lovell developed a passion for space in his teens and went on to become a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, test pilot, and one of NASA’s most respected astronauts. He is survived by his wife Marilyn and their four children.