In Memoriam: Captain James "Jim" Lovell (1928-2025)
- Andrea Nolan
- Oct 3
- 2 min read
Commander of the legendary Apollo 13 mission, Captain Jim Lovell was more than an astronaut; he was an icon of American resilience, leadership, and ingenuity under pressure. The man who famously guided a crippled spacecraft back to Earth with calm and ingenuity has now completed his final journey. It is with a heavy heart to announce that PSF Member, and avid supporter, Jim Lovell passed away peacefully in August at the age of 97.
LOVELL & THE PSF
Lovell played an integral role in our organization over the years, and we in turn helped him achieve the rarely accomplished feat of visiting both the North and South Poles in his lifetime. In January 2000, Lovell joined the PSF’s Antarctica Expedition to the Thiel Mountains in search of meteorites, along with fellow astronaut, Owen Garriott, and other PSF members. Notably, the suit he wore in 1989 to test the performance in sub-zero polar conditions, was the same suit he wore to Antarctica 11 years later. Lovell graciously donated this suit to the PSF to display in our museums.
Lovell also served on the PSF Advisory Board, spoke at and regularly attended our fundraising dinners, and was incredibly supportive of our efforts.
LOVELL’S CAREER
Lovell's career included four space missions, making him one of NASA's most traveled astronauts during the space race.
Gemini missions: He began with Gemini VII in 1965, setting a space endurance record of nearly 14 days. He commanded Gemini XII in 1966, where he performed a successful rendezvous in orbit.
Apollo 8: In 1968, he was one of the first three humans to journey to and orbit the moon on the Apollo 8 mission. During this flight, he witnessed the iconic "Earthrise". Along with his crew, he read from the Book of Genesis on Christmas Eve. This provided a special moment of global unity.
Apollo 13: The catastrophic onboard explosion in 1970 prevented him from walking on the moon. Lovell’s leadership turned a disaster into NASA's "successful failure". Lovell and his crew improvised solutions to safely return to Earth. This event inspired the nation.
After retiring from NASA and the Navy in 1973, Lovell had a successful business career and became an author. He co-wrote the book Lost Moon, which was the basis for the 1995 film Apollo 13. Actor Tom Hanks portrayed him in the film, and Lovell made a cameo appearance.
A FINAL FAREWELL
He will forever be remembered for his role in saving Apollo 13. His full legacy is a testament to his courage, humility, and unwavering optimism. His family shared that he was "Dad, Granddad, and the Leader of our family. Most importantly, he was our Hero. We will miss his unshakeable optimism, his sense of humor, and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible".
Godspeed, Captain Lovell. Your journey is complete, but your inspiration will continue to guide future generations.