James Lovell, the Apollo 13 commander, has passed away at age 97 in Lake Forest, Illinois. Lovell's leadership turned a near-fatal mission into a celebrated moment in NASA's history. He completed four space missions, notably Apollo 8, which marked the first time humans circled the moon. Despite a catastrophic explosion during Apollo 13, Lovell emphasized the mission's success in showcasing NASA's capabilities over the actual lunar landing. His calm demeanor throughout crises greatly influenced his perspective on life after the near-disaster.
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.
That was during the harrowing Apollo 13 flight in April 1970. Lovell was supposed to be the fifth man to walk on the moon.
The thing that I want most people to remember is (that) in some sense it was very much of a success, Lovell said during a 1994 interview.
A retired Navy captain known for his calm demeanor, Lovell told a NASA historian that his brush with death did affect him.
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