U.S. astronaut James Lovell, who was commander of the 1970 Apollo 13 mission that managed to get back to Earth safely after an oxygen tank explosion, died Thursday in the U.S. state of Illinois at the age of 97, NASA said in a statement on Friday, reported Xinhua.
"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," NASA said. "We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements."
Lovell flew four space missions in his lifetime — Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13. In 1968, Lovell, Frank Borman and William Anders of the Apollo 8 crew were the first to leave Earth's orbit and the first to fly to and circle the moon.
It was the Apollo 13 mission that made Lovell famous worldwide. In April 1970, Lovell and two other astronauts were on their way to the moon in Apollo 13 when an oxygen tank from the spaceship exploded. Over the next four days, following the instructions of ground crew, Lovell and the two others moved from the service module to the cramped lunar lander. Using the lunar module as a lifeboat, they swung around the moon, aimed for Earth and landed safely.
Though missing the opportunity to walk on the moon, Lovell was a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Born on March 25, 1928, Lovell was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1962.
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
