Retired astronaut and the commander of the well-known Apollo 13 mission, Jim Lovell, has died aged 97.
In a publish on X, NASA mentioned: “We’re saddened by the passing of Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13 and a four-time spaceflight veteran.
“Lovell’s life and work inspired millions. His courage under pressure helped forge our path to the Moon and beyond-a journey that continues today.”
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File pic: AP
Lovell was certainly one of NASA’s most-travelled astronauts within the company’s first decade and flew 4 instances – on Gemini 7, Gemini 8, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13.
Lovell helped flip the failed Apollo 13 moon mission right into a triumph after managing to get again to Earth safely following an oxygen tank explosion.
He was presupposed to have develop into the fifth man to stroll on the moon however the spaceflight was thrown into jeopardy by a the sudden explosion.
The three astronauts on board, led by Lovell, barely survived and spent 4 chilly days within the cramped lunar module as a lifeboat.
NASA Administrator Sean Duffy mentioned the astronaut’s life and work “inspired millions of people across the decades”.
“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,” he mentioned. “We mourn his passing at the same time as we have a good time his achievements.
“From a pair of pioneering Gemini missions to the successes of Apollo, Jim helped our nation forge a historic path in space that carries us forward to upcoming Artemis missions to the moon and beyond.”
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