'Houston, we've a problem': Jim Lovell, Apollo 13 commander who turned failed Moon mission into a 'successful failure,' dies at 97

James A Lovell (Image: AFP)

Renowned astronaut and commander of NASA’s Apollo 13 mission, James A. Lovell Jr., has died at the age of 97. His family confirmed that he passed away on August 8, 2025, in Lake Forest, Illinois, according to a statement provided to NASA.

"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 never set foot on the Moon, but his leadership during the harrowing 1970 Apollo 13 mission, when a catastrophic oxygen tank explosion occurred en route, turned a potential tragedy into one of space history’s most remarkable survival stories.

Bringing the crew home through his composure and decisive actions under extreme pressure earned him global admiration.

In the 1995 film Apollo 13, Lovell was portrayed by renowned actor Tom Hanks, bringing renewed attention to the astronauts’ extraordinary ordeal. His legacy lives on as a symbol of courage, ingenuity, and resilience, qualities that continue to inspire astronauts and space enthusiasts around the world.

Tom Hanks paid tribute to Lovell in a post on Instagram following his death, writing, “There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to places we would not go on our own.”

The oxygen tank blast that changed NASA's history 

The Apollo 13 mission was launched on April 11, 1970. The commander of the mission was James A. Lovell Jr., Fred W. Haise Jr. was the lunar module pilot, and John L. “Jack” Swigert Jr. was the command module pilot.

About 56 hours into the mission, which was destined to land in the Fra Mauro highlands, the astronauts were roughly 200,000 miles from Earth when disaster struck, changing history forever.

After a routine stir, a damaged wire in an oxygen tank within the service module sparked, causing an explosion that severely damaged the Apollo 13 spacecraft. The blast cut off the power, oxygen, and water supplies.

This is what led to the famous, and often misquoted, phrase. Astronaut Jack Swigert initially radioed, “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” which was then repeated by mission commander Jim Lovell.

Rather than giving in to panic, the astronauts and NASA engineers quickly created a plan to use the lunar module (LM) as a lifeboat. Although the LM was designed to support two astronauts for two days, it now had to sustain three astronauts for four days.

The crew conserved resources by turning off lights, heaters, and other non-essential systems, enduring cabin temperatures as low as 38°F (3°C). They survived on minimal food, including hot dog packets for moisture, and ingeniously built a makeshift carbon dioxide filter from duct tape, plastic bags, and a sock to keep the air breathable.

Returning to Earth immediately wasn't an option. Instead, Apollo 13 looped around the Moon on a slingshot trajectory back home. Lovell manually steered the crucial rocket burns, using the Earth's position visible through the spacecraft's window as his guide.

Following a tense journey, Apollo 13 splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean on April 17, 1970, about 610 miles southeast of American Samoa. The sight of three orange-and-white parachutes deploying marked the successful end of the crisis.

Recognizing their remarkable efforts, President Richard Nixon awarded Lovell, Haise, and Swigert the Presidential Medal of Freedom, describing the mission as “a successful failure,” a failure to land on the Moon but a victory in bringing the crew safely home.