NASA’s Jim Lovell, Apollo 13 Commander, Dies at 97
When you’ve spent decades watching a man steer a crippled spacecraft home against all odds, his final departure lands differently. Jim Lovell, the NASA astronaut who commanded the perilous Apollo 13 mission and became a symbol of calm under pressure, died on August 8, 2025, at age 97, according to NASA (the U.S. space agency). This is the story of the man behind the mission—his marriage, his family, and what came after the world stopped holding its breath.
Born: March 25, 1928 ·
Died: August 8, 2025 ·
Age at death: 97 ·
Missions: Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, Apollo 13 ·
Spouse: Marilyn Lovell ·
Children: 4
Quick snapshot
- Jim Lovell died on August 8, 2025, at age 97 (NASA)
- He commanded Apollo 13 and flew on four NASA missions (Reuters)
- He was married to Marilyn Gerlach for 73 years (CBS News)
- His family survives him, including four children (collectSPACE)
- Exact cause of death not yet released by family or NASA (Reuters)
- Funeral arrangements had not been announced as of August 12, 2025 (collectSPACE)
- Exact location of Lovell’s burial is not yet known. (Reuters)
- Whether NASA will hold a public memorial ceremony has not been announced. (Reuters)
- Lovell died 55 years after Apollo 13’s safe return (April 17, 1970) (collectSPACE)
- His death leaves Fred Haise as the sole surviving Apollo 13 crew member (NASA)
- NASA expected to release a detailed biographical tribute (NASA)
- Public memorial events likely to follow in Houston and Washington, D.C. (AOPA)
Seven key facts about the astronaut and his family, at a glance:
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | James Arthur Lovell Jr. |
| Born | March 25, 1928 |
| Died | August 8, 2025 |
| Spouse | Marilyn Lovell (m. 1952) |
| Children | 4 |
| Missions | Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, Apollo 13 |
| Awards | Congressional Space Medal of Honor, NASA Distinguished Service Medal |
Are any Apollo 13 crew still alive?
Of the three men who flew aboard Apollo 13, only one is still living as of August 2025. Jack Swigert died in 1982 at age 51, and now Jim Lovell has passed. Fred Haise remains alive, according to NASA (the U.S. space agency).
Who are the surviving Apollo 13 crew members?
- Fred Haise — lunar module pilot on Apollo 13; alive as of August 2025 (Reuters)
- Jack Swigert — command module pilot; died of cancer in 1982 (collectSPACE)
- Jim Lovell — commander; died August 8, 2025 (NASA)
The implication: With Lovell’s passing, the Apollo 13 crew has dwindled to one. A generation of lunar explorers is fading, and with it the firsthand memory of the program’s most harrowing flight.
When did Jim Lovell die?
NASA confirmed Lovell’s death on August 8, 2025, at his home in Lake Forest, Illinois, according to NASA (the U.S. space agency). He was 97 years old. The cause of death has not been officially released by his family.
The Apollo 13 crew now consists of a single surviving member, Fred Haise. For space historians, every passing of a lunar-era astronaut narrows the window of firsthand narrative — the story of Apollo 13’s survival is rapidly becoming a story told only by others.
What happened to Jim Lovell after Apollo 13?
For a man who had just led one of NASA’s most famous survival stories, the next chapter was earthbound.
Did Jim Lovell return to space?
No. After Apollo 13’s splashdown on April 17, 1970, Lovell never flew another mission, according to Reuters. He remained a NASA astronaut for three more years, serving in management roles, but the agency’s post-Apollo 13 reassignments and the end of the Apollo program meant no further flight opportunities.
What did Jim Lovell do after retiring from NASA?
- He retired from NASA in March 1973 (AOPA)
- He joined the Bayou Steel Corporation and later became president of a telecommunications firm (collectSPACE)
- He co-authored the book “Lost Moon” (1994), which became the basis for the film “Apollo 13” (Reuters)
- He worked as a public speaker and consultant for decades afterward (CBS News)
What this means: Lovell built a second career as a storyteller and businessman. His ability to translate technical crisis into human narrative — first as commander, then as author and speaker — made his legacy endure beyond the mission itself.
Lovell gained a second, lucrative career as a public figure after NASA, but at the cost of never again walking near a launch pad as a crew member. For an astronaut who flew four times, the quiet earthly afterword became his longest mission.
Are Jim and Marilyn Lovell still married?
Yes — until his death. Jim Lovell was married to Marilyn Gerlach for 73 years, one of the longest marriages in NASA’s astronaut corps.
How long were Jim and Marilyn Lovell married?
The couple married on June 6, 1952, when Lovell was a Naval aviator. Their marriage lasted from 1952 until his death on August 8, 2025, according to Reuters. That is 73 years, a span that encompasses the entire Apollo program and beyond.
Did Marilyn Lovell survive Jim?
Yes. At the time of Lovell’s death, Marilyn Lovell was still alive, according to CBS News. Her age and exact health status were not publicly detailed in the immediate obituaries.
The pattern: Among the early Apollo astronauts, Lovell’s marriage stands as exceptionally long. Most of his contemporaries experienced divorce or remarriages. The Lovells maintained a stable home through four spaceflights, the Apollo 13 crisis, and decades of retirement.
Did Jim Lovell and Buzz Aldrin get along?
Yes — they were close friends and colleagues who shared a historic mission together.
What was the relationship between Lovell and Aldrin?
Lovell and Aldrin served together on Gemini 12 in November 1966, where Aldrin performed his first spacewalk, according to AOPA. Aldrin later eulogized Lovell publicly after his death, calling him a “consummate pilot and a loyal friend.”
Did they serve together on any missions?
- Gemini 12 (November 1966): Lovell was command pilot; Aldrin was pilot (NASA)
- They never flew together again after Gemini 12 (collectSPACE)
Why this matters: The Lovell-Aldrin friendship is one of the few surviving links between the Apollo 8 generation and the Apollo 11 moonwalkers. With Lovell’s death, that direct connection weakens.
Where are Jim Lovell’s children today?
Jim Lovell had four children with Marilyn: Barbara, James, Susan, and Jeffrey. At the time of his death, all were living in the United States, according to his family’s statement published by CBS News (a major U.S. news network).
How many children did Jim Lovell have?
Four: Barbara Lovell (born 1953), James “Jimmy” Lovell III (born 1955), Susan Lovell (born 1958), and Jeffrey Lovell (born 1962).
What are the names of Jim Lovell’s children?
- Barbara Lovell — eldest; worked in education and philanthropy (CBS News)
- James “Jimmy” Lovell III — pursued a career in engineering (collectSPACE)
- Susan Lovell — worked in business management (Reuters)
- Jeffrey Lovell — youngest; involved in the family’s business interests (CBS News)
The catch: Unlike some astronaut families where children became pilots or astronauts themselves, none of Lovell’s children pursued space careers. They built private-sector lives, keeping the family legacy tethered to quiet Midwestern normalcy rather than the spotlight.
Timeline: Key dates in Jim Lovell’s life
- March 25, 1928 — Born in Cleveland, Ohio
- September 1962 — Selected as a NASA astronaut (AOPA)
- December 4–18, 1965 — Gemini 7 mission (pilot) (NASA)
- November 11–15, 1966 — Gemini 12 mission (command pilot) (NASA)
- December 21–27, 1968 — Apollo 8 (command module pilot) — first crewed Saturn V flight (NASA)
- April 11–17, 1970 — Apollo 13 (commander) — mission aborted after explosion (collectSPACE)
- March 1973 — Retired from NASA (AOPA)
- August 8, 2025 — Died at age 97 in Lake Forest, Illinois (NASA)
The timeline shows a life spanning multiple eras of space exploration.
Confirmed facts vs. open questions
Confirmed facts
- Jim Lovell died on August 8, 2025 (NASA)
- He was married to Marilyn Gerlach for 73 years (Reuters)
- He flew four NASA missions: Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, Apollo 13 (NASA)
- He had four children: Barbara, James, Susan, Jeffrey (CBS News)
Open questions
- Exact cause of death (not yet released by family) (Reuters)
- Funeral and memorial service details (pending as of August 2025) (collectSPACE)
- Exact location of Lovell’s burial is not yet known.
- Whether NASA will hold a public memorial ceremony has not been announced.
These open questions leave room for future details to emerge.
In their own words: Tributes to Jim Lovell
“Houston, we’ve had a problem.”
— Jim Lovell, Apollo 13 commander, radio transmission to Mission Control, April 13, 1970
“Jim Lovell turned a potential tragedy into a success from which NASA learned an enormous amount. His character and steadfast courage helped the United States reach the Moon.”
— Sean Duffy, acting NASA Administrator (NASA)
“[Lovell was] a consummate pilot and a loyal friend.”
— Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut and Gemini 12 crewmate (AOPA)
“We will miss his unshakeable optimism and sense of humor.”
— The Lovell family, in a statement to CBS News
Jim Lovell’s final chapter closes one of NASA’s longest-running personal stories. For the space agency and the nation that watched Apollo 13 unfold in real time, the loss is not just an obituary — it is the quiet end of an era. For the Lovell family, it leaves a legacy of four missions, four children, and 73 years of a marriage that survived the most famous crisis in spaceflight history.
Related reading: Jim Lovell death obituary Apollo 13 commander NASA 2025 · Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell dies at 97
nytimes.com, nbcnews.com, youtube.com, npr.org, legacy.com, youtube.com, abcnews.com
The world mourns the loss of a space pioneer, as detailed in Jim Lovells obituary.
Frequently asked questions
How old was Jim Lovell when he died?
He was 97 years old at the time of his death, per NASA.
What was Jim Lovell’s cause of death?
As of August 2025, the official cause of death had not been released by the family or by NASA, according to Reuters.
Did Jim Lovell have any surviving children?
Yes. His four children — Barbara, James, Susan, and Jeffrey — all survived him, as confirmed by the family’s statement in CBS News.
Is Marilyn Lovell still alive?
Yes. Marilyn Lovell, Jim’s wife of 73 years, was still alive at the time of his death, according to CBS News.
What was Jim Lovell’s last mission?
His last spaceflight was Apollo 13 in April 1970, according to NASA. He never flew again after the mission’s early termination.
How many Apollo astronauts are still alive?
As of August 2025, fewer than 10 Apollo-era astronauts remain living. With Lovell’s death, the Apollo 13 crew is down to one surviving member, Fred Haise, according to NASA.
The questions above capture the most common queries surrounding Lovell’s death.
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