Jim Lovell—of Apollo 13 fame, of course—died Friday at age 97. He’s known for the quote, “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” spoken on the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission. Lovell assumed command and safely guided the severely damaged mission back to Earth. That it did, because an explosion onboard had endangered the crew’s lives and put the mission’s success at risk.
Apollo 13 launched on April 11, 1970 to do what few others have accomplished — land humans on the Moon. Approximately 56 hours into the journey, an oxygen tank on board exploded. The blast fatally disabled the spacecraft, even though it was hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth. Lovell, along with fellow astronauts Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, faced immense challenges as they worked to navigate the damaged spacecraft back home.
Lovell’s leadership and critical thinking really stood out throughout the ordeal. He and his team communicated with mission control in Houston, Texas, working tirelessly to devise alternative methods to ensure their safe return. The mission that had once seemed set to deliver one of the most spectacular science-sational lunar landings became a desperate battle for preservation.
Against all odds, Lovell’s conviction resulted in Apollo 13’s miraculous splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 17, 1970. Dozens of millions of television viewers across the planet watched the moment play out on their screens. It went on to become perhaps the most iconic moment in the entire history of human spaceflight. The crew’s successful return was a testament to the innovativeness and adaptability of the human spirit and mind in times of trouble.