The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that Gemini and Apollo astronaut and Navy Captain Jim Lovell passed away in Lake Forest, Illinois, on Aug. 7 at the age of 97.
"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," he added.
Lovell was then selected to join Borman and Bill Anders for Apollo 8, the first time a manned spacecraft left Earth for another celestial body. He orbited the moon 10 times -- one Earth day -- before returning home. The Apollo 13 mission made Lovell the first man to journey to and fly around the moon twice.
"As the Command Module Pilot for Apollo 8, Jim and his crewmates became the first to lift off on a Saturn V rocket and orbit the Moon, proving that the lunar landing was within our reach," Duffy said.
"As commander of the Apollo 13 mission, his calm strength under pressure helped return the crew safely to Earth and demonstrated the quick thinking and innovation that informed future NASA missions.
"Known for his wit, this unforgettable astronaut was nicknamed Smilin' Jim by his fellow astronauts because he was quick with a grin when he had a particularly funny comeback."
Lovell follows several of his fellow astronauts in his passing, including Armstrong and Apollo 8 crewmates Anders, Borman, and Gene Cernan, the last man to set foot on the moon.