All articles tagged with #apollo 13
President Trump will award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to Artemis II crew Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen at an Aug. 28 ceremony at NASA's Johnson Space Center, honoring their record-setting lunar flyby that took humans farther from Earth than Apollo 13—a milestone for NASA's Artemis program on the path to a lunar base and future Moon landings.
Artemis II extended humanity’s farthest distance from Earth to 252,756 miles by design, beating Apollo 13’s 248,655-mile record—which was set accidentally when an oxygen-tank explosion forced a Moon loop in 1970. The crew also proposed names for two craters near Orientale—Integrity and Carroll—with official naming to come from the International Astronomical Union.
Facing a life-or-death power budget after Apollo 13's oxygen-tank explosion, the crew shut down nonessential systems, used the Aquarius lunar module as a lifeboat, and manually performed a 14-second trajectory burn by aligning Earth's terminator in the LM window and timing it with Swigert’s Omega Speedmaster—an improvised navigation method that ensured a splashdown and became a lasting NASA contingency lesson.
Artemis 2’s Orion capsule, Integrity, and China's Tiangong space station set the farthest distance ever between humans in space, peaking at about 260,754 miles (419,643 km) on April 6. The Artemis-ISS distance was slightly less, and the previous record traceable to Apollo 13 was from 1970. Space historian Jonathan McDowell notes the milestone signals a shift from measuring how far humans are from Earth to how dispersed human civilization could become across the solar system.
Ahead of NASA’s Artemis II mission, 11 retired astronauts share their go-to space films, praising The Martian for teamwork and realism, Apollo 13 for ingenuity under pressure, and also highlighting classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Interstellar, Galaxy Quest, The Right Stuff and Apollo 11 for their science, inspiration and human drama.
CNN spoke with 11 retired astronauts who name their favorite space films, highlighting realism, teamwork and human storytelling across titles like The Martian, Apollo 13, Galaxy Quest, The Right Stuff, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Interstellar, amid renewed space focus with NASA’s Artemis II mission in view.
James Lovell was a renowned astronaut best known for commanding the Apollo 13 mission, which faced a life-threatening crisis in space but was ultimately a successful rescue, showcasing teamwork and resilience. He had a distinguished career in the Navy and space exploration, passing away in 2025 at age 97.
Jim Lovell, a renowned NASA astronaut and commander of the Apollo 13 mission, has died at age 97. He was the first American astronaut to fly into space four times and played a crucial role in historic missions including Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13. Lovell was celebrated for his leadership and navigation skills, especially during the Apollo 13 crisis, and co-authored a book about the mission. He retired in 1973 and left a lasting legacy in space exploration.
The article commemorates NASA astronaut Jim Lovell's passing, highlighting his significant contributions to space exploration, including Apollo 13 and Gemini missions. It also discusses the digitization of Popular Mechanics archives, upcoming talks at HOPE_16, and a unique dam project in Colorado featuring an asphalt core, showcasing advancements and historical reflections in engineering and space history.
Tom Hanks paid heartfelt tribute to Jim Lovell, the Apollo 13 astronaut who passed away at age 97, highlighting his daring spirit and space voyages, and recalling Hanks's portrayal of Lovell in the 1995 film Apollo 13.
Tom Hanks paid tribute to astronaut James Lovell, who passed away at 97, highlighting his courage and contributions to space exploration, including the Apollo 13 mission where he heroically saved his crew. The article also notes Lovell's historic space missions and honors received, emphasizing his remarkable life and legacy.
Tom Hanks paid tribute to Jim Lovell, the astronaut he portrayed in 'Apollo 13,' who passed away at age 97. Hanks praised Lovell's dedication to exploration and his extraordinary life, highlighting his contributions to space missions like Gemini and Apollo. The actor's heartfelt message celebrated Lovell's courage and commitment, marking a fitting farewell to a pioneering figure in space history.
Tom Hanks paid an emotional tribute to astronaut James Lovell, the Apollo 13 commander, who passed away at 97, praising his courage, optimism, and contributions to space exploration, while reflecting on Lovell's historic mission and legacy.
Tom Hanks paid tribute to Jim Lovell, the Apollo 13 commander who passed away at 97, highlighting his courage and contributions to space exploration, and recalling his role in the 1995 film 'Apollo 13' which depicted the real-life mission. The film and Lovell's legacy are celebrated for inspiring bravery and scientific achievement.
James Lovell, a renowned NASA astronaut known for his role in Apollo 13 and being the first person to fly to the Moon twice, has died at age 97. He was celebrated for his leadership in space missions, his courage during Apollo 13, and his contributions to space exploration history. Lovell's legacy includes multiple spaceflights, awards, and inspiring generations through his achievements and character.