“God speed you, on this next voyage”: Tom Hanks shares heartfelt tribute as Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell dies at 97

Tom Hanks paid tribute to Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell, who passed away on August 7 at the age of 97. Hanks shared his thoughts in a heartfelt post online, remembering Lovell for his part in one of NASA's toughest missions.

Tom Hanks, who played Jim Lovell in the 1996 movie Apollo 13, said the astronaut's bravery, foresight, and spirit of adventure inspired others. In his tribute, Hanks stressed that Lovell set out on space missions to take on challenges that represent human progress rather than for fame or wealth.

“There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to the places we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into space and for longer than any other person of our planet, was that kind of guy,” Tom Hanks wrote. "His many voyages around Earth and on to so-very-close to the moon were not made for riches or celebrity, but because such challenges as those are what fuels the course of being alive – and who better than Jim Lovell to make those voyages. On this night of a full Moon, he passes on – to the heavens, to the cosmos, to the stars.”

“God speed you, on this next voyage, Jim Lovell,” Hanks concluded.

Tom Hanks pays tribute to astronaut Jim Lovell, who he portrayed in "Apollo 13." Lovell died Thursday at the age of 97.

"There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to the place we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into… pic.twitter.com/oqutrC1rhW

— Variety (@Variety) August 9, 2025

NASA’s ground team and the Apollo 13 crew safely returned the spacecraft in a mission later depicted in Ron Howard’s Academy Award-winning film Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell alongside Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton.

Family remembers Jim Lovell as a hero and a pioneer in space exploration

Lovell’s family confirmed his death in a statement. They announced that he died in Illinois earlier this week.

“We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father, USN Captain James A. ‘Jim’ Lovell, a Navy pilot and officer, astronaut, leader, and space explorer,” Lovell’s family said in the statement "We are enormously proud of his amazing life and career accomplishments, highlighted by his legendary leadership in pioneering human space flight.”

The statement continued,

“But, to all of us, he was dad, granddad, and the leader of our family. Most importantly, he was our hero. We will miss his unshakeable optimism, his sense of humor, and the way he made each of us feel we could do the impossible. He was truly one of a kind.”

Lovell’s remarkable career left a deep mark on space exploration history and the imaginations of people everywhere.