Two hundred thousand miles from earth, Captain James Lovell Jr. and his Apollo 13 crew faced almost certain death when their oxygen system failed, sending out the now famous line, "Houston, we have a problem." Jim Lovell modified the lunar module into an effective lifeboat, conserving both electrical power and water in sufficient supply, and was able to return safely to Earth. Finding immediate fame as a hero and a symbol of American pride, Capt. Lovell was awarded many honors for his role on Apollo 13 including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and two Navy Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Captain Lovell was chosen in September 1962 for the space program following extensive experience as a naval aviator and test pilot. Captain Lovell executed various commands in the Gemini Mission Program, including serving as backup pilot for the Gemini 4 flight and pilot on the history-making Gemini 7, which saw the first rendezvous of two manned spacecraft in 1965. He was also the backup commander for the Gemini 9 flight and in 1966 he commanded the Gemini 12 spacecraft to successfully conclude the Gemini Program.

At the close of the Gemini program, Captain Lovell became command module pilot and navigator for the epic six-day journey on Apollo 8, man's maiden voyage to the moon, during which he and his fellow crew were the first humans to leave the earth's gravitational influence. He then was backup commander to Neil Armstrong for the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. His fourth and final flight was on the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. Jim Lovell's dreams of landing on the moon were literally blown away when an oxygen tank aboard Apollo 13's service module exploded less than a day away from lunar orbit, forcing the crew to limp home under perilous circumstances.

In 1973, Capt. Lovell left the space program to join the Bay-Houston Towing Company, where he became president and CEO. He then joined Fisk Telephone Systems as company president; Fisk was acquired in 1980 and he became EVP. Today, he is president of Lovell Communications, a business devoted to disseminating information about the U.S. Space Program.

Capt. Lovell's education had prepared him for the change from explorer to businessperson. He attended the University of Wisconsin and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, the University of Southern California Aviation Safety School, and the Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program. He is the recipient of honorary doctorates from Blackburn University, Mary Hardin-Baylor College, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Rockhurst College, Susquehanna University, Washington & Jefferson College, Western Michigan University and William Patterson College. Additionally, he has garnered an impressive share of honors, including the Harmon, Collier and Goddard Aerospace Trophies, the French Legion of Honor, NASA Distinguished and Exceptional Service Medals, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. He is also a fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.

In 1994, more than two decades after surviving the Apollo 13 mission, Capt. Lovell, with co-author Jeffrey Kluger, wrote the account of that ill-fated moon flight, Lost Moon. The book was re-released as Apollo 13: Anniversary Edition to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission. In 1995, the film version of Apollo 13 was released to rave reviews.