Late astronaut Jim Lovell honored at Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

The 12th Breakthrough Prize Ceremony, also known as the Oscars of Science, was held this past weekend — and during the ceremony, the directors of the film "Apollo 13" honored legendary NASA astronaut Jim Lovell.

Lovell, a longtime resident of Chicago's northern suburbs, commanded the Apollo 13 mission in 1970. He died Aug. 7, 2025, at the age of 97.

"Apollo 13" director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazier honored Lovell at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony on Saturday evening.

"His courage, his skill, his grace under unbearable pressure inspired the nation and the world.  He reached beyond the horizon," Howard said, "and because of what he did, we can all see a little further. We can walk a little taller. We can aim higher."

Howard and Grazier showcased the "Apollo 13" mission in their 1995 movie of the same name, starring Tom Hanks.

The Apollo 13 flight to the moon became known as a "successful failure" after the spacecraft experienced an oxygen tank explosion thousands of miles from Earth but managed to return home safely. Lovell was supposed to be the fifth man to walk on the moon on that mission, but instead, the astronauts barely survived, spending four cold and clammy days in the cramped lunar module as a lifeboat.

Grazier said he and Howard were blown away by Lovell's survival story.

After retiring, Lovell settled in north suburban Lake Forest, where he opened the restaurant Lovell's of Lake Forest in 1999. He also cultivated a deep connection with Chicago's Adler Planetarium, which has items from Apollo 13 on display that Lovell himself grabbed.

Lovell also provided a wake-up message heard by the Artemis II astronauts this month, which he recorded before he died.