NASA Astronaut Jim Lovell, who famously led the historic Apollo 13 moon mission, died on Thursday at the age of 97, his family announced Friday.

Lovell was part of a total of four space missions: Gemini VII, Gemini XII, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13. Lovell was most known for his calm leadership during Apollo 13's tragic flight, which experienced a major oxygen tank explosion far away from Earth.

The astronaut's family highlighted Lovell's "legendary leadership in pioneering human space flight," and observed that the man led an "amazing life." It is not clear how Lovell died, but he passed in Lake Forest, Illinois, per NBC News. 

“To all of us, he was Dad, Granddad, and the Leader of our family. Most importantly, he was our Hero,” the family said in its statement. “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.”

Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administration Sean Duffy praised Lovell's legacy and observed that astronaut went on to inspire millions of people.

"NASA sends its condolences to the family of Capt. Jim Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions of people across the decades," Duffy said. "Jim’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount. We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements."

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.