From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
Sept. 26, 2025
“You’re all, by the way, all astronauts. You’re on a spaceship called Earth. And we have limited resources. So we have to learn how to live and to work with those resources and other people.” – Jim Lovell at Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex, July 27, 2004
On August 7, 2025, when I heard NASA astronaut Jim Lovell, the Commander of Apollo 13, died that day, it immediately brought back me back to when l had the incredible luck to attend his lecture at Kennedy Space Center twenty-one years earlier.
• VIDEO 1: Jim Lovell 2004: In the beginning; “Lost Moon”:
Being at the right place – the space center – and time – the afternoon of July 27, 2004 – to catch Jim Lovell’s lecture is one of the most serendipitous points of my life.
My husband Len and I were on a cruise and had the choice to go either to Disney World or the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex that day. Of course, this space nerd picked KSC.
Garden City, New York, U.S. Sept. 25, 2025. An armrest from LM-7 “Aquarious” removed upon reaching Earth prior to re-entry is on display at The Cradle of Aviation Museum. It is the only remaining piece of the Apollo 13 Lunar Module. Plaque inscription: “A PART OF AQUARIUS, LM-7 RETURNED TO GAEC PERSONNEL IN APPRECIATION FOR A JOB WELL DONE. FROM THE APOLLO 13 CREW JAMES A. LOVELL, JOHN L. SWIGERT, FRED W. HAISE” (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)
Soon after we arrived at the center, we spotted a big sign announcing, in words to this effect:
Captain James A. Lovell , Jr., Commander of Apollo 13, is speaking here this afternoon, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the release of Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, which he co-authored with Jeffrey Kluger
Following the lecture, Lovell will sign hardcover copies – bought at the KSC Gift Shop – of that book, which the 1995 movie Apollo 13 was based on.
I could hardly believe it!
• VIDEO 2: Jim Lovell 2004: Rocket Safety, Wernher von Braun:
We got on line early enough to get seats, thank goodness. As I remember it, the lecture hall was not all that big. But I could be wrong and remember feeling such a strong speaker-audience connection because Lovell was so personable, so warm, so engaging.
I captured only parts of Lowell’s speech because my camcorder was low on something, though I can’t remember if it was battery power or storage space. So I’d record only a few minutes at a time. And, oh dear, yes, the videos are shaky, since I was usually looking at Lovell, not the screen.
• VIDEO 3: Jim Lovell 2004: Vomit Comet Toilet Tests:
After Jim Lovell’s fascinating, funny, thought-provoking presentation was over, he invited us all to follow him out to the hall and over to the book signing area.
Our seats were near the aisle next to the door, so Len and I were one of the first ones behind Lovell.
But I couldn’t take a place at the front of, or anywhere on, the line because earlier I had unfortunately decided to buy the book right after the lecture, instead of before it. And we didn’t have time to buy the book and then wait on the quickly growing line before getting on the bus to return to the ship.
Garden City, New York, U.S. Sept. 25, 2025. Apollo Urine Containers and Collection Devices, circa 1969, are on display at The Cradle of Aviation Museum (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)
But I wasn’t heart-broken by the lost opportunity once I realized I was so much luckier to see and tape Jim Lovell’s lecture than unlucky to miss getting him to sign a copy of Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13.
- FEATURE IMAGE (at top of post): Photo-illustration created using photo of a “Captain James A. Lovell, Jr. March 25, 1928 – August 7, 2025” sign next to looseleaf binder visitors can write a message on, at Cradle of Aviation Museum. Garden City, New York, U.S. Sept. 25, 2025. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)
Cradle of Aviation Museum/Jim Lovell: my PHOTO GALLERY
Video Showcase – Jim Lovell at Kennedy Space Center 2004: vimeo.com/showcase/11826271
Cradle of Aviation Museum: cradleofaviation.org
James A. Lovell: nasa.gov/former-astronaut-james-a-lovell
Kennedy Space Center: kennedyspacecenter.com
CONTACT ME
Garden City, New York, U.S. Sept. 25, 2025. A large sign with “Apollo 13: Houston, we have a problem” related photos, forms and info is on display at The Cradle of Aviation Museum. (© 2025 Ann Parry/AnnParry.com)
