1928-

American astronaut who was the first individual to complete four space missions. Lovell graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Naval Test Pilot School. He piloted Gemini 7 for two weeks in 1965 and then commanded Gemini 12. On Apollo 8 in 1968, Lovell orbited the moon in a pioneering spaceflight. Two years later, he survived the Apollo 13 explosion. Lovell next served as the deputy director of science and applications at the Johnson Space Center. He published his autobiography, Lost Moon, in 1993.