Captain Jim Lovell, space explorer, Naval officer and test pilot, will be the guest speaker April 7 at the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Foundation dinner. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.
A native of Cleveland, Lovell was the navigator on the historic Apollo 8 mission, man’s first flight to the moon. His last flight was Apollo 13, the third lunar landing mission in April, 1970.
On that flight, Lowell was the first person to fly to the moon a second time. During his career he accumulated more than 7,000 flight hours including 4,500 in jet aircraft, 713 in space and 107 carrier landings.
He has received several medals and awards including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor; Presidential Medal of Freedom; Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two Navy Distinguished Flying Crosses; NASA Distinguished and Exceptional Service Medals and the French Legion of Honor.
Now 87, Lowell regularly visits colleges and universities where he gives speeches on his experiences as an astronaut and businessman.
