The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum 2016 Trophy for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Capt. James A. Lovell.
Lovell was as a naval officer, aviator, and a pioneer in the space program. The Lifetime Achievement Trophy recognizes the lasting impact his achievements have had on the history of space exploration. During his career, Lovell accumulated more than 7,000 flight hours, including 4,500 in jet aircraft, 715 in space, and 107 carrier landings, holding the record for time in space until surpassed by the Skylab flights. He participated in four historic NASA missions Gemini VII, Gemini XII, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13. Lovell was one of the first men to leave Earth’s gravitational pull, the first man to journey twice to the Moon, and was indispensable to the safe landing of Apollo 13.