“Apollo 13’s Slender Survival Odds — But Mom Knew Dad Would Triumph”

"Dad consistently mentions, 'Never go out without having some duct tape handy!'" remarks Jeff Lovell, whose father, Jim, is most renowned for leading NASA’s unfortunate mission. Apollo 13 In April 1970, during a mission to the Moon, an onboard explosion caused the spacecraft to lose oxygen rapidly, leaving the astronauts 200,000 miles away from Earth. To survive, Lovell Sr. and his team crafted a crude carbon dioxide filter using duct tape, a sock, and a flight manual cover—a solution that kept them alive long enough to perform a "slingshot" maneuver around the Moon and make it back to Earth safely over four days.

It's a segment of history that many people remember primarily due to its portrayal in Ron Howard’s 1995 Academy Award-winning movie, Apollo 13, where Lovell was portrayed by Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks , along with his crewmates Jack Swigert and Fred Haise, by Kevin Bacon And Bill Paxton as well. However, this month, a new feature-length Netflix documentary titled "Apollo 13: Survival" aims to shed light on NASA’s “successful failure” by leveraging over 7,000 hours of original footage with a focus on the human aspect of the mission.

During a video call from his home in Texas — where a Lego model of the Saturn V rocket used in the Apollo missions sits on the bookshelf behind him — the laid-back Jeff Lovell, at 58 years old, recalls how director Peter Middleton approached him with an idea for a film. "When [Peter] first came to me," says Lovell, "I asked, 'How can you bring something fresh to this?' He responded that he aimed to incorporate the experiences of our family so as to offer viewers a completely different viewpoint. We provided him with numerous hours of home footage and private photos. Hopefully, this will make the narrative far more emotionally engaging and relatable."

Middleton's film honors Jim Lovell’s wife, Marilyn, who passed away last August at the age of 93; Jim is now 96 years old. "Mom and Dad were partners," notes Jeff. "They were high school sweethearts from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, starting out with very little. My father grew up in a one-room apartment cared for by his single mother, sleeping on a sofa. Mom was the youngest of five siblings. Both faced economic hardships during the Great Depression and World War II together. She even typed my father’s doctoral thesis. Over time, she also had to get used to accepting the dangers associated with his career as a military test pilot before he became an astronaut."

Jeff lifts his hands in amazement and subsequently shrugs. "The spouses of astronauts played an essential role in the space program but haven't received the recognition they deserved. These women found themselves thrust into challenging situations: they needed to remain steadfast as pillars of strength within their households; manage domestic responsibilities, handle financial matters, shield their children from anxiety and public scrutiny, and ready themselves for potential failures."

Later, speaking from his office in London, Middleton mentions discovering a particularly telling piece of video showing Marilyn Lovell during a press conference before the Apollo 13 launch. "At this stage," he explains, "I believe Jim held the record as the world’s most traveled person." By the time he reached 42 years old and became a father to four children, he had accumulated more mileage in space than every Russian cosmonaut combined. In just three short years between missions, he logged over two weeks aboard Gemini 7 in 1965 and orbited the moon with Apollo 8. However, Marilyn harbored serious concerns regarding another trip into space; she felt her husband might be tempting fate too far. This sentiment clearly registers on her expression in the discovered clip.

Jeff Lovell concurs that this scene stands out as one of the most impactful moments in the documentary. "His mother is seen reciting the official statement, expressing how 'Happy, proud, and thrilled' they are. Despite keeping her posture upright and maintaining eye contact, when the camera zooms into her eyes, it feels as though you can decipher her thoughts. It becomes clear that she is terrified, and you sense her eagerness for everything to come to an end."

Being the youngest among the Lovell kids, Jeff—who has been working with Pfizer as a pharmaceutical sales representative for thirty years—only vaguely remembers his father’s days in space. He shares with me that back in 1965, his mom concealed her pregnancy from his father because she feared it could jeopardize his NASA career. "My dad was set to pilot Gemini 7, so she stayed tight-lipped about being pregnant for five whole months and did everything possible to avoid showing it," says Jeff. "She thought something 'personal' like that might cause them to replace him on the mission. However, one night she had no choice but to go to the restroom; that action roused Dad, who immediately questioned what was happening."

Jeff chuckles as he recounts, "I'm not sure whether this counts as something from Hollywood or reality, but my dad reportedly said, 'Wake me up once this nightmare ends!' Anyway, when the pair informed NASA about Marilyn's pregnancy, the organization responded with, 'If you're ready for it, Marilyn, we'll proceed.' Jeff came into the world just a fortnight following his father's maiden voyage into outer space."

Regarding his memories of Apollo 13, he says, "I don't recall being present for the launch itself. However, I do distinctly remember seeing all the media personnel around. At just four or five years old, I clearly understood that our house was filled with visitors." Alongside journalists and television crews, spouses of fellow NASA astronauts gathered at the Lovell residence. He adds, "To me, this situation wasn't much different from having a father who worked as a policeman or firefighter; my dad was contributing to society, which many found impressive and fascinating. Personally, though, I looked forward more to him returning with a moon rock, and felt let down when he did not bring one!"

Jeff attributes his youthful innocence and his mother’s steadfast resolve to maintain a sense of normalcy as factors that shielded him from fearing his father might perish in space. He says, "I simply never considered the possibility that he could vanish permanently. However, my elder brothers and sisters were far more conscious of how close we came to losing him. They experienced that fear."

Susan, who ranks as the fourth child among the Lovell siblings, winces when recounting her recollections of her father’s infamous expedition. She mentions being 11 years old back then, which makes her currently 66 years of age. The incident involving an explosion that harmed Apollo 13 took place late at night while Susan slept; consequently, her mother contacted NASA seeking guidance on what information they ought to impart to their children come dawn. "Our home was equipped with 'squawk boxes' everywhere," she remembers, pointing out those heavy Bakelite devices used for continuously relaying messages exchanged between the astronauts and Mission Control staff.

It was incredible yet utterly bizarre to listen to everything," she recounts. "However, I feel like after the blast, my mom rushed through the house shutting them down, even though she remained fixated on hers. No one explained what occurred. We proceeded with our day at school just like normal. Yet, a classmate approached me and stated, 'I'm really sorry but your father is going to pass away.' I responded, 'What? My Dad is going to? die She nods dismissively. "According to him, the TV news reported only a five percent chance of survival for Dad and the others. I was really distressed. I recall shedding tears, and shortly after, one of Mum's friends arrived to take me away." Following this incident, the Lovell kids remained at home until their father made his way back to Earth.

"My elder sister Barbara was 16 years old, which meant she really
“Susan added, 'We understood what was unfolding,' she recalls. 'Chances were high that she dashed up the staircase clutching her Bible.' Our house featured an open design with steps leading upward; there was one particular step where I used to perch myself to observe everything below. That same place is where I waited as a child for Father Christmas to bring me gifts, and now here I found myself again—a witness—this time seeing the minister from our local Episcopal church administering Holy Communion to all the astronauts' spouses gathered around the coffee table.’ This realization struck her profoundly about how serious things truly were.
'So, I bolted downstairs, weaving through groups of women until finally reaching outdoors near the picnic table,’ she continued. Her mother soon appeared and asked why she looked so distressed. When told Dad might pass away, her mom responded optimistically saying, 'Your dad won’t go easily—he’s far too tough for that!' Initially puzzled, when informed by her mom that being "tough" implied resilience rather than ill-temperament, she realized their family belief held strong hope despite adversity. Not even once did her mother allow herself to entertain thoughts of his failure returning."

Based on the new documentary, Marilyn seems clearly equipped to manage the demanding role of an astronaut's spouse. The film raises questions about her true feelings towards being thrust into the spotlight or mingling with high society figures. "She definitely relished it,"Susan states."Imagine meeting kings and queens and popes! She wasn't familiar with formal protocols so she would watch those around her and mimic their behavior. This came naturally to her." In 1969, the Lovell family received an invitation from President Nixon to visit the White House. "Marilyn shared a funny tale about slipping away with Mrs. Nixon [Pat], who was then the First Lady, to use the restroom in the presidential suite where she could secretly light up a cigarette. Additionally, she got the chance to meet the Queen Mother. Once inside, she promptly requested a beer, proving herself down-to-earth despite everything. My mother thoroughly savored these experiences."

When I mention that, from an outsider’s perspective, the Lovells seemed like the ideal, quintessentially American family, Susan chuckles. "Oh no, we're far from perfect, let me assure you!"

In the vastness of space, Jim Lovell feared that he and his fellow astronauts might not survive the consequences of an explosion that led Swigert to calmly report, "Okay Houston, we've had a problem here." This was soon followed by Lovell's acknowledgment: "Houston, we've had a problem."

Although Jeff believes that the 1995 film adheres "fairly closely to reality considering it’s Hollywood," he points out that Ron Howard took some liberties with the portrayal of Swigert, who passed away from cancer in 1982 at age 51. In the movie, Swigert is depicted as an inexperienced pilot struggling under pressure. According to Jeff, "It seems Jack was responsible for writing the guidebook on emergency protocols within the command module." Thus, Jeff suggests, "There might not have been anyone more qualified for the situation than Jack."

He informs me that his father relied on Boy Scout training to stay composed and persevere through the crisis. "When he was quite young, his parents separated, and later, his dad passed away when he was only five years old. He saw the scout leaders as stand-in fathers who instilled in him the importance of 'being prepared' and concentrating on problem-solving rather than succumbing to panic." Susan mentions that her father shared with her how he maintained his composure during those exceptional times by likening the scenario to a game of cards. He explained to her, "'We simply played our next card and stayed focused on what was at hand. We always had another move; giving up wasn’t an option.'"

Even though the medical team at Mission Control advised the crew to attempt getting some rest during their return trip to Earth, Susan mentions that "they didn't sleep for four days. It was impossible. Yet, it's remarkable how clear-headed they remained." Both she and Jeff highlight an impressive scene from the recent documentary where their father had to manually calculate navigational information using just pen and paper before requesting the team at Mission Control verify his math with their slide rules.

It was such an exquisite analog moment, wasn't it!" exclaims Middleton. "The processor in your mouse driver probably has more computing power than what NASA used for the Apollo missions." Besides highlighting the "human elements and intricacies" of the Apollo 13 mission, Middleton aims to enlighten a younger audience about the significant takeaways from the space program of the '60s and '70s. He notes, "There were quite tumultuous events happening here on Earth during those missions.

The Cold War and the Vietnam conflict. However, once those initial astronauts ventured into space, they viewed our planet as an isolated and fragile reservoir of life devoid of boundaries or separations. Each one asserts that although their mission was aimed at reaching the moon, what they truly found was the Earth itself. These expeditions resulted in pioneering laws designed to tackle losses in biodiversity and environmental contamination—challenges that continue to grow increasingly pressing." With the upcoming Artemis missions planning to send astronauts around the moon again next year, "We're poised on the brink of a new era in space exploration. Never before has it been so crucial for us to keep in mind that picture of the Earth seen from afar behind us.

Both Lovell offspring concur with this statement. Despite numerous astronauts—Swigert included—transitioning into politics following their departure from NASA, the Lovells assert that their father turned down opportunities to "enter a sphere that could have ensnared him, pulled him into the game of pitting people against each other," even though many adored him and believed he would excel as a leader. Post-space program, he attended Harvard Business School, served as a motivational speaker, and eventually launched a restaurant where his eldest son, James Lovell III, took charge of the culinary operations.

Even though Jeff and Susan express concern over the rising anti-science trend, including moon-landing deniers and the increasing number of flat earther believers, they mention "our family has a policy not to discuss political matters." However, they both believe that an agitated world might benefit from learning about systematic reasoning and teamwork demonstrated by the Apollo astronauts.

Jeff mentions that his father has a favorite saying: "For ten minutes we could bounce off the walls, but ultimately we'll still face the same issues. So why spend that time idly? Instead, let's focus on doing whatever we can while we have the chance, aiming to prolong our survival without fixating on the finish line." Jeff further notes that whenever journalists tried to get Jim to comment on the Challenger and Columbia shuttle tragedies, he maintained his calm demeanor. According to Jeff, Jim would consistently respond to queries suggesting whether the space program ought to cease by stating, "'No. The individuals who lost their lives were aware of and accepted these dangers. It's crucial that we continue pushing ahead.'"

At 96 years old, Jim Lovell has slowed down considerably, according to Jeff. However, both Jeff and their sister make efforts to keep him engaged. After the pandemic began, Susan left her role as an executive assistant to take over as his personal assistant. Jeff mentioned that he recently joined as a volunteer guide at Houston’s Johnson Space Center ("I figured: I might add some valuable insight..."), and he continues to occupy Jim with small tasks and excursions. Recently, Jeff even brought Jim back to his former high school which triggered vivid recollections about meeting their mother.

Even though Jeff cherishes his fond recollections of enjoying his father’s space collectibles — "I wore one of his flight suits for sci-fi day at my middle school and enjoyed toggling all the visors on his space helmet" — they have mostly given them away to museums nowadays.

Susan has kept one thing—a mink coat that Jim gifted to Marilyn for the Christmas of 1968 when Jim was spending his time in space. Prior to lift-off, he made sure the fur was sent to her doorstep with a message reading "love from the man in the Moon." She chuckles, saying, "This present is frequently hailed as the most romantic gesture ever recorded," before adding wistfully, "Though I cannot wear it anymore, it would be wonderful to exhibit it next to Dad's spacesuit at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago."

When saying farewell, Jeff mentions an additional present from his father to his mother: "He called a mountain on the Moon 'Mount Marilyn.' Neil Armstrong used this landmark for guidance when landing on the Moon back in 1969." A smile spreads across Jeff's face. "My dad never set foot there himself. However, we eventually had the name formally acknowledged in 2017... thus, she remains constantly present, just next to the Sea of Tranquility."

Apollo 13: Surviving the Odds streams on Netflix starting September 5th.

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