Jim Lovell Signing
November 2003

Jim Lovell has steadfastly refused to sign autographs for several years, for any price. In April of 2001, he did a signing at Novaspace. Response was overwhelming. He cancelled another signing here in January of this year, but has graciously agreed to come here again and sign some mailed-in memorabilia. He will only sign autographs at this signing. He will accept no mailed autographs from us, or anyone else, at his office.

Capt. James Lovell, 75, just missed the cut to be one of the original 7 Mercury astronauts. He was among the first chosen of the "New 9," the second group chosen in 1962. His first flight was the long-duration Gemini 7, which set the record for days in space (14) and also completed the first rendezvous with Gemini 6 in 1965. He commanded the final mission, Gemini 12 in 1966.

Holding the record for the most time in space, he was chosen for Apollo 8, the daring first manned flight to the moon in 1968. Although Apollo 11's first moon landing gets more press, it was Apollo 8 that won the space race for America; a gutsy and flawlessly executed mission that provided the momentum and confidence NASA needed to complete the Apollo program, after the lows of the Apollo 1 fire.

And then there was Apollo 13...

Jim keeps a hectic schedule of appearances and lectures. He often helps out at Lovell's of Lake Forest, the upscale restaurant where his son, James III, is chef. He is also President of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.