Commander, Apollo 13 Author & Businessman

Captain James Lovell

Honored Keynote Speaker

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Sponsored by

Former astronaut Captain James Lovell, the famous Commander of Apollo 13 will speak to us in our opening General Session Tuesday, May 22, 2007. Capt. Lovell completed four missions during his time at NASA; Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8, and Apollo 13. Two of those missions were trips to the moon. He took part in the first historic lunar orbit flight and was due to be the 5th man to walk on the moon during the Apollo 13 flight but an explosion on board made this impossible.

Two hundred thousand miles from earth, Captain Lovell and his crew faced almost certain death when their oxygen system failed, sending out the now famous line, “Houston, we have a problem.”  Capt. Lovell modified the lunar module into an effective lifeboat, conserving both electrical power and water in sufficient supply, and was able to return safely to Earth. Finding immediate fame as a hero and a symbol of American pride, Capt. Lovell was awarded many honors for his role on Apollo 13 including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, The Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and two Navy Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Today, Capt. Lovell travels the Earth, sharing his experiences as an astronaut and businessman. He co-authored the excellent book, Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13, which was the inspiration for the movie Apollo 13 starring Tom Hanks. Capt. Lovell has some enlightening perspectives he will share with us from his many life experiences and he will tell us firsthand about the value of reliable communication and technology.