Tom Hanks honored astronaut Jim Lovell, whom he portrayed in "Apollo 13," with a touching tribute celebrating the space pioneer’s bravery and extraordinary life.

Famed NASA astronaut Jim Lovell, who died at the age of 97 on Thursday, played a role in the making of the hit movie Apollo 13 that chronicled the mission where Lovell served as commander. The 1970 mission was considered a "successful failure" after the spacecraft experienced an oxygen tank

Tom Hanks is remembering the late Jim Lovell. Following the news that commander of Apollo 13 mission, Lovell died on Thursday at 97, Hanks, took to Instagram on Friday evening to share a tribute. Hanks famously played the astronaut in the 1995 film of the same name.