United Kingdom, Aug. 9 -- Tom Hanks has paid tribute to late astronaut James Lovell.

The 69-year-old actor portrayed the former NASA commander in 1995's Apollo 13 - which told the story of the ill-fated 1970 lunar mission which endured critical failures before safely returning to Earth - and following his death on Thursday (07.08.25) at the age of 97, Tom praised his work and legacy.

He wrote on Instagram: "There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to the places we would not go on our own.

"Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into space and for longer than any other person of our planet, was that kind of guy.

"His many voyages around Earth and on to so-very-close to the moon were not made for riches or ce...