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Legendary astronaut John Young dies at 87

Young was selected to be an astronaut in 1962. He was the first person to fly in space six times from earth, and seven times counting his lunar liftoff.
(Photo: NASA)

Astronaut John Young has died at 87 years old, according to NASA. He flew the first space shuttle mission.

Young was selected to be an astronaut in 1962. He was the first person to fly in space six times from earth, and seven times counting his lunar liftoff in the Gemini, Apollo & Space Shuttle programs.

In his career, NASA tweeted he "flew twice to the Moon, walked on its surface and flew the first Space Shuttle mission."

In total, he logged more than 25,00 hours flying time.

Young served in many capacities at NASA including: Chief of the Space Shuttle Branch, Chief of the Astronaut Office, Technical Associate Director and more.

He retired from NASA in December 2004. For more information about his career, click here.

Former President George H.W. Bush released the following statement following his death.

"Barbara and I join our fellow Americans and many friends in the space community in mourning the loss of astronaut John Young. John was more than a good friend; he was a fearless patriot whose courage and commitment to duty helped our Nation push back the horizon of discovery at a critical time. To us, he represented the best in the American spirit — always looking forward, always reaching higher. John leaves a tremendous legacy of accomplishment, in addition to his wonderful family. May his memory serve to inspire future generations of explorers to dare greatly, act boldly, and serve selflessly."

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