US astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man to set foot on the moon, died on Monday at age 82, NASA and his family announced.
Cernan was the spacecraft commander of Apollo 17 — his third space flight and the last scheduled US manned mission to the moon — in December 1972.
“We are saddened by the loss of retired NASA astronaut Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon,” the US space agency said on Twitter.
Photo: AFP / NASA / Harrison H. Schmitt
According to a family statement released by NASA, Cernan, a retired naval officer, died following ongoing health issues.
“It is with very deep sadness that we share the loss of our beloved husband and father,” the family said.
“Our family is heartbroken, of course, and we truly appreciate everyone’s thoughts and prayers. Gene, as he was known by so many, was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend,” the statement added.
“Even at the age of 82, Gene was passionate about sharing his desire to see the continued human exploration of space and encouraged our nation’s leaders and young people to not let him remain the last man to walk on the moon,” it said.
The space community paid tribute to Cernan and honored his legacy on Twitter.
“Saddened by the loss of pioneer, fellow naval aviator, astronaut and friend Gene Cernan #RIP #lastmanonthemoon,” retired US astronaut Scott Kelly said.
“We mourn the loss of our friend Gene Cernan, the Last Man on the Moon and a hero for the ages,” the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum wrote. “Godspeed the Commander of Apollo 17.”
“Truly, America has lost a patriot and pioneer who helped shape our country’s bold ambitions to do things that humankind has never before achieved,” NASA administrator Charles Bolden said.
On what would be the last manned mission to the lunar surface, Cernan’s second to the moon, the crew captured the iconic image of a full view of the planet Earth dubbed “Blue Marble.”
The footprints Cernan left on the moon’s surface remain visible more than four decades later.
“I’d just like to record that America’s challenge of today has forged man’s destiny of tomorrow,” he said as he left the moon for the final time.
Born in Chicago in 1934, Cernan spent 566 hours and 15 minutes in space — logging more than 73 hours on the moon’s surface.
Cernan is survived by his wife, Jan, one daughter, two step-daughters and nine grandchildren, the family said.
SEEKING CHANGE: A hospital worker said she did not vote in previous elections, but ‘now I can see that maybe my vote can change the system and the country’ Voting closed yesterday across the Solomon Islands in the south Pacific nation’s first general election since the government switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing and struck a secret security pact that has raised fears of the Chinese navy gaining a foothold in the region. The Solomon Islands’ closer relationship with China and a troubled domestic economy weighed on voters’ minds as they cast their ballots. As many as 420,000 registered voters had their say across 50 national seats. For the first time, the national vote also coincided with elections for eight of the 10 local governments. Esther Maeluma cast her vote in the
Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding, especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released yesterday. The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found that 45 percent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than 3mm per year, with 16 percent at more than 10mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables, but also the sheer weight of the built environment. With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
HYPOCRISY? The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday asked whether Biden was talking about China or the US when he used the word ‘xenophobic’ US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a hike in steel tariffs on China, accusing Beijing of cheating as he spoke at a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Biden accused China of xenophobia, too, in a speech to union members in Pittsburgh. “They’re not competing, they’re cheating. They’re cheating and we’ve seen the damage here in America,” Biden said. Chinese steel companies “don’t need to worry about making a profit because the Chinese government is subsidizing them so heavily,” he said. Biden said he had called for the US Trade Representative to triple the tariff rates for Chinese steel and aluminum if Beijing was