Astronaut James McDivitt dies at 93

• Astronaut who commanded the Apollo 9 mission dies.
• James McDivitt passed away at the age of 93.
• “His legacy of space exploration will live on as a fundamental part of our history.”

Astronaut James McDivitt dies. A historic figure in the United States died on Thursday. The news was circulated on social media, where hundreds mourned the sad news. James McDivitt was a former astronaut who played a critical role in the first moon landing.

The death of James McDivitt, a former astronaut who commanded the Apollo 9 mission has been confirmed. He passed away at 93 years of age, according to the EFE Agency.

Former astronaut James McDivitt dies

NASA issued a statement announcing that the astronaut died in his sleep last week in Tucson, Arizona. Similarly, it was revealed that he was surrounded by his family when he died.

McDivitt was known for being a determined test pilot and a dedicated leader. He was the commander of the NASA Gemini IV mission, considered the most ambitious flight of the organization to date. It was the second American manned mission in which his colleague and friend Ed White became the first American to perform a spacewalk.

Remembering James McDivitt’s exploits

«In the following years, it was a skill that allowed Apollo explorers to walk on the Moon and American astronauts and their partners from around the world to build the International Space Station,» NASA wrote in their statement about his death.

Similarly, he was known for commanding the famous Apollo 9 mission, which carried out the first docking of two space vehicles in orbit with an internal transfer of crew between them in 1969. Filed Under: Astronaut James McDivitt Dies

Apollo 9 Mission

NASA recalled the great feats performed by McDivitt on the Apollo 9 mission, which lasted 10 days and was launched on March 3, 1969. Along with him were the command module pilot David Scott and the pilot of the Russell Schweickart Lunar Module, according to CNN.

“This was the first flight of the complete Apollo hardware suite and it was the first flight of the Lunar Module. They simulated the maneuvers that would be carried out during real lunar missions,» NASA added in the statement issued last Monday where they announced the atronaut’s death. Filed Under: Astronaut James McDivitt Dies

“His legacy of space exploration will live on as a fundamental part of our history”

Born in Chicago, McDivitt grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and graduated as an aeronautical engineer from the University of Michigan. He joined the Air Force at age 22 and fought in the Korean War. One of his greatest achievements was when he was selected by NASA to become an astronaut and when he was chosen to pilot the Gemini IV mission.

The university was heartbroken by the terrible news and sent an emotional tweet saying he «inspired generations of students». «His legacy of space exploration will live on as a fundamental part of our history,» they added. Filed Under: Astronaut James McDivitt Dies