The astronaut John Young, who walked on the moon and flew the first space shuttle mission, has died aged 87.
He visited space six times including on Apollo and Gemini missions, Nasa said.
In a statement, the agency tweeted: “We’re saddened by the loss of astronaut John Young, who was 87.
“Young flew twice to the Moon, walked on its surface & flew the first Space Shuttle mission.
“He went to space six times in the Gemini, Apollo & Space Shuttle programs.”
Mr Young’s career at Nasa stretched for 42 years, during which he became the first human to fly in space six times.
When he retired in 2004, Nasa administrator Sean O’Keefe said that “when you need a job done and you want it done right, John’s the person to go to,” calling Mr Young a “true American treasure”.
Paying tribute, astronaut and space shuttle pilot Terry Virts tweeted: “You were one of my heroes as an astronaut and explorer and your passion for space will be missed.”
Mr Young's first space flight was in 1965, aboard the first manned Gemini flight. Following a further Gemini mission he orbited the moon in 1969, two months before the Apollo 11 landing.
He returned to the satellite in 1972, when he landed on its surface to collect samples.
The former US Navy captain also helmed the space shuttle Columbia on its first flight in 1981. His final mission came in 1983.
Mr Young was born in San Francisco in September 1930 and Nasa announced his death on Saturday.
