US astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man to set foot on the moon, died at age 82, NASA 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. According to a family statement released by NASA, Cernan, a retired naval officer, died following ongoing health issues.
"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." Cernan is survived by his wife Jan, one daughter, two step-daughters and nine grandchildren, the family said.
