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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn has died after he had been hospitalized for more than a week.
Hank Wilson with Ohio State University's John Glenn College of Public Affairs said Wednesday that the 95-year-old Glenn was at the James Cancer Hospital, but that Glenn did not necessarily have cancer.
Glenn apologized for his poor eyesight this year at the renaming of Columbus' airport after him. He said then he'd lost some of his eyesight because of macular degeneration and a small stroke. Glenn had a heart valve replacement in 2014.
Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962. He served as a U.S. senator from Ohio from 1974 to 1999.
View the NASA web page dedicated to John Glenn
President-elect Donald Trump released the following statement on his Facebook and Twitter accounts on Thursday:
Vice President-elect Mike Pence released the following statement on Twitter on Thursday:
Former President George H.W. Bush released the following statement on Thursday:
U.S. Rep. Pete Olson released the following statement on Thursday:
Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner posted the following statement on Twitter on Thursday:
NASA Johnson Space Center director Ellen Ochoa released the following statement on Thursday:
On behalf of Johnson Space Center, I wish to offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of John Glenn. Our nation has lost a pioneer who contributed immensely to human space flight and inspired so many around the world when he became the first person to orbit Earth.
Johnson Space Center was honored by his presence when Sen. Glenn trained as a crewmember on STS-95, and so many people here remember their interactions with him with both admiration and affection.
While we have lost an American hero, we know Sen. Glenn’s legacy and pioneering spirit will live on through the work we carry out each day as we continue to advance human space exploration for the benefit of humanity.”
The John & Annie Glenn Museum Foundation released the following statement on its website:
NASA astronaut Scott Kelly released the following statement on Facebook on Thursday:
Saddened by the loss of my former astronaut colleague John Glenn. Was very honored to have known him. Godspeed, John Glenn.