Hero US astronaut John Glenn dies

He will go down in history as one of the 20th century’s greatest explorers. John Glenn – the first American to orbit Earth – has died, aged 95.

He was the last surviving member of the original seven Mercury astronauts.

Glenn circled the world in February 1962, in the Friendship 7 capsule. He famously remarked “that view is tremendous.”

After splashdown and recovery in the Atlantic, Glenn was treated as a hero, addressing a joint session of Congress and being feted in a New York ticker-tape parade.

He was credited with reviving US pride after the Soviet Union’s domination of manned space exploration.

We remember American legend Sen. John Glenn. Statement from our Administrator Charles Bolden on Glenn’s passing: https://t.co/xkmGSjLnOO pic.twitter.com/x63ZAvNUhm— NASA (@NASA) 8 December 2016

The Corps lost a legend today.

Col. John Glenn— an astronaut, a senator, a Marine— died at the age of 95.

Semper Fi, Sir. pic.twitter.com/xUShqC9JaZ— U.S. Marines (@USMC) 8 December 2016

Former fighter pilot Glenn later became a US senator, but he refused to hang up his space suit.

In 1998, at the age of 77, Glenn became the oldest man to travel to space – blasting off aboard the shuttle Discovery.

He died at the James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University, according to a spokesman.

Space exploration brings out our best. John Glenn served his country in space, in Congress, and inspired a generation. Onward, John Glenn. pic.twitter.com/KLtzuXn9eP— Bill Nye (@BillNye) 8 December 2016

Today we lost a great pioneer of air and space in John Glenn. He was a hero and inspired generations of future explorers. He will be missed.— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) 8 December 2016