The last surviving astronaut of first ever flight in NASA’s Apollo program has died. Walter Cunningham died a natural death according to family representatives. He was accompanied by Air Force Major Donn Eisele and Navy Captain Walter Schirra as the lunar module pilot for Apollo 7.
Walter’s Legacy
Walt and his crewmates created history on Apollo 7, the first crewed Apollo mission, by paving the way for the first ever human landing on the surface of the moon. Then, as Neil Armstrong descended the ladder from Apollo 11, he made history by being the first person to set foot on the moon. “NASA will always remember his contributions to our nation’s space program,” Bill Nelson, NASA’s administrator said in a statement.
11 Days In Space
Walter Cunningham along with his crewmen spent 11 days in space, covering approximately 4.5 million miles. The Apollo 7 mission also offered the first live TV broadcast from space orbit.
