U.S astronaut Eugene Cernan last man to walk on moon

The last US astronaut Eufene Ceran to set his foot on the moon died on Monday at the age of 82. Cernan's third space flight and the last U. S manned mission to the moon in Dec 1972. He was also the spacecraft commander of Apollo 17.

The announcement was made by his family members and NASA.

Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, passed away today. We reflect on his life and legacy: https://t.co/U0HrTZo0iX pic.twitter.com/JtgCCQImrM

— NASA (@NASA) January 17, 2017

“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.”

“He would not like to be, forever, the last man to walk on the moon”. –NASA Admin Bolden on passing of Gene Cernan: https://t.co/quPd7a57VK pic.twitter.com/PPUBaomJkA

— NASA (@NASA) January 18, 2017

Cernan has launched three times to space and he was the only astronaut who flew to the moon twice. 

Cernan became only the second American to walk in space during the Gemini 9 mission in 1966, and was lunar module pilot on Apollo 10, the "dress rehearsal" for the first moon landing, in 1969.