Al Worden, Apollo 15 Astronaut Who Circled the Moon Alone in 1971, Dies at 88

Alfred Merill Worden, famously known as Al Worden, passed away last night on March 18, 2020, at age 88. His family revealed the sad demise of the former Command Module Pilot for the 1971 Apollo 15 lunar landing mission. Worden reportedly died in his sleep at a rehab centre in Houston following treatment for an infection. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) took to Twitter paying their tribute to Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who circled the moon, alone. The news of his sad demise soon surfaced online with enthusiasts, paying their tribute to the American astronaut and remembering his notable achievements. What Will First Contact With Aliens be Like? Harvard Astronomer Gives an Idea About Extra-terrestrial Creatures. 

Born on February 7, 1932, Worden joined NASA, where he served as a member of the support crew for Apollo 9. He was also the backup Command Module Pilot for Apollo 12. The Apollo 15 Mission which was launched on July 26, 1971, Worden remained abroad the Command Module Endeavour while his crewmates, David R Scott and James B Irwin descended to the lunar surface. Apollo 15 was Worden’s only space mission. He holds a world record as the “most isolated human being,” for orbiting the moon as his crewmates were on the surface.

“We’re saddened by the loss of Apollo astronaut Al Worden. As command module pilot for Apollo 15, he conducted three spacewalks during the record-setting mission,” NASA wrote on Twitter.

Here's NASA's Tribute to Astronaut Worden!

During Apollo 15 return to Earth, Worden performed an extravehicular activity to retrieve film cassettes from the exterior of the spacecraft, the Apollo command and service module. It is believed to be the first “deep space,” EVA in history, at a great distance from any planetary body. Of the 24 men who flew to the moon from 1968 through 1972, now with Worden’s death, only 11 are still alive.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 19, 2020 02:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).