Alan Bean was fourth man to walk on the moon
Astronaut logged more than 69 days in space during his career
Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon’s surface, died on Saturday at age 86 after falling ill.
Bean, a former test pilot in the U.S. Navy, was among 14 people NASA selected in 1963 for a new group of astronauts.
He flew into space twice and became the fourth person to walk on the moon on Nov. 19 1969.
His death was announced by his family in a statement made through NASA. They said he became suddenly ill while traveling through Indiana two weeks ago.
“Alan was the strongest and kindest man I ever knew. He was the love of my life and I miss him dearly,” said Leslie Bean, Alan Bean’s wife of 40 years. “A native Texan, Alan died peacefully in Houston surrounded by those who loved him.”
Bean trailed behind visits to the moon by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Charles “Pete” Conrad, who was also on the Apollo 12 mission with him.
During his time on the moon, Bean initiated experiments and installed the first nuclear-powered generator station on the moon, NASA said.
He and Conrad also collected 75 pounds of soil and rocks to bring back to Earth for study.
Bean also flew into space in 1973 as the commander of the second crewed flight to the first U.S. space station, NASA said.
“Alan and I have been best friends for 55 years - ever since the day we became astronauts,” Walt Cunningham, a fellow astronaut who flew on Apollo 7, said in a statement through NASA. “We have never lived more than a couple of miles apart, even after we left NASA.”
In total, NASA says Bean logged 69 days, 15 hours and 45 minutes in space, including 31 hours and 31 minutes on the moon’s surface.
Bean retired from NASA in 1981. In the years since, he cultivated an art career filled with space-themed paintings.