British astronaut who walked in space
SCIENTISTS are mourning the loss of British-born astronaut Piers Sellers, who has died at the age of 61.
Dr Sellers, originally from Crowborough, East Sussex, flew on three Space Shuttle missions between 2002 and 2010 and spent 35 days in space.
He died on Friday in Houston of pancreatic cancer, Nasa said.
In January, he wrote an emotional article for the New York Times about his diagnosis and he later featured in film star Leonardo DiCaprio’s documentary Before The Flood.
Nasa administrator Charles Bolden led the tributes to Dr Sellers, calling him “a tremendous public servant who was dedicated to Nasa, the nation and the world”.
He said: “He was a strident defender and eloquent spokesperson for our planet.
“Spacewalker and scientist, free thinker and friend to our planet, and all who seek new knowledge, to say he will be missed would be a gross understatement.”
He said Dr Sellers “devoted his life to saving the planet” and added: “His legacy will be one not only of urgency that the climate is warming but also of hope that we can yet improve humanity’s stewardship of this planet. His cancer diagnosis became a catalyst for him to work even harder on efforts to save the planet from global warming.”
In July, Dr Sellers was awarded Nasa’s highest honour, its Distinguished Service Medal. He had been appointed an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List in 2011.
The University of Leeds and Edinburgh graduate was also praised for his optimism in both DiCaprio’s documentary and his piece for the New York Times outlining his diagnosis. Dr Sellers wrote: “As an astronaut, I spacewalked 220 miles above the Earth. Floating alongside the International Space Station, I watched hurricanes cartwheel across oceans, the Amazon snake its way to the sea through a brilliant green carpet of forest, and gigantic night-time thunderstorms flash and flare for hundreds of miles along the Equator.
“From this God’s-eye-view, I saw how fragile and infinitely precious the Earth is. I’m hopeful for its future.”
He had gained his American citizenship in order to fulfil a childhood dream of going into space.