US astronaut and pioneer, John Young, dies at age 87

US astronaut John Young who has flew to the moon twice and commanded the first ever space shuttle mission has passed away at age 87.

Agency chief Robert Lightfoot said in a statement, “Today, Nasa and the world have lost a pioneer.”

John Young was the only person to have flown missions to space on the Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle programmes.

John Young retired in 2004 after a 42-year long career. Nasa said he died on Friday after catching severe pneumonia.