Former astronaut John Glenn dies aged 95

Former senator John Glenn, an American war hero who went on to become the first astronaut to orbit the Earth, has passed away at the age of 95.

Glenn passed away on Thursday afternoon surrounded by family at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, over a week after he was first hospitalized for an unknown illness.

Glenn is survived by his wife of 73 years, Annie; his son John Glenn Jr.; his daughter Carolyn; and his grandchildren.

The Columbus Dispatch was the first to report the news.

Astronaut John Glenn stands in his space suit, at Cape Canaveral on February 20, 1962. Photo / AP

"John Glenn is, and always will be, Ohio's ultimate hometown hero, and his passing today is an occasion for all of us to grieve," said Ohio Governor John R. Kasich in a statement on Thursday.

"As we bow our heads and share our grief with his beloved wife, Annie, we must also turn to the skies, to salute his remarkable journeys and his long years of service to our state and nation.

"Though he soared deep into space and to the heights of Capitol Hill, his heart never strayed from his steadfast Ohio roots. Godspeed, John Glenn!"

During World War II, he flew missions in the South Pacific, where he took part in combat as a Marine Corps pilot.

Glenn also did two tours of combat duty in the Korean War.

He flew a total of 149 combat missions in those two wars, earning him numerous citations and medals for valour.

Following his career in the military, Glenn passed rigorous requirement exams to become an astronaut for NASA.

On February 20, 1962, he made history by becoming the first American to orbit the earth, circling the globe three times aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft as part of the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission.

Glenn was also the third American and the fifth man to enter space.

For his feat, Glenn met then-President John F. Kennedy and was honoured with a ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes in New York City.

After retiring as an astronaut, Glenn entered politics, successfully running as a Democrat for the senate seat from Ohio.

He served as senator for 25 years before his retirement in 1999.

In 1998, he made history once again by becoming the oldest person ever in space.

Glenn successfully lobbied NASA to serve as payload specialist on the space shuttle Discovery, though his primary motive was to contribute to the study of space's effect on geriatrics.

- Daily Mail