NASA astronaut Richard Gordon, who circled moon during Apollo 12, dies at 88

Apollo 12 astronaut Richard Gordon has died, according to NASA. He was 88.

Gordon, born in Seattle, was one of a dozen people who flew around the moon but didn't land there. In total, 24 traveled to the moon.

A Navy test pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours, he was chosen for NASA's third group of astronauts in 1963 and flew on Gemini 11 in 1966, walking in space twice. During Apollo 12 in November 1969, Gordon circled the moon in the command module "Yankee Clipper" while Alan Bean and Charles Conrad walked on the lunar surface.

After retiring from NASA in 1972, he became executive vice president of the New Orleans Saints football team. He went on to be an executive in energy and science companies.

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“NASA and the nation have lost one of our early space pioneers," acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot said. "We send our condolences to the family and loved ones of Gemini and Apollo astronaut Richard Gordon, a hero from NASA’s third class of astronauts."

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation said Gordon died Monday at his home in California. He is survived by six children.

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