Apollo-Soyuz Mission Leader Thomas Stafford Passes Away at 93

Tom Stafford, a distinguished former NASA astronaut who was instrumental in the United States' space exploration efforts during the Apollo era, has passed away at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. Selected as part of NASA's second group of astronauts in 1962, Stafford made significant contributions to the space program with four spaceflights to his credit. Notably, he commanded the Apollo 10 mission in 1969, which orbited the moon and set the stage for the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing.

Stafford's career was marked by a series of pioneering achievements, including his role in the first international space mission—the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975. This mission symbolized the end of the space race, as it brought together American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts in a historic docking event in space. His dedication to this mission extended beyond his astronaut training, as he spent two years learning Russian and making trips to Moscow to facilitate cooperation between the two space agencies.

After retiring from NASA and the Air Force as a lieutenant general, Stafford expressed concerns about the direction of the U.S. space agency, advocating for a clear mandate for future exploration. His passing marks the loss of a key figure from the Apollo era, with his contributions to space exploration leaving a lasting legacy.