Former astronaut Schirra dead at 84 - NASA

HOUSTON, May 3 (Reuters) Wally Schirra, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, has died at the age of 84, NASA said today.

According to his family, Schirra died of natural causes, NASA spokesman James Hartsfield said.

CNN reported that Schirra was in California and had been ill for several weeks, but Hartsfield said he could not confirm that.

Schirra flew on three spaceflights, including a six-orbit Mercury flight in October 1962, a Gemini flight with Thomas Stafford in December 1965 and Apollo 7 in October 1968.

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