“That’s the Way It Is” — Apollo Supporter Walter Cronkite Dies

Newscaster Walter Cronkite has passed away at the age of 92. He was admired and known for his enthusiastic coverage NASA’s space missions, from the early Mercury launches, through the ground-breaking Gemini missions, to the subsequent moon landings — which at times left him speechless — and the space shuttle program.

“From the earliest days of the space program, Walter brought the excitement, the drama and the achievements of space flight directly into our homes,” said new NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.

Neil Armstrong also issued a statement about Cronkite, saying Cronkite “had a passion for human space exploration, an enthusiasm that was contagious, and the trust of his audience. He will be missed.”

From the beginning of America’s manned space program to the age of the space shuttle, Cronkite anchored CBS Evening News. He was on air during the launch of Apollo 11, shouting “go, baby, go” as it rocketed into space. His marathon, live coverage of the first manned mission to Moon brought the excitement and impact of the historic event into the homes of millions of Americans and observers around the world. He spent 27 of the next 30 hours on the air.