Former US astronaut Frank Borman dies at 95

NASA astronaut Frank Borman in an undated photo. Borman served as the commander of Apollo 8, the first mission to fly around the world. Courtesy NASA/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

(Reuters) - Former U.S. astronaut Frank Borman, who made history by commanding the first manned flight to circle the moon and later piloted Eastern Airlines as chairman in severe economic turbulence, has died at the age of 95, NASA said on Thursday.

Borman, who spent a total of almost 20 days in space on two trips in the 1960s, died on Tuesday in Billings, Montana, NASA said in a statement on its website.