Veteran television news anchorman Walter Cronkite, who chronicled the rise of American spaceflight and NASA's historic Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, died on Friday at age 92, according to wire reports.

Cronkite, a former CBS anchor once named "the most trusted man in America," died at his home in New York while surrounded by family after a long illness, according to the Associated Press.

Cronkite was already a veteran journalist before anchoring the "CBS Evening News" from NASA's initial Mercury launches in the early 1960s through the space shuttle era.

"It is with great sadness that the NASA family learned of Walter Cronkite's passing," said newly confirmed NASA chief Charles Bolden, a former astronaut and shuttle commander, in a statement. "He led the transition from print and radio reporting to the juggernaut that became television journalism. His insight and integrity were unparalleled, and his compassion helped America make it through some of the most tragic and trying times of the 20th century."

I got very lucky yesterday and made contact with K5E via ISS. APRS/PKT was active for 3 passes (eastcoast USA) . The contact was @ 2142utc. I'm sure I was the first station to contact K5E via ISS as I did'nt see any other station reply to K5E Apollo 11 Special Event station. Thanks Tim N3TL. 73 de Mark