Retired Air Force General and astronaut Thomas P. Stafford has died at 93 after a battle with liver cancer.

Stafford's distinguished career included piloting Gemini missions, commanding Apollo 10, and leading the historic Apollo-Soyuz mission.

He was instrumental in forming partnerships with Russia for space exploration, contributing to the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope projects.

Throughout his career, Stafford logged 507 hours in space, flew four types of spacecraft, and piloted 127 different aircraft and helicopters.

After his military retirement, he continued his leadership as an executive in the transportation sector before settling in Florida.

Stafford's legacy is honored by NASA, with Administrator Bill Nelson recognizing him as a 'giant' and 'peacemaker' for his work in space diplomacy.

He is survived by his wife, Linda Dishman, and two adopted sons, and will be interred in his birthplace of Weatherford, Oklahoma.