John W. Young was an American astronaut and engineer, known for his significant contributions to NASA's space exploration efforts. Born on September 24, 1930, he flew on two Gemini missions and was the commander of the Apollo 16 mission, which landed on the Moon in 1972. Young was the ninth person to walk on the lunar surface. In addition to his work as an astronaut, Young had a distinguished career as an engineer and test pilot. He was involved in the development of the Space Shuttle program and served as the chief of the astronaut office at NASA. Young's legacy includes his dedication to advancing human spaceflight.