John Glenn dead: Astronaut honored by Hidden Figures crew

Astronaut and former senator John Glenn died Thursday at 95 years old. In 1962, he became the first American to orbit Earth. His success was aided by three female African-American scientists and dramatized in the upcoming film, Hidden Figures.

Glen Powell, who plays Glenn in the biopic, remembered the late American hero. "Now THAT is how you live a life!" Powell tweeted. "Godspeed, John Glenn. A true gentleman who humbly touched the stars and made us believe in the impossible."

Hidden Figures distributor 20th Century Fox released a statement on Glenn's death: "We at Fox, like all Americans, are deeply saddened by the loss of John Glenn. He is a towering figure in our country's history; a man who not only pointed us to the stars, but also helped show us how to get there. We will mourn his loss, but we'll also celebrate all that he proved was possible."

Directed by Ted Melfi (St. Vincent), Hidden Figures details how mathematicians Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson worked with NASA in the segregated West Area Computers division to aid Glenn's Mercury-Atlas 6 mission. The movie is set for a Christmas release.