As an expert in space exploration history, I can provide you with the information regarding the last astronaut to die. However, it's important to clarify that the question seems to be conflating two different aspects of space history: the last astronaut to walk on the Moon and the last astronaut to die, which are not necessarily the same. The provided reference to Eugene A. Cernan indicates that he was the last person to leave footprints on the Moon, as part of the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. Cernan passed away on January 16, 2017, but he was not the last astronaut to die, just the last to have walked on the Moon. The phrase "the last astronaut to die" could refer to the last person who died while being an astronaut, either during a mission or after, due to various causes. If we are talking about the last astronaut to die in the context of space missions, that would be Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who was selected to be the first private citizen to travel into space. She died, along with the rest of the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, in a tragic accident shortly after its launch on January 28, 1986. If we are talking about the most recent astronaut to pass away due to natural or other causes, that would be a different individual, and the information would need to be updated as of the time of the inquiry. read more >>

(CNN) Eugene A. Cernan, the last astronaut to leave his footprints on the surface of the moon, has died, NASA said Monday. The retired United States Navy captain was 82. His family confirmed the news in a statement Monday, saying he died following "ongoing health issues."read more >>