Former astronaut dies in Scottsdale at age 55

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - Former astronaut Janice E. Voss, who flew five space missions from 1993 to 2000, has died in Arizona. She was 55.

Purdue University, where Voss graduated from in 1975, announced the death Tuesday. School officials say Voss died Monday in Scottsdale, where she was receiving treatment for breast cancer.

Born in South Bend, Ind., Voss became an astronaut in 1991.

Her first flight was aboard the STS57 for 10 days in 1993. She later was part of space missions in 1995, two in 1997 and the last in 2000. The last mission was an 11-day flight during which the international crew aboard shuttle Endeavour mapped more than 47 million square miles of the Earth's land surface.

There was no immediate list of Voss' survivors Tuesday and funeral plans are pending.