Warren, Ohio (AP) -- Services are scheduled for Friday for Ohio native and former astronaut Ronald Parise.

The Warren native's family says he died last week after a lengthy battle with brain cancer. He was 56.

Officials say the astronomer and computer specialist died in Silver Spring, Maryland. His funeral will be in nearby Burtonsville.

Parise, who died Friday, became a NASA payload specialist in 1984 and is credited with helping to create the ultraviolet imaging telescope.

Parise flew on two space shuttle missions in 1990 and 1995.

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