Astronaut and U.S. Sen. John Glenn, R-Ohio, visits the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and Space Camp in this 1983 photo provided by the center. Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, died Dec. 8, 2016, at age 95.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — John Glenn’s home state and the nation are saying goodbye to the famed astronaut as he lies in state at Ohio’s capitol building.

A public viewing for the first American to orbit Earth is scheduled to stretch at least eight hours starting at noon Friday in Columbus.

The 95-year-old Glenn died last week.

There will be a series of events celebrating his life.

The tributes include a Marine honor guard, a public processional and a public memorial service on Saturday at Ohio State University.

Glenn grew up in a small Ohio town, served as a fighter pilot in World War II and Korea and represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate for more than two decades.

He became the oldest man in space, at age 77 in 1998.