KATHMANDU, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Scott Parazynski may have been the first astronaut who has summited the top of the world, Mt. Qomolangma (8,844.43 meters, also known as Mt. Everest).

    Eric Simonson, team leader of International Mountain Guides Everest 2009 (IMG) Expedition, of which the American astronaut Scott Parazynski is one member, said on Wednesday on Everestnews.com, a climbers' BBS, IMG's first summit team has successfully reached the summit and is now on their way down.

    "They got an early start and most of them summited between 4 and 4:30 a.m., just as dawn was breaking over the Himalayas," said Eri Simonson, "U.S. Astronaut and medical scientist Scott Parazynski reached the top along with Dawes Eddy, a remarkable athlete from Spokane, Washington. We believe Dawes has just become the oldest American born to ever reach the summit of Everest."

    Wednesday's IMG summiteers also include three Singaporean women.

    Till Wednesday, around 90 climbers have reached the top of the world, either from the Nepali or the Chinese side, with three reported deaths.

    According to information from IMG, its sherpa team this year were the first people to summit both Mt. Qomolangma and Mt. Lhotse, the fourth highest in the world, while putting in the fixed ropes on the route and paving the way for everyone else.

    However, the success of Scott Parazynski and his IMG teammates are yet to be confirmed by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal.

    Scott Parazynski's latest mission was STS-120 in October 2007,which was his fifth space mission.