CAPTAINCHARLES CONRAD JR. Born: June 2, 1930 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Died: July 8, 1999 in Ojai, California
CHARLES CONRAD, JR., (Captain, U.S. Navy, Retired) NASA ASTRONAUT (Deceased)
PERSONAL DATA: Born June 2, 1930, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Died July 8, 1999, from injuries sustained in a
motorcycle accident in Ojai, California. Conrad, who divorced his first wife, is
survived by his wife Nancy, three sons and seven grandchildren. A son preceded
him in death.
EDUCATION: Attended primary and secondary
schools at Haverford School in Haverford, Pennsylvania, and the Darrow School,
New Lebanon, New York; received a bachelor of science degree in Aeronautical
Engineering from Princeton University in 1953; an honorary master of arts degree
from Princeton in 1966; an honorary doctorate of laws degree from
Lincoln-Weslyan University in 1970, and an honorary doctorate of science degree
from Kings college, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in 1971.
ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow, American Astronautical
Society; New York Academy of Science; American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics, and a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test
Pilots.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded Congressional Space
Medal of Honor (October 1978); awarded two NASA Distinguished Service Medals,
two NASA Exceptional Service Medals, the Navy Astronaut Wings, two Navy
Distinguished Service Medals, and two Distinguished Flying Crosses; recipient of
Princeton's Distinguished Alumnus Award for 1965; the U.S. Jaycee's 10
Outstanding Young Men Award in 1965; American Astronautical Society Flight
Achievement Award for 1966; Pennsylvania's Award for Excellence in Science and
Technology in 1967 and 1969; the Rear Admiral William S. Parsons Award for
Scientific and Technical Progress in 1970; Godfrey L. Cabot Award in 1970;
Silver Medal of the Union League of Philadelphia in 1970; the FAI Yur Gagarin
Gold Space Medal and the De La Vaulx Medal in 1970 for Apollo 12; National
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Special Trustees Award in 1970; Federal
Aviation Agency's Space Mechanic Technician Award in 1973; the Collier Trophy in
1973; FAI gold Medal and the De La Vaulx Medal in 1974 for Skylab I, and the
AIAA Haley Astronautics Award in 1974 for Skylab I; the Harmon Trophy in 1974;
enshrined in the Aviation Hall of Fame in 1980.
AEROSPACE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Following graduation from Princeton University in 1953, Mr. Conrad entered the
Navy and became a naval aviator. He then attended the Navy Test Pilot School at
Patuxent River, Maryland, where he was assigned as a Project Test Pilot. Mr.
Conrad also served as a flight instructor and performance engineer at the Test
Pilot School. After completing his tour of duty at Patuxent River, he served as
instructor pilot in F4H Phantoms on VF-121 and was then assigned duty in VF-96
on board USS Ranger.
In September of 1962, Mr. Conrad was selected as an
astronaut by NASA. His first flight was Gemini V, which established the space
endurance record and placed the United States in the lead for man-hours in
space. As commander of Gemini XI, Mr. Conrad helped to set a world's altitude
record. He then served as commander of Apollo XII, the second lunar landing. On
Mr. Conrad's final mission, he served as commander of Skylab II, the first
United States Space Station.
In December 1973, after serving 20 years (11 of which
were as an astronaut in the space program), Mr. Conrad retired from the U.S.
Navy to accept a position as Vice President - Operations and Chief Operating
Office of American Television and Communications Corporation (ATC). At ATC, he
was responsible for both the operation of existing systems and the national
development of new cable television systems. In 1976, he resigned from ATC to
accept the position of Vice President and consultant to McDonnell Douglas
Corporation. In 1978, he became Vice President of marketing and was responsible
for all commercial and military sales for Douglas Aircraft Company. Mr. Conrad
then became Senior Vice President-Marketing in 1980. He was appointed as Senior
Vice President Marketing and Product Support in 1982 and 1984, was named Staff
Vice President of International Business Development for McDonnell Douglas
Corporation.
In 1990, Mr. Conrad became Staff Vice President - New
Business for McDonell Douglas Space Company, where he participated in research
and development for the Space Exploration Initiative. Included for research and
development in the Space Exploration Initiative are the construction of Space
Station Freedom, the return to and colonization of the Moon, and the exploration
of Mars. Mr. Conrad contributed his expertise on SSTO, the Single-Stage-To-Orbit
and return space transportation system called the Delta Clipper. In 1993, Mr.
Conrad became Vice President-Project Development.
Mr. Conrad died July 8, 1999 from injuries sustained in
a motorcycle accident in Ojai, California.
CAPTAINALAN L. BEAN Born: March 15, 1932 in Wheeler, Texas
Alan Bean (Captain, U.S. Navy, Retired) NASA Astronaut (Former)
PERSONAL DATA: Born in Wheeler, Texas, on March
15, 1932. Married. Two grown children, a son and a daughter.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Paschal High School
in Fort Worth, Texas; received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical
engineering from the University of Texas in 1955; awarded an honorary doctorate
of science from Texas Wesleyan College in 1972; presented an honorary doctorate
of engineering science degree from the University of Akron (Ohio) in
1974.
ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow of the American
Astronautical Society; member of the Society of Experimental Test
Pilots.
SPECIAL HONORS: Helped establish 11 world
records in space and astronautics; awarded two NASA distinguished Service
Medals, the Navy Astronaut Wings and two Navy Distinguished Service Medals;
recipient of the Rear Admiral William S. Parsons Award for Scientific and
Technical Progress, the University of Texas Distinguished Alumnus Award and
Distinguished Engineering Graduate Award, the Godfrey L. Cabot Award, the
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Trustees Award, the Texas Press
Associations Man of the Year Award for 1969, the City of Chicago Gold Medal, the
Robert J. Collier Trophy for 1973, the Federation Aeronautique Internationales
Yuri Gagarin Gold Medal for 1973 and the V.M. Komarov Diploma for 1973 (1974),
the Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy for 1975 (1975), the AIAA Octave
Chanute Award for 1975 (1975), the AAS Flight Achievement Award for 1974
(1975).
EXPERIENCE: Alan Bean, a Navy ROTC Student at
Texas, was commissioned upon graduation in 1955. After completing flight
training, he was assigned to a jet attack squadron in Jacksonville, Florida.
After a four-year tour of duty, he attended the Navy Test Pilot School, then
flew as a test pilot on several types of naval aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Alan Bean was one of the third
group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He served as backup astronaut
for the Gemini 10 and Apollo 9 missions.
Captain Bean was lunar module pilot on Apollo 12, mans
second lunar landing. In November 1969, Captain Bean and Captain Pete Conrad
landed in the moons Ocean of Stormsafter a flight of some 250,000 miles. They
explored the lunar surface, deployed several lunar surface experiments, and
installed the first nuclear power generator station on the moon to provide the
power source. Captain Richard Gordon remained in lunar orbit photographing
landing sites for future missions.
Captain Bean was spacecraft commander of Skylab Mission
II (SL-3), July 29 to September 25, 1973. With him on the 59-day, 24,400,000
mile world record setting flight were scientist-astronaut Dr. Owen K. Garriott
and Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Jack R. Lousma. Mission II accomplished 150%
of its pre-mission forecast goals.
On his next assignment, Captain Bean was backup
spacecraft commander of the United States flight crew for the joint
American-Russian Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
Captain Bean has logged 1,671 hours and 45 minutes in
spaceof which 10 hours and 26 minutes were spent in EVAs on the moon and in
earth orbit. Captain Bean has flown 27 types of military aircraft as well as
many civilian airplanes. He has logged more than 7,145 hours flying
timeincluding 4,890 hours in jet aircraft. Captain Bean retired from the Navy in
October 1975 but continued as head of the Astronaut Candidate Operations and
Training Group within the Astronaut Office in a civilian capacity.
Bean resigned from NASA in June 1981 to devote his full
time to painting. He said his decision was based on the fact that, in his 18
years as an astronaut, he was fortunate enough to visit worlds and see sights no
artists eye, past or present, has ever viewed firsthand and he hopes to express
these experiences through the medium of art. He is pursuing this dream at his
home and studio in Houston.
CAPTAINRICHARD F. GORDON JR. Born: October 5, 1929 in Seattle, Washington
Richard F. Gordon, Jr. (Captain, U.S. Navy, Retired) NASA Astronaut
(Former)
PERSONAL DATA: Born October 5, 1929, in
Seattle, Washington. Married to the former Barbara J. Field of Seattle,
Washington. Two daughters and four sons (one deceased). He enjoys water skiing
and golf.
EDUCATION: Graduated from North Kitsap High
School, Poulsbo, Washington; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry
from the University of Washington in 1951.
ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow, American Astronautical
Society; Associate Fellow, Society of Experimental Test Pilots; and Navy
League.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the NASA Distinguished
Service Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, two Navy Distinguished Flying
Crosses, Navy Astronaut Wings, the Navy distinguished Service Medal, Institute
of Navigation Award for 1969, Godfrey L. Cabot Award in 1970, the Rear Admiral
William S. Parsons Award for Scientific and Technical Progress, 1970; Phi Sigma
Kappa Merit Award, 1966; NASA MSC Superior Achievement Award; NASA Group
Achievement Award; FAI Record.1961 (Transcontinental Speed Record); and FAI
World Record (Altitude Record, Gemini XI).
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Gordon has served as
Chairman and co-Chairman of the Louisiana Heart Fund, Chairman of the March of
Dimes (Mother's March), Honorary Chairman for Muscular Dystrophy, and Board of
Directors for the Boy Scouts of America and Boys' Club of Greater New
Orleans.
TECHNICAL PAPERS:
Gordon, R. F., F4H-1 NAVY PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, Phase I, NAS Patuxent
River, Maryland, September 1958.
Gordon, R. F., F4H-1 NAVY PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, Phase I Supplement, October
1958
Gordon, R. F., FJ-4B FUEL CONSUMPTION AND PERFORMANCE REPORT, Flight Test,
NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, 1958.
Gordon, R. F., F11F FUEL CONSUMPTION AND PERFORMANCE REPORT, Flight Test, NAS
Patuxent River, Maryland, 1958.
Gordon, R. F., REVISED ROLL PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR MIL-SPEC-F-8785. All
Aircraft in Configuration PA, Flight Test, NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, 1958.
Gordon, R. F., F8U SPIN EVALUATION REPORT, Flight Test, NAS Patuxent River,
Maryland, 1959.
Gordon, R. F., GEMINI XI, GEMINI PROGRAM MISSION REPORT, NASA Manned
Spacecraft Center Report, October 1966.
Gordon, R. F., APOLLO XII MISSION REPORT, NASA Manned Spacecraft Center
Report, December 1969.
EXPERIENCE: Gordon, a Navy Captain, received
his wings as a naval aviator in 1953. He then attended All-Weather Flight School
and jet transitional training and was subsequently assigned to an all-weather
fighter squadron at the Naval Air Station at Jacksonville, Florida.
In 1957, he attended the Navy's Test Pilot School at Patuxent River,
Maryland, and served as a flight test pilot until 1960. During this tour of
duty, he did flight test work on the F8U Crusader, F11F Tigercat, FJ Fury, and
A4D Skyhawk, and was the first project test pilot for the F4H Phantom II. He
served with Fighter Squadron 121 at the Miramar, California, Naval Air Station
as a flight instructor in the F4H and participated in the introduction of that
aircraft to the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. He was also flight safety officer,
assistant operations officer, and ground training officer for Fighter Squadron
96 at Miramar.
Winner of the Bendix Trophy Race from Los Angeles to New York in May 1961, he
established a new speed record of 869.74 miles per hour and a transcontinental
speed record of 2 hours and 47 minutes.
He was also a student at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey,
California.
He has logged more that 4,500 hours flying time--3,500 hours in jet
aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Captain Gordon was one of the
third group of astronauts named by NASA in October 1963. He served as backup
pilot for the Gemini 8 flight.
On September 12, 1966, he served as pilot for the 3-day Gemini XI mission--on
which rendezvous with an Agena was achieved in less than one orbit. He executed
docking maneuvers with the previously launched Agena and performed two periods
of extravehicular activity which included attaching a tether to the Agena and
retrieving a nuclear emulsion experiment package. Other highlights accomplished
by Gordon and command pilot Charles Conrad on this flight included the
successful completion of the first tethered station-keeping exercise,
establishment of a new altitude record of 850 miles, and completion of the first
fully automatic controlled reentry. The flight was concluded on September 15,
1966, with the spacecraft landing in the Atlantic--2 1/2 miles from the prime
recovery ship USS GUAM.
Gordon was subsequently assigned as backup command pilot for Apollo 9.
He occupied the command module pilot seat on Apollo 12, November 14-24, 1969.
Other crewmen on man's second lunar landing mission were Charles Conrad,
spacecraft commander, and Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot. Throughout the
31-hour lunar surface stay by Conrad and Bean, Gordon remained in lunar orbit
aboard the command module, "Yankee Clipper," obtaining desired mapping
photographs of tentative landing sites for future missions. He also performed
the final re-docking maneuvers following the successful lunar orbit rendezvous
which was initiated by Conrad and Bean from within "Intrepid" after their ascent
from the moon's surface.
All of the mission's objectives were accomplished and Apollo 12 achievements
include: The first precision lunar landing with "Intrepid's" touchdown in the
moon's Ocean of Storms; the first lunar traverse by Conrad and Bean as they
deployed the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP), installed a
nuclear power generator station to provide the power source for these long-term
scientific experiments, gathered samples of the lunar surface for return to
earth, and completed a close up inspection of the Surveyor III spacecraft.
The Apollo 12 mission lasted 244 hours and 36 minutes and was concluded with
a Pacific spashdown and subsequent recovery operations by the USS HORNET.
Captain Gordon has completed two space flights, logging a total of 315 hours
and 53 minutes in space--2 hours and 44 minutes of which were spent in EVA.
He served as backup spacecraft commander for Apollo 15.
Captain Gordon retired from NASA and the USN in January 1972.
Since then he has served as Executive Vice President of the New Orleans
Saints Professional Football Club in the National Football League (1972); was
General Manager of Energy Developers, Limited (EDL), a Texas Partnership
involved in a joint venture with Rocket Research Corporation for the development
of a liquid chemical explosive for use in the oil and gas industry (1977);
President of Resolution Engineering and Development Company (REDCO) which
provided design and operational requirements for wild oil well control and fire
fighting equipment onboard large semi-submersible utility vessels (1978);
following REDCO merger with Amarco Resources, Gordon assumed the additional
duties of Vice President of Marketing, Westdale, an oil well servicing
subsidiary of AMARCO operating in North Central Texas and Oklahoma, and also
served as Vice President for Operations, Texas Division (1980); served as
Director, Scott Science and Technology, Inc., Los Angeles Division (1981-1983).
In March 1982 he became President of Astro Sciences Corporation. This company
provides a range of services including engineering, project management, project
field support teams, to software and hardware system design for control room
applications. In the Summer of 1984, Gordon was a Technical Advisor for and
played the part of "Capcom" in the CBS mini-series 'Space' by James A.
Michener.
Film Credits 2010 Moonbug (in person), 2009 The Apollo Years (Other), 2008 When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions (Other), 2007 Secrets of the Moon Landings (Other), 2003 Project Gemini: A Bridge to the Moon (in person), 2003 Failure Is Not an Option (Other), 1994 Moon Shot (in person), 1989 For All Mankind (in person), 1987 Heaven (in person), 1985 Space (Performer)
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