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NASA Astronaut Biographies- C
NAME: Robert D. Cabana (Lieutenant Colonel, USMC)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born January 23, 1949, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore J. Cabana, reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; brown eyes; height: 5 feet 9 inches; weight:
157 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Washburn High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in
1967; received a bachelor of science degree in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval
Academy in 1971.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Nancy Joan Shimer of Cortland, New
York. Her mother, Mrs. George Anderson, resides in Cortland, New York.
CHILDREN: Jeffrey David, August 19, 1972; Christopher Robert, April 22, 1974;
Sarah Anne, August 9, 1977.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys jogging, cycling, racquetball,
softball, sailing, and woodworking.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the Naval
Academy Alumni Association, and Sigma Pi Sigma.
SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the Daughters of the American Revolution Award
for the top Marine to complete Naval Flight training in 1976. Distinguished
Graduate, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Awarded a Meritorious Service Medal
for performance of duties at Naval Air Test Center, and a NASA Exceptional
Service Medal for duties as Deputy Chief, Aircraft Operations Division.
EXPERIENCE: After graduation from the Naval Academy, Cabana attended the Basic
School in Quantico, Virginia, and completed Naval Flight Officer training in
Pensacola, Florida, in 1972. He served as an A-6 Bombardier/ Navigator with
Marine Air Wings in Cherry Point, North Carolina, and Iwakuni, Japan. He
returned to Pensacola in 1975 for pilot training and was designated a Naval
Aviator in September 1976. He was then assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft
Wing in Cherry Point, North Carolina, where he flew A-6 Intruders. He
graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1981, and served at the
Naval Air Test Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, as the A-6 Program Manager,
X-29 Advanced Technology Demonstrator Project Officer, and as a test pilot for
flight systems and ordnance separation testing on A-6 and A-4 series aircraft.
Prior to his selection as an astronaut candidate he was serving as the
Assistant Operations Officer of Marine Aircraft Group Twelve in Iwakuni, Japan.
He has logged over 4,000 hours in 32 different kinds of aircraft, including the
AD-1 oblique wing research aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in June 1985, Cabana became an astronaut in
July 1986, qualified for assignment as a pilot on future Space Shuttle flight
crews. After completing his training, he worked as the Astronaut Office Space
Shuttle flight software coordinator until November 1986. At that time he was
assigned as the Deputy Chief of Aircraft Operations for the Johnson Space
Center where he served for 2-1/2 years. His next assignment was as the Lead
Astronaut in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) where the
orbiter's flight software is tested prior to flight.
Cabana served as the pilot on STS-41. The five man crew launched aboard the
Space Shuttle Discovery on October 6 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
and launched at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on October 10, 1990.
During 66 orbits of the earth the STS-41 crew successfully deployed the Ulysses
spacecraft, starting this interplanetary probe on its four year journey, via
Jupiter, to investigate the polar regions of the Sun; operated the Shuttle
Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet instrument (SSBUV) to map atmospheric ozone
levels; activated a controlled "fire in space" experiment (the Solid Surface
Combustion Experiment (SSCE)); and conducted numerous other middeck experiments
involving radiation measurements, polymer membrane production and microgravity
effects on plants.
With the completion of his first space mission, Cabana has logged a total of 98
hours 10 minutes 04 seconds in space
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Pending assignment to another flight crew, Cabana is
currently assigned as Chief of Astronaut Appearances. He also serves as a
CAPCOM in Mission Control during Space shuttle missions.
NAME: Kenneth D. Cameron (Lieutenant Colonel, USMC)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born November 29, 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio. His parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Donald B. Cameron, reside in Westport, Connecticut.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; blue eyes; height: 5 feet 11 inches; weight:
180 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Rocky River High School, Rocky River, Ohio, in 1967;
received a bachelor of science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1978, and a master of science degree
in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Michele Renee Fulford of Pensacola,
Florida. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Fulford, Jr., reside in Pensacola,
CHILDREN: Robert Ian, November 1, 1983; Edward Ellison, March 28, 1987.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys flying, athletics, hunting, fishing,
woodworking, reading, and amateur radio.
SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V",
Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnamese
Meritorious Unit Citation, the Admiral Louis de Flores Award (MIT), and a C.S.
Draper Laboratory Fellowship.
EXPERIENCE: Cameron enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969, at Parris Island,
South Carolina. Following duty at Camp Lejune he earned a Commission in the
Marine Corps in 1970 at Officer's Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia.
After graduating from the Officer's Basic Infantry Course and Vietnamese
Language School he was assigned to the Republic of Vietnam for a one year tour
of duty as a Platoon Commander with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and,
later, with the Marine Security Guards at the U.S. Embassy, Saigon. Upon his
return to the United States he served as Executive Officer, "I" Company, 3rd
Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, at Camp Lejune, North Carolina. He reported to
Pensacola, Florida, in 1972, for flight training, receiving his Naval Aviator
Wings in 1973. He was then assigned to Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma,
Arizona, for duty in Marine Attack Squadron 223, flying A-4M Skyhawks. In
1976, Cameron was reassigned to the Massachusetts Institue of Technology, where
he participated in the Marine College Degree and Advanced Degree Programs.
Upon graduation, he was assigned to flying duty with Marine Aircraft Group 12
in Iwakuni, Japan. He was subsequently assigned to the Pacific Missile Test
Center in 1980, and, in 1982, to the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School, Patuxent
River, Maryland. Following graduation in 1983, he was assigned as project
officer and test pilot in the F/A-18, A-4, and OV-10 airplanes with the Systems
Engineering Test Directorate at the Naval Air Test Center.
He has logged 3,000 hours flying time in 46 different types of aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in May 1984, Cameron became an astronaut in
June 1985. His technical assignments have included work on Tethered Satellite
Payload, flight software testing in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory
(SAIL), launch support activities at Kennedy Space Center, and Capsule
Communicator (CAPCOM) for STS-28,29,30,33 & 34.
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Cameron is currently in flight training as the pilot on
the crew of STS-37. Scheduled for launch in the Fall of 1990, this mission
will feature the deployment of the Gamma Ray Observatory for the purpose of
exploring gamma ray sources throughout the universe
Scott Carpenter, a dynamic pioneer of modern exploration, has the unique
distinction of being the only human ever to penetrate both outer and inner
space, thereby acquiring the dual title, astronaut/aquanaut.
He was born in Boulder, Colorado, on May 1, 1925, the son of Dr. M. Scott
Carpenter and Mrs. (Florence Kelso Noxon) Carpenter. He attended the University
of Colorado and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical
Carpenter entered the U.S. Navy in 1949 and received flight training at
Pensacola, Florida, and Corpus Christi, Texas. During the Korean War, he
served in Patrol Squadron SIX, flying anti-submarine, ship surveillance, and
aerial mining missions in the Yellow Sea, South China Sea, and the Formosa
He attended the Navy Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland, in 1954 and
subsequently was assigned to the Electronics Test Division of the Naval Air
Test Center. In that assignment he flew tests in a variety of naval aircraft
including multi and single engine jet and propeller driven fighters, attack
planes, patrol bombers, transports, and seaplanes.
In 1957-1958, he attended the Navy General Line School and the Navy Air
Intelligence School and was assigned as Air Intelligence Officer to the
Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. HORNET.
Carpenter was selected as one of the original seven U.S. Astronauts on April 9,
1959. He underwent intensive training with the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, specializing in the fields of communication and navigation. He
served as backup pilot for John Glenn during the preparation for America's
first manned orbital flight.
Carpenter flew the second American manned orbital flight on May 24, 1962. He
piloted his Aurora 7 spacecraft through three revolutions of the earth,
reaching a maximum altitude of 164 miles. The spacecraft landed in the
Atlantic Ocean about 1,000 miles southeast of Cape Kennedy after 4 hours and 54
minutes of flight time
On a leave of absence from NASA, Carpenter participated in the Navy's
Man-in-the-Sea Program as an Aquanaut in the SEALAB II experiment off the coast
of La Jolla, California. During the experiment, conducted during the summer of
1965, Carpenter spent 30 days living and working on the ocean floor. He was
team leader for two of the three teams of Navy men and civilians who lived at a
depth of 204 feet during the 45-day experiment.
He returned to duties with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
until August 10, 1967, when he returned to the Navy's Deep Submergence Systems
Project as Assistant for Aquanaut Operations during the SEALAB III experiment.
(The Deep Submergence Systems Project was responsible for developing deep ocean
search, rescue, salvage, ocean engineering and Man-in-the- Sea capabilities,
and directed the Navy's Saturation Diving Program.)
Carpenter's awards include, among others, The Legion of Merit, The
Distinguished Flying Cross, The NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Astronaut
Wings, University of Colorado Recognition Medal, The Collier Trophy, The New
York City Gold Medal of Honor, The Elisha Kent Kane Medal, The Boy Scouts of
America Silver Buffalo, and The Numismatica Italiana Award.
Since retirement from the Navy in 1969, Carpenter has made his home in Los
Angeles, and continues to apply his knowledge of aerospace and ocean
engineering technology to the private sector. He is married to the former
Maria Roach, daughter of pioneer film producer, Hal Roach, and they have two
sons, Matthew Scott and Nicholas Andre
NAME: Gerald P. Carr (Colonel, USMC (Retired))
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born in Denver, Colorado, on August 22, 1932, but raised
in Santa Ana, California, which he considers his hometown. His mother, Mrs.
Freda L. Carr, resides in Balboa Island, CA.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; blue eyes; height: 5 feet 9 inches; weight:
160 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Santa Ana High School, Santa Ana, California;
received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the
University of Southern California in 1954 and in Aeronautical Engineering from
the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1961, and a Master of Science degree in
Aeronautical Engineering from Princeton University in 1962; also presented an
Honorary Doctorate of Science from Parks College of Saint Louis University,
Cahokia, Illinois, in 1976.
MARITAL STATUS: Divorced. Remarried in 1979 to Dr. Patricia L. Musick.
CHILDREN: Jennifer Anne, July 31, 1955; Jamee Adele and Jeffrey Ernest, July
3, 1958; John Christian, April 4, 1962; Jessica Louise and Joshua Lee, March
12, 1964.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys sailing, playing racquetball, bird hunting,
and fishing. His hobbies include woodworking and restoration of an old
ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow of the American Astronautical Society; a Director of the
Sunsat Energy Council; a Director of the Houston POPS Orchestra; a Director of
the Space Foundation; the Marine Corps Association and the Marine Corps
Aviation Association; Society of Experimental Test Pilots; Society of American
Military Engineers; Texas Society of Professional Engineers; National Society
of Professional Engineers; Executive Board, Sam Houston Council Boy Scouts of
America; Governmental Affairs Committee, Houston Chamber of Commerce; National
Space Institute; University of Southern California Alumni Association, and Tau
Kappa Epsilon fraternity.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces
Expeditionary Medal; Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, and a letter of
Commendation from the Commander of Carrier Division II; received the NASA Group
Achievement Award, 1971; NASA Distinguished Service Medal, 1974; Navy
Distinguished Service Medal and the Navy Astronaut Wings, 1974; City of Chicago
Gold Medal, 1974; University of Southern California Alumni Merit Award, 1974;
Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, 1974; Robert J. Collier
Trophy for 1973, in 1974; City of New York Gold Medal, 1974; Marine Corps
Aviation Association's Exceptional Achievement Award, 1974; Dr. Robert H.
Goddard Memorial Trophy, 1975; also recipient of the Federation Aeronautique
Internationale's Gold Space Medal; De La Vaulx Medal, and V. M. Komarov Diploma
for 1974; AIAA Haley Astronautics Award for 1974; and the American
Astronautical Society's 1975 Flight Achievement Award.
EXPERIENCE: When informed by NASA of his selection for astronaut training, he
was assigned to the test directors section of Marine Air Control Squadron
Three, a unit responsible for the testing and evaluation of the Marine Tactical
Data System.
Carr began his military career in 1949 with the Navy, and in 1950 he was
appointed a midshipman (NROTC) and enrolled in the University of Southern
California. Upon graduation in 1954, he received his commission and
subsequently reported to the U.S. Marine Corps Officers' Basic School at
Quantico, Virginia. He received flight training at Pensacola, Florida, and
Kingsville, Texas, and was then assigned to Marine All-Weather-Fighter-Squadron
114 where he gained experience in the F-9 and the F-6A Skyray. After
postgraduate training, he served with Marine All- Weather-Fighter-Squadron 122,
from 1962 to 1965, piloting the F-8 Crusader in the United States and the Far
East. Other aircraft he has flown include the F-4, T-1, T-28, T- 33, T-38,
H-13, and ground effect machines.
He has logged more than 6,100 flying hours, 5,365 hours of which are jet time
Colonel Carr was one of the 19 astronauts selected by NASA in April 1966. He
served as a member of the astronaut support crews and as CAPCOM for the Apollo
8 and 12 flights, and was involved in the development and testing of the lunar
roving vehicle which was used on the lunar surface by Apollo flight crews.
Carr was commander of Skylab 4 (third and final manned visit to the Skylab
Orbital Workshop), launched November 16, 1973, and concluded February 8, 1974.
This was the longest manned flight (84 days, 1 hour, 15 minutes) in the history
of manned space exploration to date
He was accompanied on the record-setting
34.5-million-mile flight by Dr. Edward G. Gibson (science pilot) and William R.
Pogue (pilot). The crew successfully completed 56 experiments, 26 science
demonstrations, 15 subsystem detailed objectives, and 13 student investigations
during their 1,214 revolutions of the earth. They also acquired extensive
earth resources observations data using hand-held cameras and Skylab's Earth
Resources Experiment Package camera and sensor array. They logged 338 hours of
operation of the Apollo Telescope Mount which made extensive observations of
the sun's solar processes.
From February 1974 until March 1978, Colonel Carr and his Skylab 4 teammates
shared the world record for individual time in space: 2,017 hours 15 minutes
32 seconds, and Carr logged 15 hours and 48 minutes in three EVAs outside the
Orbital Workshop.
In mid-1974 Carr was named head of the design support group, within the
astronaut office, responsible for providing crew support to such activities as
space transportation system design, simulations, testing, and safety
assessment, and for development of man/machine interface requirements.
Carr retired from the United States Marine Corps in September of 1975 and from
NASA in June of 1977. He is a Senior Consultant on Special Staff to the
President of Applied Research, Inc., headquartered in Los Angeles, California,
with offices in Santa Clara, California, and Houston, Texas.
Currently President, CAMUS, Inc., Huntsville, Arkansas.
NAME: Manley Lanier "Sonny" Carter, Jr. (Captain, USN)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born August 15, 1947, in Macon, Georgia, but considers
Warner Robins, Georgia, to be his hometown. His father, Manley L. Carter, Sr.,
and his mother, Elizabeth C. Carter, are deceased.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; blue eyes; height: 6 feet 1/2 inch; weight:
165 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Lanier High School, Macon, Georgia, in 1965;
received a bachelor of arts degree in Chemistry from Emory University in 1969,
and a doctorate of Medicine from Emory University in 1973.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Dana Powell of Jacksonville, Florida.
Her mother, Mrs. Sara Powell, resides in Jacksonville, Florida. Her father,
Mr. John Powell, is deceased.
CHILDREN: Olivia Elizabeth, May 27, 1974; and Meredith Corvette, December 3,
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys wrestling, golf, tennis, L.A. Dodger
baseball, and old movies. Carter was a professional soccer player from
1970-73, for the Atlanta Chiefs of the NASL.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of Sigma Delta Psi, Alpha Tau Omega, the Marine Corps
Aviation Association, and SETP.
SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the Air Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy
Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Marine Corps Aviation Association
Special Category Award 1982, and NASA Meritorious Service Medal 1988, and NASA
Space Flight Medal 1989. Carter was the guest of Honor at the 215th Marine
Corps Birthday Ball.
EXPERIENCE: Carter graduated from medical school in June 1973, and completed a
straight internal medicine internship at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta,
Georgia. In July 1974, he entered the U.S. Navy and completed flight surgeon
school in Pensacola, Florida. After serving tours as a flight surgeon with the
1st and 3rd Marine Air Wings he returned to flight training in Beeville, Texas,
and was designated a Naval Aviator in April 1978. He was assigned as the
senior medical officer of USS Forrestal, and in March 1979, he completed F-4
training at VMFAT-101 Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Arizona. He was
subsequently reassigned as a fighter pilot to duty flying F-4 phantoms with
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 333 at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. In 1981
he completed a 9-month Mediterranean cruise aboard USS Forrestal with
VMFA-115. In September 1982, he attended U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School
(TOPGUN) and then served as 2nd Marine Air Wing standardization officer and F-4
combat readiness evaluator at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. He then
attended U.S. Naval Test Pilot School graduating in June 1984. He has logged
3,000 flying hours and 160 carrier landings.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in May 1984, Carter became an astronaut in
June 1985, qualified for assignment as a mission specialist on future Space
Shuttle flight crews. Carter was assigned as Extravehicular (EVA)
Representative for the Mission Development Branch of the Astronaut Office when
selected to the crew of STS-33. The STS-33 crew launched, at night, from
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November 22, 1989, aboard the Space Shuttle
Discovery. The mission carried Department of Defense payloads and other
secondary payloads. After 79 orbits of the earth, this five day mission
concluded on November 27, 1989 with a hard surface landing on Runway 04 at
Edwards Air Force Base, California. With the completion of his first mission,
Carter has logged 120 hours in space
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Captain Carter is assigned as a mission specialist on the
crew of STS-42, the first International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1).
NAME: John H. Casper (Colonel, USAF)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born July 9, 1943, in Greenville, South Carolina, but
considers Gainesville, Georgia, to be his hometown. His parents, Colonel
(Ret.) and Mrs. John Casper, Jr., reside in Gainesville, Georgia.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; blue eyes; height: 5 feet 9 inches; weight:
145 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Chamblee High School, Chamblee, Georgia, in 1961;
received a bachelor of science degree in Engineering Science from the U.S. Air
Force Academy in 1966; and a master of science degree in Astronautics from
Purdue University in 1967. He is a 1986 graduate of the Air Force Air War
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Christine G. Cann of Alexandria,
Virginia. Her mother, Mrs. Eleanor H. Cann, resides in Hampton, VA. Her
father, Col. (Ret.) Richard T. Cann, is deceased.
CHILDREN: Robert Cann, May 9, 1983; Stephanie Elizabeth, February 1, 1985.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys flying general aviation aircraft, jogging,
and listening to classical music.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, American
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association, and USAF Academy Association of Graduates.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, 11
Air Medals, 6 Air Force Commendation Medals, and the Vietnamese Cross of
EXPERIENCE: Casper received his pilot wings at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, in
1968. After F-100 upgrade training at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, he was
assigned to the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phan Rang Air Base, RVN, where he
flew 229 combat missions in the F-100. From 1970-1974, Casper was assigned to
the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom. He served as a
Flight Commander, Squadron Scheduling Officer and Wing Weapons Officer flying
the F-100 and later the F-4 aircraft. In 1974, Casper graduated from the USAF
Test Pilot School and was subsequently assigned as a test pilot at Edwards Air
Force Base, California, flying weapons delivery and avionics testing for F-4
and A-7 aircraft. As Chief of the F-4 Test Team, he flew initial performance
and weapons separation tests for the F-4G Wild Weasel aircraft. From 1976 to
1980, Casper was Operations Officer and later Commander of the 6513th Test
Squadron, conducting flight test programs to evaluate and develop tactical
aircraft weapons systems. Casper was assigned to Headquarters USAF in the
Pentagon in 1980, as an Action Officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and
Operations. In 1982, he became Deputy Chief of the Special Projects Office,
where he developed USAF positions on requirements, operational concepts, policy
and force structure for tactical and strategic programs. Casper has logged
over 5,600 flying hours in 50 different aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in May 1984, Casper became an astronaut in
June 1985. His technical assignments to date include: Lead Astronaut in
improving the Shuttle computer software and hardware; Astronaut Office lead for
improvements to the nosewheel steering, brakes, tires, and development of a
landing drag chute; Astronaut Office focal point for all landing site issues;
and representative to the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL).
Casper was pilot on the crew of STS-36 which launched from the Kennedy Space
Center, Florida, on February 28, 1990 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. This
mission carried Department of Defense payloads and a number of secondary
payloads. After 72 orbits of the earth, STS-36 mission concluded with a
lakebed landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on March 4, 1990, after
traveling 1.87 million miles. Mission duration was 106 hours. With the
completion of his first space flight, Casper has a logged a total of 106 hours
in space
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Casper is assigned as pilot on the crew of STS-50,
scheduled for launch aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia in June 1992. STS-50
will be the first flight of the United States Microgravity Laboratory. Over a
two week period the STS-50 flight crew will conduct a wide variety of
experiments relating to materials processing in a microgravity environment.
NAME: Robert J. Cenker
Payload Specialist
BIRTHPLACE: Uniontown, Pennsylvania.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Uniontown Joint Senior High School, Uniontown,
Pennsylvania; received bachelor's and master's degrees in aerospace
engineering, Penn State University; and a master's degree in electrical
engineering, Rutgers University.
RESIDENCE: East Windsor, New Jersey.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Barbara Ann Cenker.
CHILDREN: Daniel Joseph, Brian Joseph, and Laura Ann.
ORGANIZATIONS: Associate fellow and former chairman of the Princeton Section,
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
SPECIAL HONORS AND AWARDS: Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Gamma Tau.
PUBLICATIONS: Written a number of articles on spacecraft technology and holds
a patent for an orientation system for a spin stabilized spacecraft.
Prior to 1972 Westinghouse Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, West Mifflin,
Pennsylvania, and was a research assistant at Penn State
1972-Present RCA Astro-Electronics Division, East Windsor, New Jersey. Senior
Staff Engineer.
Joined RCA as an Engineer working in advanced stabilization and control. Much
of his career has been spent in the design and development of communications
satellites, including RCA Satcoms 1 and 2, the GTE Spacenet satellites, and the
advanced Series 4000 spacecraft. In addition, he served as System Engineer on
the U.S. Navy NOVA navigation satellite program.
Served as Manager, Satcom System Engineering. Responsible for assuring
technical acceptability of all aspects of the spacecraft for various satellite
programs. Helped develop and build RCA's Series 4000 communications
spacecraft. The first of these satellites, designated Ku-1, is scheduled to be
launched via Space Shuttle in late November of 1985.
Registered New Jersey Professional Engineer.
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Mr. Cenker has been selected by NASA to serve as the prime
payload specialist on Space Shuttle Mission 61-C, scheduled for launch in late
December of 1985.
The RCA Satcom Ku-Band-1 satellite will be deployed from Orbiter Columbia
during Space Shuttle Mission 61-C, and Mr. Cenker will perform experiments with
an infrared camera developed at RCA's David Sarnoff Research Center, Princeton,
New Jersey, and manufactured at Astro- Electronics.
NAME: Eugene A. Cernan (Captain, USN, (Ret.))
Former NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE and DATE: Born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 14, 1934. His
mother, Mrs. Andrew G. Cernan, resides in Bremerton, Washington.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Gray hair, blue eyes; height: 6 feet; weight: 190
EDUCATION: Graduated from Proviso Township High School in Maywood, Illinois;
received a bachelor of science degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue
University in 1956 and a master of science degree in Aeronautical Engineering
from the U. S. Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California; recipient of an
Honorary Doctorate of Law degree from Western State University College of Law
in 1969, an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from Purdue University in 1970,
and Drexel University in 1977. Petroleum Economics and Management Seminar,
Northwestern University, 1978.
MARITAL STATUS: Single
CHILDREN: Teresa Dawn, March 4, 1963.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: His hobbies include love for horses, all competitive
sports activities, including hunting, fishing and flying.
ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow, American Astronautical Society; member, Society of
Experimental Test Pilots; member, Tau Beta Pi (National Engineering Society),
Sigma Xi (National Science Research Society), Phi Gamma Delta (National Social
Fraternity), and the Explorer's Club.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the NASA
Exceptional Service Medal, the JSC Superior Achievement Award, two Navy
Distinguished Service Medals, the Navy Astronaut Wings, the Navy Distinguished
Flying Cross, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Special
Trustees Award (1969), the Federation Aeronautique Internationale Gold Space
Medal for 1972, the Cities of Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York Gold
Medals, the VFW National Space Medal in 1973.
EXPERIENCE: Cernan, a retired United States Navy Captain, received his
commission through the Navy ROTC Program at Purdue
He entered flight training
upon graduation. He was assigned to Attack Squadrons 26 and 113 at the
Miramar, California, Naval Air Station, and subsequently attended the Naval
Postgraduate School.
He has logged more than 5000 hours flying time with more than 4800 hours in jet
aircraft and over 200 jet aircraft carrier landings.
Captain Cernan was one of fourteen astronauts selected by NASA in October 1963.
He occupied the pilot seat alongside of command pilot Tom Stafford on the
Gemini IX mission. During this 3-day flight which began on June 3, 1966, the
spacecraft achieved a circular orbit of 161 statute miles; the crew used three
different techniques to effect rendezvous with the previously launched
Augmented Target Docking Adapter; and Cernan, the second American to walk in
space, logged two hours and ten minutes outside the spacecraft in
extravehicular activities. The flight ended after 72 hours and 20 minutes with
a perfect re-entry and recovery as Gemini IX landed within 1-1/2 miles of the
prime recovery ship USS WASP and 3/8 of a mile from the predetermined target.
Cernan subsequently served as backup pilot for Gemini 12 and as backup lunar
module pilot for Apollo 7.
On his second space flight, he was lunar module pilot of Apollo 10, May 18-26,
1969, the first comprehensive lunar-orbital qualification and verification
flight test of an Apollo lunar module
He was accompanied on the 248,000
nautical sojourn to the moon by Thomas P. Stafford (spacecraft commander) and
John W. Young (command module pilot). In accomplishing all of the assigned
objectives of this mission, Apollo 10 confirmed that operations performance,
stability, and reliability of the command/service module and lunar module
configuration during trans-lunar coast, lunar orbit insertion, and lunar module
separation and descent to within 8 nautical miles of the lunar surface
latter maneuver involved employing all but the final minutes of the technique
prescribed for use in an actual lunar landing, allowed critical evaluations of
the lunar module propulsions sytems and rendezvous and landing radar devices in
subsequent rendezvous and re-docking maneuvers. In addition to demonstrating
that man could navigate safely and accurately in the moon's gravitational
fields, Apollo 10 photographed and mapped tentative landing sites for future
Cernan's next assignment was backup spacecraft commander for Apollo 14.
He made his third space flight as spacecraft commander of Apollo 17 -- the last
scheduled manned mission to the moon for the United States -- which commenced
at 11:33 P.M. (CST), December 6, 1972, with the first manned nighttime launch,
and concluded on December 19, 1972. With him on the voyage of the command
module "America" and the lunar module "Challenger" were Ronald Evans (command
module pilot) and Harrison H. (Jack) Schmitt (lunar module pilot). In
maneuvering "Challenger" to a landing at Taurus-Littrow, located on the
southeast edge of Mare Serenitatis, Cernan and Schmitt activated a base of
operations from which they completed three highly successful experiments,
making the Moon their home for over three days. This last mission to the moon
established several new records for manned space flight that include: longest
manned lunar landing flight (301 hours 51 minutes); longest lunar surface
extravehicular activities (22 hours 6 minutes); largest lunar sample return (an
estimated 115 kg (249 lbs.)); and longest time in lunar orbit (147 hours 48
minutes). While Cernan and Schmitt conducted activities on the lunar surface,
Evans remained in lunar orbit aboard the "America", completing assigned work
tasks requiring geological observations, handheld photography of specific
targets, and the control of cameras and other highly sophisticated scientific
equipment carried in the command module SIM-bay. Evans also completed a
1-hour, 6-minute extravehicular activity on the transearth coast phase of the
return flight, successfully retrieving three camera cassettes and completing a
personal inspection of the equipment bay area. Apollo 17 ended with a
splashdown in the Pacific Ocean approximately 0.4 miles from the target point
and 4.3 miles from the prime recovery ship USS TICONDEROGA.
Captain Cernan has logged 566 hours and 15 minutes in space -- of which more
than 73 hours were spent on the surface of the moon and was the last man of
Apollo to leave his footprints on the surface of the moon.
In September, 1973, Cernan assumed additional duties as Special Assistant to
the Program Manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program at the Johnson Space
Center. In this capacity, he assisted in the planning, development, and
evaluation of the joint United States/Soviet Union Apollo- Soyuz mission, and
he acted for the program manager as the senior United States negotiator in
direct discussions with the USSR on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
On July 1, 1976, Captain Cernan retired after over 20 years with the U. S.
Navy. He concurrently terminated his formal association with NASA. Cernan
joined Coral Petroleum, Inc., of Houston, Texas, as Executive Vice
President-International. His responsibilities were to enhance Coral's energy
related programs on a worldwide basis.
In September 1981, Captain Cernan started his own company, The Cernan
Corporation, to pursue management and consultant interests in the energy,
aerospace, and other related industries. Additionally he has been actively
involved as a co-anchorman on ABC-TV's presentations of the flight of the
Captain Cernan was the second American to have walked in space, having spanned
the circumference of the world twice in a little more than 2-1/2 hours. He was
one of the two men to have flown to the moon on two occasions, and as commander
of the last mission to the moon, Apollo 17, had the privilege and distinction
of being the last man to have left his footprints on the surface of the moon.
Currently heads the Cernan Corporation, Houston, Texas, and is Director,
Marketing Development-Government/Aerospace for Digital Equipment Corporation.
NAME: Franklin R. Chang-Diaz (Ph.D.)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born April 5, 1950, in San Jose, Costa Rica, to the late
Mr. Ramon A. Chang-Morales and Mrs. Maria Eugenia Diaz De Chang. His mother
resides in Costa Rica.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; brown eyes; height: 5 feet 8-1/2 inches;
weight: 150 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Colegio De La Salle in San Jose, Costa Rica in
November 1967, and from Hartford High School in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1969;
received a bachelor of science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the
University of Connecticut in 1973 and a doctorate in Applied Plasma Physics
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1977.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Peggy Marguerite Doncaster of
Alexandria, Louisiana.
CHILDREN: Jean E., December 22, 1973; Sonia R., March 31, 1978, and
Lidia A., March 1, 1988.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys music, glider planes, soccer, scuba diving,
hunting, and hiking.
SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of the University of Connecticut's Outstanding
Alumni Award (1980); NASA Space Flight Medal (1986); the Liberty Medal from
President Ronald Reagan at the Statue of Liberty Centennial Celebration in New
York City (1986); the Medal of Excellence from the Congressional Hispanic
Caucus (1987); NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1988); and awarded the Cross of
the Venezuelan Air Force by President Jaime Lusinchi during the 68th
Anniversary of the Venezuelan Air Force in Caracas, Venezuela (1988).
EXPERIENCE: While attending the University of Connecticut, he also worked as a
research assistant in the Physics Department and participated in the design and
construction of high energy atomic collision experiments. Following graduation
in 1973, he entered graduate school at MIT -- becoming heavily involved in the
United States' controlled fusion program and doing intensive research in the
design and operation of fusion reactors. He obtained his doctorate in the
field of applied plasma physics and fusion technology and, in that same year,
joined the technical staff of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory. His work at
Draper was geared strongly toward the design and integration of control systems
for fusion reactor concepts and experimental devices, in both inertial and
magnetic confinement fusion. In 1979, he developed a novel concept to guide
and target fuel pellets in an inertial fusion reactor chamber. More recently,
he has been engaged in the design of magnetic divertor systems for energy
recovery and impurity control in fusion power plants, as well as new concepts
in rocket propulsion based on high temperature plasmas. In October 1983 he was
appointed as visiting scientist with the MIT Plasma Fusion Center where he
travels periodically to continue his research on advanced plasma rockets. He
has presented numerous papers at technical conferences and in scientific
In addition to his mainline fields of science and engineering, he worked for
2-1/2 years as a house manager in an experimental community residence for
deinstitutionalizing chronic mental patients, and was heavily involved as an
instructor/advisor with a rehabilitation program for hispanic drug abusers in
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in May 1980, Dr. Chang-Diaz became an
astronaut in August 1981, qualified for assignment as a mission specialist on
future Space Shuttle flight crews. While undergoing astronaut training he was
also involved in flight software checkout at the Shuttle Avionics Integration
Laboratory (SAIL), and participated in the early Space Station design studies.
In late 1982 he was designated as support crew for the first spacelab mission
and, in November 1983, he served as on orbit capsule communicator (CAPCOM)
during that flight.
From October 1984 to August 1985 he was leader of the astronaut support team at
the Kennedy Space Center. His duties included astronaut support during the
processing of the various vehicles and payloads, as well as flight crew support
during the final phases of the launch countdown.
He has logged over 1,500 hours of flight time, including 1,300 hours in jet
Dr. Chang-Diaz flew on Shuttle mission STS 61-C which launched from the Kennedy
Space Center, Florida, on January 12, 1986. During the 6-day flight of
Columbia he participated in the deployment of the SATCOM KU satellite,
conducted experiments in astrophysics, and operated the materials processing
laboratory MSL-2. STS 61-C made a successful night landing at Edwards Air
Force Base, California, on January 18, 1986. With the completion of this
flight he logged 146 hours in space
Dr. Chang-Diaz was instrumental in implementing closer ties between the
astronaut corps and the scientific community. In January 1987, he started the
Astronaut Science Colloquium Program and later helped form the Astronaut
Science Support Group, which he directed until January 1989.
On his second flight, Dr. Chang-Diaz was a member of the crew of STS-34, aboard
Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis. STS-34 launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida,
on October 18, 1989, and landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on
October 23, 1989. During the mission crew members successfully deployed the
Galileo spacecraft on its journey to explore Jupiter, operated the Shuttle
Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument (SSBUV) to map atmospheric ozone, and
performed numerous secondary experiments involving radiation measurements,
polymer morphology, lightning research, microgravity effects on plants, and a
student experiment on ice crystal growth in space
Mission duration was 79
orbits of the earth, and logged him an additional 119 hours and 41 minutes in
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Dr. Chang-Diaz is assigned as a mission specialist on the
crew of STS-46. During this seven day mission the crew will deploy the
European Retrieval Carrier (EURECA), an ESA-sponsored free-flying science
platform, and will also demonstrate the Tethered Satellite System (TSS), a
joint project between NASA and the Italian Space Agency. STS-46 is scheduled
for launch in early 1992.
NAME: Leroy Chiao (Ph.D)
Astronaut Candidate (Mission Specialist)
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born August 28, 1960, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
but considers Danville, California, to be his hometown. His parents,
Mr. & Mrs. Tsu Tao Chiao, reside in Fairfield, California.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Black hair; brown eyes,; height: 5 feet 8
inches; weight: 165 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Monte Vista High School, Danville,
California, in 1978; received a bachelor of science degree in Chemical
Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1983, and
a master of science degree and a doctoroate in Chemical Engineering
from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1985 and 1987,
MARITAL STATUS: Single
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys flying, basketball, football, and
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM), and the Society for the Advancement of Material and
Process Engineering (SAMPE).
SPECIAL HONORS: Invited to give technical seminars on Honeycomb
Material and Bonded Panels, and Cure Modeling of Aerospace Composite
Materials, at the Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, and at
the Changsha Institute of Technology, 5th Department, in the Peoples
Republic of China. Invited contributor to the International
Encyclopedia of Composite Materials (Book Chapter, In Press).
EXPERIENCE: Dr. Chiao graduated in 1987 from the University of
California at Santa Barbara, and joined the Hexcel Corporation in
Dublin, California. He worked for Hexcel until 1989, during which
time he was involved in process and manufacturing engineering research
on advanced aerospace materials; worked on a joint NASA-JPL/Hexcel
project to develop a practical, optically correct, precision segment
reflector, made entirely of advanced polymer composite materials, for
future space telescopes; as well as working on cure modeling and
finite element analysis. In January of 1989 Dr. Chiao joined the
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, where
he was involved in processing research for fabrication of
filament-wound and thick-section aerospace composites. Dr. Chiao also
developed and demonstrated a mechanistic cure model for graphite
fiber/epoxy composite material.
Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1990, Dr. Chiao
commenced a one year training and evaluation program in July 1990,
completion of which will qualify him for subsequent assignment as a
mission specialist on future Space Shuttle flight crews.
NAME: Kevin P. Chilton (Major, USAF)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Brown hair; Brown eyes; height: 6 feet; weight:
155 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from St. Bernard High School, Playa del Rey,
California, in 1972; received a bachelor of science degree in
Engineering Sciences from the USAF Academy in 1976, and a master of
science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University on a
Guggenheim Fellowship in 1977.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Cathy Dreyer of Shalimar,
Florida. Her parents, Fred & Marge Dreyer, reside in Niceville,
CHILDREN: Madison Marie, September 28, 1989.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys all sports, including running, snow
skiing, sailing, reading.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member, Order of Daedalians.
EXPERIENCE: Chilton graduated from Undergraduate Pilot Training at
Williams AFB, Arizona, in 1978. He flew operational assignments in
the RF-4 and F-15 aircraft at Kadena AB, Japan, from 1978-1982,
followed by an operational tour in F-15's at Holloman AFB, New Mexico
from 1982-1983. He attended the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards
AFB, California in 1984. Upon graduation in 1985 Chilton was assigned
as a test pilot to Eglin AFB, Florida, where he flew the F-4/F-15
aircraft until selected for the astronaut program.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in June 1987, Chilton became an
astronaut in August 1988, qualified for assignment as a pilot on
future Space Shuttle flight crews. Since then he has held a variety
of technical assignments including duties in the Mission Development
Branch within the Astronaut Office, in support of the Infrared
Background Signature Survey (IBSS) satellite, and the Orbital
Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) programs.
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Major Chilton is assigned as pilot on the crew of
STS-49. During this eight day mission crew members will attach a new
booster and redeploy the Intelsat satellite, and will also perform
three EVAs (spacewalks) as part of an extensive test of EVA techniques
to be employed during Space Station assembly. STS-49 is scheduled for
launch in early 1992 aboard the new Space Shuttle Endeavour.
NAME: Mary L. Cleave (Ph.D.)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born February 5, 1947, in Southampton, New York. Her
parents, Dr. and Mrs. Howard E. Cleave, reside in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; green eyes; height: 5 feet 2 inches; weight:
103 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Great Neck North High School, Great Neck, New York,
in 1965; received a bachelor of science degree in Biological Sciences from
Colorado State University in 1969, and a master of science in Microbial Ecology
and a doctorate in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Utah State
University in 1975 and 1979, respectively.
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: She enjoys cross-country and downhill skiing, sailing,
hiking, and camping.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, the
Water Pollution Control Federation, Tri-Beta, Sigma Xi, and Tau Beta Pi;
associate member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
SPECIAL HONORS: Recipient of NASA Space Flight Medal (1985), NASA Exceptional
Service Medal (1988).
EXPERIENCE: Dr. Cleave held graduate research, research phycologist, and
research engineer assignments in the Ecology Center and the Utah Water Research
Laboratory at Utah State University from September 1971 to June 1980. Her work
included research on the productivity of the algal component of cold desert
soil crusts in the Great Basin Desert south of Snowville, Utah; algal removal
with intermittent sand filtration and prediction of minimum river flow
necessary to maintain certain game fish; the effects of increased salinity and
oil shale leachates on freshwater phytoplankton productivity; development of
the Surface Impoundment Assessment document and computer program (FORTRAN) for
current and future processing of data from surface impoundments in Utah; and
design and implementation of an algal bioassay center and a workshop for
bioassay techniques for the Intermountain West. In conjunction with her
research efforts, she has published numerous scientific papers.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Dr. Cleave was selected as an astronaut in May 1980. Her
technical assignments have included work at the Shuttle Avionics Integration
Laboratory (SAIL), CAPCOM on five Space Shuttle flights, Malfunctions
Procedures Book, and Crew Equipment Design.
Dr. Cleave was a mission specialist on STS-61B which launched at night from
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November 26, 1985. During this mission the
crew members deployed the MORELOS-B, AUSSAT II, and SATCOM K-2 communications
satellites, conducted 2 six hour spacewalks to demonstrate Space Station
construction techniques with the EASE/ACCESS experiments, operated the
Continuous Flow Electrophoresis (CFES) experiment for McDonnell Douglas and a
Getaway Special (GAS) container for Telesat, Canada, conducted several Mexican
Payload Specialist Experiments for the Mexican Government, and tested the
Orbiter Experiments Digital Autopilot (OEX DAP). This was the heaviest payload
weight carried to orbit by the Space Shuttle to date
After completing 108
orbits of the Earth in 165 hours, STS-61B Atlantis landed on Runway 22 at
Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 3, 1985.
On her second flight, Dr. Cleave was a mission specialist on the crew of STS-30
which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on May 4, 1989, aboard the
Orbiter Atlantis. During this four day mission, crew members successfully
deployed the Magellan Venus-exploration spacecraft, the first U.S. planetary
science mission launched since 1978, and the first planetary probe to be
deployed from the Shuttle
Magellan is scheduled to arrive at Venus in
mid-1990, and will map the entire surface of Venus. In addition, crew members
also worked on secondary payloads involving Indium crystal growth, electrical
storm, and earth observation studies. Following 64 orbits of the earth, the
STS-30 mission concluded with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California
on May 8, 1989.
With the completion of this flight she has logged a total of 262 hours in
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Dr. Cleave is detailed to Engineering at the Johnson Space
Center, where she serves as Special Assistant for Advanced Programs in the Crew
Systems and Thermal Division.
NAME:Michael L. Coats (Captain, USN)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born January 16, 1946, in Sacramento, California, but
considers Riverside, California, as his hometown. His father, Col. Loyd A.
Coats (USAF Ret.), resides in Dunbar, Wisconsin. His mother, Mrs. Jan Coats,
resides in Ft. Collins, Colorado.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; blue eyes; height: 6 feet; weight: 190
EDUCATION: Graduated from Ramona High School, Riverside, California, in 1964;
received a bachelor of science degree from the United States Naval Academy in
1968, a master of science in Administration of Science and Technology from
George Washington University in 1977, and master of science in Aeronautical
Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1979.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Diane Eileen Carson of Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma. Her parents, Dr. and Mrs. James W. Carson, reside in O'Fallon,
CHILDREN: Laura M., August 29, 1973; Paul M., November 2, 1978.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys reading, racquetball, and jogging.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots; Associate Fellow,
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, 2 Navy
Distinguished Flying Crosses, 32 Strike Flight Air Medals, 3 Individual Action
Air Medals, 9 Navy Commendation Medals with Combat V, and the NASA Space Flight
EXPERIENCE: Coats graduated from Annapolis in 1968 and was designated a naval
aviator in September 1969. After training as an A-7E pilot, he was assigned to
Attack Squadron 192 (VA-192) from August 1970 to September 1972 aboard the USS
KITTYHAWK and, during this time, flew 315 combat missions in Southeast Asia.
He served as a flight instructor with the A-7E Readiness Training Squadron
(VA-122) at Naval Air Station, Lemoore, California, from September 1972 to
December 1973 and was then selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School,
Patuxent River, Maryland. Following test pilot training in 1974, he was
project officer and test pilot for the A-7 and A-4 aircraft at the Strike
Aircraft Test Directorate
He served as a flight instructor at the U.S. Naval
Test Pilot School from April 1976 until May 1977. He then attended the U.S.
Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, from June 1977 until his
selection for the astronaut candidate program.
He has logged over 5,000 hours flying time in 28 different types of aircraft,
and 400 carrier landings.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as an astronaut candidate in 1978, Coats became a
NASA Astronaut in August 1979. He was a member of the STS-4 astronaut support
crew, and was a capsule communicator for STS-4 and STS-5. He has flown twice
-- STS-41D in 1984, and STS-29 in 1989. From May 1989 to March 1990, he
served as Acting Chief of the Astronaut Office
On his first mission, Coats was pilot on the crew of STS-41D, which launched
from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1984. This was the maiden
flight of the Orbiter Discovery. During this 6-day mission the crew
successfully activated the OAST-1 solar cell wing experiment, deployed three
satellites, SBS-D, SYNCOM IV-2, and TELSTAR 3-C, operated the CFES-III
experiment, the student crystal growth experiment, and photography experiments
using the IMAX motion picture camera. The crew earned the name "Icebusters" in
successfully removing hazardous ice particles from the orbiter using the Remote
Manipulator System. STS-41D completed 96 orbits of the earth before landing at
Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1984.
In February 1985, Coats was selected as spacecraft commander of STS-61H, which
was subsequently canceled after the Challenger accident.
As spacecraft commander of STS-29, Coats and his crew launched from Kennedy
Space Center, Florida, aboard the Orbiter Discovery, on March 13, 1989. During
this highly successful five day mission, the crew deployed a Tracking and Data
Relay Satellite, and performed numerous secondary experiments, including a
Space Station "heat pipe" radiator experiment, two student experiments, a
protein crystal growth experiment, and a chromosome and plant cell division
experiment. In addition, the crew took over 3,000 photographs of the earth
using several types of cameras, including the IMAX 70 mm movie camera. Mission
duration was 80 orbits and concluded with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base,
California, on March 18, 1989.
With the completion of his second mission, Coats has logged a total of 264
hours in space
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: In September 1989, Captain Coats was selected as
spacecraft commander on the seven man crew of STS-39. This eight day,
unclassified Department of Defense mission, is scheduled for launch early in
NAME: Charles Conrad, Jr., Captain, USN (Ret.)
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born June 2, 1930, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Conrad is 5 feet 6 1/2 inches tall and
weighs 145 pounds.
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.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Jane DuBose of Uvalde, Texas, and has
four sons: Peter, December 25, 1954; Thomas, May 3, 1957; Andrew, April 30,
1959; and Christopher, November 26, 1960.
OTHER ACTIVITIES: His hobbies include golf, water skiing and automobile
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 Leagp5Pof
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.
EXPERIENCE: Conrad entered the Navy following graduation from Princeton
University and became a naval aviator. He attended the Navy Test Pilot School
at Patuxent River, Maryland and, upon completing that course of instruction,
was assigned as a project test pilot in the armaments test division there
also served at Patuxent as a flight instructor and performance engineer at the
Test Pilot School. He has logged more than 6,500 hours flying time, with more
than 5,000 hours in jet aircraft.
Conrad was selected as an astronaut by NASA in September 1962. In August 1965,
he served as pilot on the 8-day Gemini V flight. He and command pilot Gordon
Cooper were launched into earth orbit on August 21, and proceeded to establish
a space endurance record of l90 hours and 56 minutes. The flight, which lasted
120 revolutions and covered a total distance of 3,312,993 statute miles, was
terminated on August 29, 1965. It was also on this flight that the United
States took over the lead in manhours in space
On September 18, 1966, Conrad occupied the command pilot seat for the 3-day
Gemini XI mission. He executed orbital maneuvers to rendezvous and dock in
less than one orbit with a previously launched Agena and piloted Gemini XI
through two periods of extravehicular activity performed by pilot Richard
Gordon. Other highlights of the flight included the established new world
space altitude record of 850 statute miles and the completion of the first
fully automatic controlled re-entry.
Conrad was spacecraft commander of Apollo 12, November 14- 24, 1969. With him
on man's second lunar landing mission were Richard Gordon, command module
pilot, and Alan Bean, lunar module pilot. In accomplishing all of the
mission's objectives, the Apollo 12 crew executed the first precision lunar
landing, bringing their lunar module, "Intrepid," to a safe touchdown in the
moon's Ocean of Storms. Along with Bean, Conrad spent 7 hours and 45 minutes
on the lunar surface performing the first lunar traverse deploying the Apollo
Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP), installing a nuclear power generator
station which would provide the power source for long-term scientific
experiments, gathering geologic samples of the lunar surface for return to
Earth, and completing a close-up inspection of the Surveyor III spacecraft.
As spacecraft commander on his fourth flight, Conrad flew the first manned
Skylab mission which launched on May 25 and terminated on June 22, 1973. With
him for the initial activation and 28-day flight qualification operation of
Skylab Orbital Workshop were Joseph Kerwin, science-pilot, and Paul Weitz,
pilot. Although subjected to a 10-day delay in their planned launch, Conrad,
Kerwin and Weitz managed to complete 46 of 55 scheduled experiments and all of
the nine programmed subsystem/operation detailed test objectives. Paramount to
the completion of these objectives was deployment of a "parasol" thermal shade
to alleviate the orbital workshop thermal problem created by loss of the
micrometeoroid shield during the launch of the Skylab workshop. Also vital to
the mission was a 3-hour and 23- minute extravehicular activity by Conrad and
Kerwin to deploy the jammed solar wing. Their success in extending the only
remaining solar array system wing assured sufficient power for the conduct of
the full 28-day mission and would provide the needed energy to power the
subsequent Skylab 2 and Skylab 3 manned missions. In logging 672 hours and 49
minutes each aboard the workshop, the crew established a new world record for a
single mission, and Conrad captured the individual endurance record for time in
space by bringing this total space flight time to 1,179 hours and 38 minutes.
Conrad has also logged 14 hours and 19 minutes in extra-vehicular activities.
In December 1973, after serving for 20 years (11 of which were as an astronaut
in the space program), Conrad retired from the U. S. Navy to accept a position
as Vice President, Operations and Chief Operating Officer of American
Television and Communications Corporation (ATC) located in Denver, Colorado.
Conrad was also a member of the Board of Directors of ATC. As Vice President,
Operations, he was responsible for both the operation of existing systems and
the development of new cable television systems throughout the country.
March 1, 1976, became a Vice President, Commercial Sales International,
McDonnell Douglas Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri.
In October 1978, was promoted to Vice President, Marketing, of the Douglas
Aircraft Company.
In October 1980, Conrad was promoted to Senior Vice President, Marketing, of
the Douglas Aircraft Company.
September 1969 to March 1971, Consultant, Butler Aviation, Inc., Englewood
Cliffs, New Jersey.
March 1970 to March 1971, Director, Butler Aviation, Inc., Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey. (Resigned due to Skylab training schedule
July 1970 to Present, Director, Hamilton Funds, Inc.; Hamilton Growth Fund,
Inc. and Hamilton Income Fund, Inc., Denver, Colorado.
May 1970 to December 1973, Director, Galeria Bank, Houston, Texas. (Resigned
due to relocation to Denver.)
December 1973 to 1976, Member/Consultant, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, Space Systems Committee, Washington, D.C.
September 1974 to February 1976, Consultant, Martin Marietta Corporation, Large
Space Telescope Program, Denver, Colorado.
January 1978 to Present, Consultant, Raytheon Marine Company, Sorensen Company,
Manchester, New Hampshire
February 1981, Advisory Director, Martin Aviation, Santa Ana, California.
Currently Staff Vice President for International Business Development,
McDonnell Douglas Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri.
NAME: Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr., Colonel USAF (Ret.)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE: Shawnee, Oklahoma, March 6, 1927
PARENTS: Father - Leroy Gordon Cooper, Sr. - deceased
Mother - Hattie Cooper - Resides in Carbondale,
PHYSICAL DATA: Brown hair, blue eyes, 5 ft. 8 in., 155 lbs.
EDUCATION: Primary and Secondary Schools: Shawnee, Oklahoma; Murray,
Colleges: University of Hawaii University of Maryland - European Extension
U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology
Advanced Level: Eleven years graduate level training in Space Technology,
Space Mechanics, Lunar Geology, Spacecraft Design, Spacecraft Check Out and
Flight Testing with NASA
Degrees: B.S.A.E. - Air Force Institute of Technology Dr. of Science -
Oklahoma City University
Other Schools: Graduate of U.S.A.F. Jet Pilot School, Graduate of U.S. Navy
Underwater Demolition Team School, Graduate of U.S.N. Helicopter School
HOBBIES: Treasure hunting, archeology, racing, flying, skiing, boating,
hunting, fishing
ORGANIZATIONS: The Society of Experimental Test Pilots, The American Institute
of Aeronautics and Astronautics The American Astronautical Society, The Blue
Lodge Masons, The York Rite Masons, The Scottish Rite Masons, The Royal Order
of Jesters, The Sojourners, The Rotary Club, The Daedalians, The Confederate
Air Force, The Boy Scouts of America, The Girl Scouts of America.
AWARDS AND TROPHIES: The Air Force Legion of Merit, The Air Force
Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross Cluster,
The NASA Exceptional Service Medal, The NASA Distinguished Service Medal, USAF
Command Astronaut Wings, The Collier Trophy, The Harmon Trophy, The Scottish
Rite 33o, The York Rite Knight of the Purple Cross, The DeMolay Legion of
Honor, The John F. Kennedy Trophy, The Ivan E. Kincheloe Trophy, The Air Force
Association Trophy, The Primus Trophy, The John Montgomery Trophy, The General
Thomas E. White Trophy, The Association of Aviation Writers Award, The
University of Hawaii Regents Medal, The Columbus Medal, The Silver Antelope,
and The Sport Fishing Society of Spain Award,
1963 - Flew 22 orbits (solo) in Mercury 9 (Faith 7)
1963 - Gave one of the opening addresses to the first meeting of
the League of African Nations (from Space)
1963 - Used the first television camera in Space
1963 - First pilot-controlled re-entry from Space
1963-1965 - First Military man to address the Joint Sessions of
Congress twice
1965 - Flew 122 orbits as command pilot of Gemini 5
1965 - First man to fly two orbital flights
1965 - First man to fly a fuel cell in Space
1965 - First man to fly a radar set in Space
1965 - First man to track a typhoon from Space
1965 - Established the World Record of most hours in Space for
the United States
1965 - National Aeronautic Association Record Distance in Earth
1965 - National Aeronautic Association Record Duration in Earth
FLYING EXPERIENCE: 7000 hours total time; 4000 hours jet time; Flies all types
of commercial and general aviation airplane and helicopters.
1945-1946 - United States Marine Corps.
1946-1949 - Attended the University of Hawaii - obtained commission
1949 - Called to active duty USAF (for pilot training)
1950-1954 - Fighter pilot with 86th Fighter-Bomber group in Germany
1954-1956 - Attended the Air Force Institute of Technology 1956-1957 - Attended
the USAF Experimental Flight Test School 1957-1959 - Served as Experimental
Flight Test Engineer and Flight Test Pilot at the Air Force Flight Test Center
at Edwards AFB, California
1959 - Selected in First Group of Seven Astronauts for the NASA Mercury
May 15-16, 1963 - Command Pilot on MA9 - "Faith 7"
August 21-28, 1965 - Command Pilot on Gemini 5
October 1965 - October 1966 - Served as Back-up Command Pilot on Gemini 12
April 1968 - April 1969 - Served as Back-up Command Pilot on Apollo 10
July 31, 1970 - Retired from the Air Force and the Space Program
1956-1959 - Experimental Flight Engineer and Test Pilot at the Air Force Flight
Test Center. Served as Project Manager on several flight development projects.
Helped to develop new techniques of flight testing and new aircraft stability
1950-1970 - In addition to training for Space Flight, has had extensive
experience in test project management from the drawing board to the flight test
phase of check out and qualification for various major systems of the Space
1962-1967 - Performance Unlimited, Inc. - President - Manufactured race
engines, fiberglass boats, distributed marine engines and products, raced high
performance boats.
1963-1967 - GCR, Inc. - President - Designed, tested and raced championship
cars at Indianapolis and other USAC tracks, conducted tire tests for Firestone
Tire and Rubber Company, pioneered turbine engine installation on cars.
1965-1970 - Teletest, Inc. - President - Designed, installed and tested various
systems using advanced Telemetry.
1966-1969 - Doubloon, Inc. - Participated with Doubloon Inc. on design,
construction, and utilization of new types of Treasure Hunting equipment.
1968-1969 - Cosmos, Inc. - Participated with Cosmos, Inc. on Archeology
exploration projects.
1968-1970 - Profile Race Team - Part owner and race project manager, designed
constructed and raced high performance boats.
1968-1970 - Republic Corp. Technical Consultant - Technical consultant for
corporate acquisitions and public relations.
1967-1969 - Thompson Industries Technical Consultant - Technical Consultant for
design and construction of various automotive production items for General
Motors, Ford and Chrysler Motor Companies.
1970-1972 - Canaveral International, Inc. - Member of Board of Directors and
Technical Consultant for developing technical products, public relations in
land development projects.
1970 -Present - Gordon Cooper & Associates, Inc. - President for consultant
firm specializing technical projects from airline and aerospace fields to land
and hotel development projects.
1970-1974 - APECO - Board of Director for corporation which produces and
markets modular homes, computer systems, office systems, copy machines and
boats and marine equipment.
July 1972-June 1973 - Campco - Member of Board of Directors and Technical
consultant for corporation which builds campers and mobile homes.
August 1972-December 1973 - LowCom Systems, Inc. - Board of Directors and
Technical Consultant for design and production of various advanced electronic
1972-1973 - Aerofoil Systems, Inc. - Board of Directors and Technical
Consultant for design and construction of lifting, inflatable, steerable foils
which could land cargo and/or personnel at a precise spot.
July 1973-January 1974 - Craftech Construction, Inc. - Vice President and
member of the Board of Directors - Design and construction of economical homes,
garages, storage buildings, and hangars of Craftboard and fiberglass.
January 1973-Present - Constant Energy Systems, Inc. - Development of a large
energy system to use for metropolitan power and ship engines without use of
petrochemicals. Development and sales of improvements to automotive engines to
increase their efficiency.
1975 Became Vice President for Research and Development for Walter E. Disney
Enterprises, Inc., the research and development subsidiary of Walt Disney
Productions. Located in Glendale, California.
Currently President, XL, Inc., Beverly Hills, California.
NAME: Richard O. Covey (Colonel, USAF)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born August 1, 1946, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, but
considers Fort Walton Beach, Florida, to be his hometown. His parents, Lt.
Col. and Mrs. Charles D. Covey, USAF (Ret.), are deceased.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; gray eyes; height: 5 feet 11-1/2 inches;
weight: 155 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Choctawhatchee High School, Shalimar, Florida, in
1964; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Sciences with a
major in Astronautical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in
1968 and a master of science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue
University in 1969.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Kathleen Allbaugh of Emmettsburg, Iowa.
Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene B. Allbaugh, are residents of San Jose,
CHILDREN: Sarah Suzanne, February 5, 1974; and Amy Kathleen, May 18, 1976.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys golf, water sports, photography, skiing, and
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Air Force Association, the Order of Daedalians,
the USAF Academy Association of Graduates, the Society of Experimental Test
Pilots, and the Association of Space Explorers.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Medal,
the Department of Defense Superior Service Medal, 4 Air Force Distinguished
Flying Crosses, 16 Air Medals, the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air
Force Commendation Medal, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, 3 NASA Space
Flight Medals, the Johnson Space Center Certificate of Commendation, the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Haley Space Flight Award for
1988, and the American Astronautical Society Flight Achievement Award for
1988. He is a Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and
received the Liethen-Tittle Award as the Outstanding Graduate of USAF Test
Pilot School Class 74B, and is a Distinguished Astronaut Engineering Alumnus of
Purdue University.
EXPERIENCE: Between 1970 and 1974, Covey was an operational fighter pilot,
flying the F-100, A37, and A-7D. He flew 339 combat missions during two tours
in Southeast Asia. At Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, between 1975 and 1978, he
was an F-4 and A-7D weapons systems test pilot and Joint Test Force Director
for electronic warfare testing of the F-15 "Eagle
" He has flown over 5,000
hours in more than 30 different types of aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978,
Covey became an Astronaut in August 1979. He has flown three space flights --
STS-51I in 1985, STS-26 IN 1988, and STS-38 in 1990.
Prior to the first flight of the Space Shuttle, he provided astronaut support
in Orbiter engineering development and testing. He was a T-38 chase pilot for
the second and third Shuttle flights and support crewman for the first
operational Shuttle flight, STS-5. Covey also served as Mission Control
spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) for Shuttle missions STS-5, 6, 61-B, 61-C, and
51-L. During 1989, he was Chairman of NASA's Space Flight Safety Panel.
On his first mission, Covey was the pilot of STS-51I, which launched from
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 27, 1985. During this seven day
mission, crew members deployed three communications satellites, the Navy SYNCOM
IV-4, the Australian AUSSAT, and American Satellite Company's ASC-1. The crew
also performed the successful on-orbit rendezvous and repair of the ailing
15,000 lb SYNCOM IV-3, satellite
This repair activity involved the first
manual grapple and manual deployment of a satellite by a crew member. Mission
duration was 170 hours. Space Shuttle Discovery completed 112 orbits of the
earth before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 3,
He then served as pilot on STS-26, the first flight to be flown after the
Challenger accident. The five man crew launched from the Kennedy Space Center,
Florida, on September 29, 1988 aboard the Space Shuttle
Mission duration was
97 hours during which crew members successfully deployed the TDRS-C satellite
and operated eleven secondary payloads, which included two student
experiments. Discovery completed 64 orbits of the earth before landing at
Edwards Air Force Base, California, on October 3, 1988.
More recently, Covey was the spacecraft commander on STS-38. The five man crew
launched at night from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November 15,
1990. During the five day mission crew members conducted Department of Defense
operations. After 80 orbits of the earth, Covey piloted the Space Shuttle
Atlantis to a landing on the runway at the Kennedy Space Center on November 20,
1990. This was the first Shuttle recovery in Florida since 1985. With the
completion of his third space flight, Colonel Covey has logged over 385 hours
in space
NAME: John O. Creighton (Captain, USN)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born April 28, 1943, in Orange, Texas, but considers
Seattle, Washington, to be his hometown. His mother, Mrs. C. Alberta
Creighton, resides in Seattle, Washington.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; hazel eyes; height: 5 feet 10 inches;
weight: 160 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Ballard High School, Seattle, Washington, in 1961;
received a bachelor of science degree from the United States Naval Academy in
1966 and a master of science degree in Administration of Science and Technology
from George Washington University in 1978.
MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Terry Stanford of Little Rock,
Arkansas. Her parents, Helen and Jim Stanford, reside in Stone Mountain,
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys skiing and tennis.
ORGANIZATION: Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded 10 Air Medals, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Armed
Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and the U.S. Space
Flight Medal.
EXPERIENCE: Creighton started flight training following graduation from
Annapolis and received his wings in October 1967. He was with VF-154 from July
1968 to May 1970, flying F-4J's and made two combat deployments to Vietnam
aboard the USS RANGER (CVA-61). From June 1970 to February 1971, he attended
the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland, and upon
graduation was assigned as a project test pilot with the Service Test Division
at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River. During this two year tour of duty, he
served as the F-14 engine development project officer. In July 1973, Creighton
commenced a four year assignment with VF-2 and became a member of the first
F-14 operational squadron, completing two deployments aboard the USS ENTERPRISE
(CVN-65) to the Western Pacific. He returned to the United States in July
1977, and was assigned to the Naval Air Test Center's Strike Directorate as
operations officer and F-14 program manager. He has logged over 5,000 hours
flying time, the majority of it in jet fighters, and has completed 500 carrier
landings and 175 combat missions.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978,
Creighton became an astronaut in August 1979. During the following four years
he held a variety of technical assignments in support of the Space Shuttle
Creighton was pilot of STS-51G which launched from the Kennedy Space Center,
Florida, on June 17, 1985. During the mission the crew deployed communications
satellites for Mexico (Morelos), the Arab League (Arabsat), and the United
States (AT&T Telstar). They used the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) to deploy
and later retrieve the SPARTAN satellite which performed 17 hours of x-ray
astronomy experiments while separated from the Space Shuttle
In addition, the
crew activated the Automated Directional Solidification Furnace (ADSF), six
Getaway Specials, participated in biomedical experiments, and conducted a laser
tracking experiment as part of the Strategic Defense Initiative
completing 112 earth orbits STS-51G landed at Edwards Air Force Base,
California, on June 24, 1985. With the completion of this flight Creighton
logged 170 hours in space
Following his flight, Creighton became the astronaut representative to the
Shuttle Program Manager. During the ensuing two years, Creighton participated
in all the key decisions following the Challenger disaster helping to shape the
plan for resuming safe manned space flight. Starting with STS-26, Creighton
served as Lead "CAPCOM" for the first four Space Shuttle flights. In March
1989 he was assigned to command STS-36 but continued to serve as Head of the
Mission Support Branch in the Astronaut Office until commencing full time for
his upcoming flight.
Captain Creighton and his crew launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida
on February 28, 1990 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The STS-36 mission
carried Department of Defense payloads and a number of secondary payloads.
After 72 orbits of the earth, the STS-36 mission concluded with a lakebed
landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on March 4, 1990, after
traveling 1.87 million miles. Mission duration was 106 hours.
With the completion of his second space flight, he has logged a total of 276
hours in space
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Captain Creighton is assigned to command the crew of
STS-48. This mission is scheduled for launch in November 1991 and will feature
the deployment of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS).
NAME: Robert L. Crippen (Captain, USN)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born in Beaumont, Texas, on September 11,
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Brown hair; brown eyes; height: 5 feet
10 inches; weight: 160 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from New Caney High School in Caney, Texas; and received
a bachelor of science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of
Texas in 1960.
MARITAL STATUS: Single
CHILDREN: Ellen Marie, June 14, 1962; Susan Lynn, December 24,
1964; and Linda Ruth, May 10, 1967.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots; associate fellow,
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; and fellow, American
Astronautical Society.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1981), the NASA
Exceptional Service Medal and the JSC Group Achievement Award (1972), the NASA
Distinguished Service Medal (1981); and the Department of Defense Distinguished
Service Medal (1981). Also received the American Astronautical Society Flight
Achievement Award (1981), the National Geographic Society's Gardiner Greene
Hubbard Medal (1981), the Aviation Hall of Fame 1981 Al J. Engel Award, the
American Legion's Distinguished Service Medal (1981), the SETP Iven C.
Kincheloe Award (1981), the Federal Aviation Administration's Award for
Distinguished Service (1982), the Goddard Memorial Trophy (1982), the Harmon
Trophy (1982), and four NASA Space Flight Medals.
EXPERIENCE: Crippen received his commission through the Navy's Aviation
Officer Program at Pensacola, Florida, which he entered after graduation from
the University of Texas. He continued his flight training at Whiting Field,
Florida, and went from there to Chase Field in Beeville, Texas, where he
received his wings.
From June 1962 to November 1964, he was assigned to Fleet Squadron VA-72 --
completing 2-1/2 years of duty as an attack pilot aboard the aircraft carrier
USS INDEPENDENCE. He later attended the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School at
Edwards Air Force Base, California, and upon graduation, remained there as an
instructor until his selection in October 1966, to the USAF Manned Orbiting
Laboratory Program. Crippen was among the second group of aerospace research
pilots to be assigned to the MOL Program.
He has logged more than 6,500 hours flying time, which includes more than 5,500
hours in jet aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Crippen became a NASA astronaut in September 1969. He was a
crew member on the highly successful Skylab Medical Experiments Altitude Test
(SMEAT) -- a 56-day simulation of the Skylab mission, enabling crewmen to
collect medical experiments baseline data and evaluate equipment, operations,
and procedures.
Crippen was a member of the astronaut support crew for the Skylab 2, 3, and 4
missions, and he served in this same capacity for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project
(ASTP) mission, which was completed successfully in July 1975.
Crippen completed his first space flight as pilot of STS-1, the first orbital
test flight of the Shuttle Columbia, April 12-14, 1981. He was accompanied by
John Young (spacecraft commander) on this 54-1/2 hour, 36-orbit engineering
test flight to evaluate and verify Shuttle systems performance during launch,
on-orbit, and landing operations. STS-1 achieved a nominal 146 nautical mile
circular orbit. Tests included evaluation of Orbiter hardware and software
systems, investigation of the Orbiter thermal response while in orbit,
evaluation of Orbiter attitude and maneuvering thruster systems and guidance
navigation system performance, and evaluation of Orbiter crew compatibility.
Columbia was the first true manned spaceship. It was also the first manned
vehicle to be flown into orbit without benefit of previous unmanned "orbital"
testing; the first to launch with wings using solid rocket boosters. It was
also the first winged reentry vehicle to return to a conventional runway
landing, weighing more than 99-tons as it was braked to a stop on the dry lake
bed at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Crippen was spacecraft commander of STS-7, the second flight for the Orbiter
Challenger, June 18-24 1983. This was the first mission with a 5-person crew
which included Rick Hauck (pilot), and three mission specialists, John Fabian,
Sally Ride, and Norman Thagard. During the mission, the crew deployed
satellites for Canada (ANIK C-2) and Indonesia (PALAPA B-1); operated the
Canadian- built Remote Manipulator System (RMS) to perform the first deployment
and retrieval exercise with the Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS-01); conducted
the first formation flying of the Orbiter with a free-flying satellite
(SPAS-01); carried and operated the first U.S./German cooperative materials
science payload (OSTA-2); and operated the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis
System (CFES) and the Monodisperse Latex Reactor (MLR) experiments, in addition
to activating seven Getwaway Specials. Mission duration was 147 hours before
landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California,
On his third flight Crippen was spacecraft commander of STS 41-C, April 6-13
1984. His crew included Dick Scobee (pilot), and three mission specialists,
Terry Hart, Pinky Nelson, and Ox van Hoften. During this 7-day mission the
crew successfully deployed the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF);
retrieved the ailing Solar Maximum Satellite, repaired it onboard the orbiting
Challenger, and replaced it in orbit using the robot arm called the Remote
Manipulator System (RMS); flight tested the Manned Maneuvering Units (MMU's) in
two extravehicular activities (EVA's); as well as operating the Cinema 360 and
IMAX Camera Systems, and a Bee Hive Honeycomb Structures student experiment.
Mission duration was 168-hours before landing at Edwards Air Force Base,
As spacecraft commander of STS 41-G, October 5-13 1984, Crippen's crew, the
largest to fly to date, included Jon McBride (pilot), three mission
specialists, Kathy Sullivan, Sally Ride, and David Leestma, as well as two
payload specialists, Marc Garneau and Paul Scully-Power. 8-day mission
deployed the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite, conducted scientific
observations of the Earth with the OSTA-3 pallet and Large Format Camera, as
well as demonstrating potential satellite refueling with an EVA and associated
hydrazine transfer. Mission duration was 197 hours and concluded with a
landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
CURRENT ASSIGNMENT: Captain Crippen is currently serving as Deputy Director,
NSTS Operations, Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Currently Director, Space Shuttle Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC.
NAME: Frank L. Culbertson, Jr. (Commander, USN)
NASA Astronaut
BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born May 15, 1949, in Charleston, South Carolina, but
considers Holly Hill to be his hometown. His parents, Dr. and Mrs. Frank
Culbertson, Sr., reside in Holly Hill, South Carolina.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Blond hair; blue eyes; height: 5 feet 7 inches; weight:
138 pounds.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Holly Hill High School, Holly Hill, South Carolina,
in 1967; received a bachelor of science degree in Aerospace Engineering from
the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971.
MARITAL STATUS: Married, June 1987, to the former Rebecca Ellen Dora of
Vincennes, Indiana. Her mother, Mrs. Avanelle Vincent Dora, resides in
Vincennes, Indiana. Her father, Mr. Robert E. Dora, is deceased.
CHILDREN: Wendy Nicole, February 18, 1976; Amanda Walters, August 30, 1979;
Ashley Elizabeth, September 18, 1981; Frank Lee, III, August 28, 1990.
RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys flying, bicycling, tennis, racquetball,
squash, running, camping, photography, music, and water sports. Member of
varsity rowing and wrestling teams at USNA.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics, Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, and the U.S. Naval
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the Navy Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation
Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, 3 Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Armed
Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Humanitarian Services Medal, and various other
unit and service awards.
EXPERIENCE: Culbertson graduated from Annapolis in 1971 and served aboard USS
Fox (CG-33) in the Gulf of Tonkin for six months prior to reporting to flight
training in Pensacola, Florida. After designation as a Naval Aviator at
Beeville, Texas, in May 1973, he received training as an F-4 Phantom pilot at
VF-121, NAS Miramar, California. From March 1974 to May 1976, he was assigned
to VF-151 aboard USS Midway (CV-41), permanently homeported in Yokosuka,
Japan. He subsequently was assigned as an exchange pilot with the USAF at Luke
Air Force Base, Arizona, where he served as Weapons and Tactics Instructor
flying F-4C's with the 426th TFTS until September 1978. Culbertson then served
as the Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer for USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)
until May 1981 when he was selected to attend the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School,
Patuxent River, Maryland. Following graduation in June 1982, he was assigned to
the Carrier Systems Branch of the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate where he
served as Program Manager for all F-4 testing and as a test pilot for automatic
carrier landing system tests in the F-4S, and carrier suitability in the F-4S
and the OV-10A. He was engaged in fleet replacement training in the F-14A
Tomcat at VF-101, NAS Oceana, Virginia, from January 1984 until his selection
for the astronaut candidate program.
He has logged over 4,000 hours flying time in 36 different types of aircraft,
and 350 carrier landings.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in May 1984,
Culbertson became a NASA Astronaut in June 1985, qualified for assignment as a
pilot on future Space Shuttle flight crews. His first technical assignment was
as a member of the team that redesigned and tested the Shuttle nosewheel
steering, tires, and brakes, to provide more safety margin during landing
rollout. Culbertson was a member of the launch support team at Kennedy Space
Center for Shuttle flights 61-A, 61-B, 61-C, and 51-L, and participated in the
preparations for the proposed launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California,
in 1986. Following the Challenger accident, he worked at the NASA Headquarters
Action Center in Washington, D.C., assisting with the investigations conducted
by NASA, the Presidential Commission, and the Congress. He was then assigned
as lead astronaut at the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) and was
involved in the checkout verification of the computer software and hardware
interfaces for STS-26 and subsequent flights. He was a member of the Emergency
Egress Team, which conducts periodic tests of improvements to the Shuttle
ground egress systems, and also served as a member of the Astronaut Office
Safety Branch. Culbertson's assignment, when named to the STS-38 crew, was as
the lead Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) in the Mission Control Center. His
duties included communications with the Shuttle crew during ascent and entry
and during simulations, and he was on the panel which dealt with procedural
problems and flight technique issues between missions. He was a CAPCOM for
STS-27, 29, 30, 28, 34, 33, and 32.
More recently, Culbertson was the pilot on STS-38. The five man crew launched
at night from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on November 15, 1990. During
the five day mission crew members conducted Department of Defense operations.
After 80 orbits of the earth, in the first Shuttle recovery in Florida since
1985, Space Shuttle Atlantis and her crew landed back at the Kennedy Space
Center on November 20, 1990. With the completion of his first space flight,
Commander Culbertson has logged 117 hours in space
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text:
Bookings :
The teaching rooms provided for in the study plan are booked by Jacqueline Noto (021 692 40 13 ; Jacqueline.Noto[@]unil.ch, )
For ad hoc bookings you can contact :
- unibat (021 692 26 09 ou 26 10 ; unibat[@]unil.ch) for the auditories of the Amphimax, Amphipôle, Biophore or Génopode
- Jennifer von Schinkel (021 692 40 15; Jennifer.vonSchinkel[@]unil.ch) for the TP rooms of Amphipôle and classrooms of the Biophore
- CEMCAV for the rooms located at the CHUV (tél. 021 314 53 60 ; gestion.locaux[@]chuv.ch)
- contact the departments directly for rooms belonging to a department
Opening rooms :
The auditoriums of the Amphimax, the Amphipole, the Biophore and the Genopode are opened by the caretakers of the buildings according to recorded bookings.
For the classrooms in the Biophore and the PW rooms in the Amphipole, the keys can be borrowed from Jennifer von Schinkel (021 692 40 15 ; Jennifer.vonSchinkel[@]unil.ch ).
Who should you contact in the event of a technical problem in an auditorium (Dorigny)?
Olivier Grosjean is the person responsible for technical support in the auditoriums of the Amphimax, the Amphipole, the Biophore and the Genopode
(021 692 22 88 ;Olivier.Grosjean[@]unil.ch) .
for more information go to the Unicom page
Julien Gianotti is the person responsible for TP rooms and the classrooms in the Amphipole and the Biophore (021 692 41 71 ; Julien.Gianotti [@] unil.ch)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
OK, here's where I'm at. While Suh is my favorite player in this draft, and I think Okung would be the single player to benefit us the most, I think trading down is our best option. So I used my enormous brain to add up the numbers of a draft day trade that seems to make sense - to me at least. I say we trade with Seattle, giving them our 1st rounder for their SECOND first rounder, plus their 2nd, 4th and 5th. That would be the *4th overall pick* for pick #'s *14, 40, 101, and 136.* I know it seems like a lot, but the numbers actually work out more in Seattle's favor on the value chart. (Though as small as the margin is, it pretty much makes it a wash) Taking into account the reality of pushing trades through, maybe we have to either throw in our 7th, or our 5th in an essential swap.
#14 - Trent Williams
#37 - Roger Saffold
#40 - I would like to see us trade back here to pick up a 3rd rounder, and either something later, or something next year. If not, then use this next pick on either:
a runningback (Jahvid Best or Jon Dwyer?),
nose tackle (Cam Thomas)
or, most likely, linebacker (Daryl Washington or Spikes?)
Of course we could go all kinds of various ways with these picks, like Colt McKoy in the higher second or, if we got lucky, Brandon Graham. Then maybe Toby Gerhart with our 100, then, if we didn't get McKoy, I've seen some mocks have Lefevour last until the 4th, where we would have the 100 and 101st picks.
I realize I'm all over the place with this. Just cut me a break - everytime I look at a different mock I see another guy I wanna pick up. The main thing is to get the discussion going on what we could do if we were able to parlay the #4 pick into a plethora of promising rookie talent.


text:
At UFC 148, former top contender Chad Mendes (11-1; 2-1 UFC) faces Cody McKenzie (13-2; 2-2 UFC). This Featherweight fight is the second of six main card fights on the UFC 148 PPV. The USA TODAY / MMA Nation Consensus MMA Rankings currently have Mendes as the #2 Featherweight in the world, with McKenzie unranked. The UFC 148 PPV card airs live Saturday night July 7 at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
This is a bit of a mismatch, as the rankings indicate. Mendes has shown that he is one of the best in the world at 145 pounds, and is looking for a rebound win here. Meanwhile, McKenzie is still developing as a fighter, though he does have the proverbial "puncher's chance" here thanks to his excellent guillotine. If he can get the choke and tap out Mendes, it will be a huge upset.
How do these two stack up?
Mendes: 27 years old | 5'6" | 66" reach
McKenzie: 24 years old | 6'0" | 74" reach
What have these two done recently?
Mendes: L - Jose Aldo (KO) | W - Rani Yahya (UD) | W - Michihiro Omigawa (UD)
McKenzie: W - Marcus LaVesseur (Sub) | L - Vagner Rocha (Sub) | L - Yves Edwards (Sub)
How did these two get here?
Chad "Money" Mendes is a training partner to Urijah Faber at Team Alpha Male. And like many of the Alpha Male fighters, he's a tenacious cardio machine, able to grind opponents down with both striking and wrestling. He put together a good 11-0 record before challenging Jose Aldo for the UFC Featherweight title earlier this year and earning his first loss. This is his first fight back. Mendes is a tough fight for anyone, but he's in real danger of falling into the Jon Fitch role - the guy who can beat everyone in the division except the champion. That's a tough place to be.
Cody McKenzie is a veteran of season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter. With his unique personality and look, he's become something of a cult favorite. That status is helped by his fun fights, and in particular, his surprising success with the guillotine choke. Of his 13 wins, all but 1 (his debut fight) have been won via guillotine, which is crazy. Opponents know it's coming, but he's crafty enough to still get them. However, against more experienced ground fighters like Yves Edwards and Vagner Rocha, he has struggled. It will be interesting to see if he stays so focused on this signature move, or begins to mix things up.
Why should you care?
McKenzie is always good for some fun, from his much parodied fighter profile video to his exciting scraps on the ground. He's goofy, but what can I say, I enjoy watching the guy fight.
More UFC 148 preview coverage from Bloody Elbow after the jump.
SBN coverage of UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II
UFC 148 Weigh-In Live Video And Coverage - Tim Burke
UFC 148: Forrest Griffin Vs. Tito Ortiz Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 148: Cung Le Vs. Patrick Cote Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 148: Silva Vs. Sonnen II Staff Picks And Predictions - Tim Burke
UFC 148 Video: Anderson Silva's 'Coach' Steven Seagal Spars With Feijao Cavalcante - Nate Wilcox
UFC 148: Chael Sonnen Addresses Anderson Silva's Violent Dentistry Plans With More Insults Of Brazil - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 148: Can Demian Maia Revitalize His Career At Welterweight? - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 148: Cody McKenzie 'Cowboy Is Just A Dumb Jock' - Steph Daniels
UFC 148 Preview: Rewatching Anderson Silva Vs. Chael Sonnen I - Josh Nason
UFC 148: Chael Sonnen's Mean Street Pizza Raffling Off Signed Controversial T-Shirt - KJ Gould
UFC 148: Dong Hyun Kim Vs. Demian Maia Dissection - Dallas Winston
Bad Boy Presents Bloody Elbow Radio - Episode 182: Vinny Magalhaes, UFC 148 Preview - Matt Bishop
UFC 148: Vinny Magalhaes Says 'Chael Sonnen Can Submit Anderson Silva' - Scott Haber
UFC 148: Sonnen Vs. Silva II Predictions From Georges St. Pierre, Nick Diaz And More UFC Stars - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 148: Cung Le Was Hand Picked For His Role In Upcoming Tarantino Production - Steph Daniels
UFC 148 Preview: The Complete Judo Chops Of Anderson Silva - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 148: Silva Vs. Sonnen Betting Lines - Tim Burke
UFC 148: Chad Mendes Vs. Cody McKenzie Dissection - Dallas Winston
UFC 148: Patrick Cote Says Michael Bisping Is A Crybaby - Steph Daniels
UFC 148: The Hall Of Fame Career Of Tito Ortiz - Fraser Coffeen
UFC 148 Judo Chop: How Chael Sonnen Out Struck Anderson Silva - Jack Slack
UFC 148 Video: Anderson Silva Vs. Chael Sonnen Full Countdown Show - Anton Tabuena
UFC 148 Press Conference Video: Anderson Silva And Chael Sonnen Separated At Intense Staredown - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 148 Gods of War: Anderson Silva - T.P. Grant
UFC 148: Anderson Silva Vs. Chael Sonnen Rematch Almost Didn't Happen - Brent Brookhouse
UFC 148 Video: Anderson Silva Vs. Chael Sonnen By The Numbers - Anton Tabuena
FREE $100 UFC 148 Kountermove Fantasy Cash Tourney - Steph Daniels
UFC 148 Video: Anderson Silva Vs. Chael Sonnen 2 - It's Personal - Anton Tabuena
UFC 148 Video: Matt Serra Visits Chael Sonnen And Forrest Griffin Ahead Of Weekend Bouts - Anton Tabuena
UFC 148 Judo Chop: Beating Anderson Silva - Jack Slack
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