▁Research ▁Fac ility ▁at ▁Edwards ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁in ▁CA , ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁a ▁satellite ▁facility ▁of ▁Am es , ▁from ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁through ▁late ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁He ▁attended ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Minnesota , ▁major ing ▁in ▁elect rical ▁engineering . ▁Kn ut son ▁began ▁his ▁flying ▁career ▁as ▁an ▁Air ▁Force ▁av iation ▁cad et ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 . ▁Following ▁service ▁in ▁Korea ▁and ▁participation ▁in ▁development al ▁testing ▁and ▁oper ational ▁miss ions ▁in ▁the ▁F - 8 4 ▁and ▁F - 8 6 , ▁he ▁fle w ▁the ▁U - 2 ▁reconna issance ▁aircraft ▁for ▁the ▁Central ▁Int elligence ▁Agency ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁Kn ut son ▁joined ▁NASA ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁as ▁manager ▁of ▁U - 2 ▁flight ▁operations ▁at ▁Am es ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁several ▁pil ots ▁who ▁fle w ▁the ▁aircraft ▁on ▁Earth ▁resources ▁science ▁miss ions . ▁He ▁later ▁fle w ▁the ▁ER - 2 , ▁an ▁updated ▁model ▁of ▁the ▁U - 2 ▁that ▁remains ▁in ▁service ▁at ▁NASA ▁D ry den ▁today . ▁ ▁During ▁Kn ut son ' s ▁six ▁years ▁at ▁D ry den ▁he ▁maintained ▁the ▁facility ▁at ▁oper ational ▁read iness ▁for ▁space ▁sh utt le ▁land ings ▁and ▁replaced ▁D ry den ' s ▁ag ing ▁fleet ▁of ▁F - 1 0 4 ▁support ▁aircraft ▁with ▁F / A - 1 8