James Benson Irwin (1930 - 1991)

Astronaut. After he graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1951, he joined the US Air Force, earned his pilot wings and became a flight instructor. After various services assigned to a top-secret test missions, he was accepted in the astronaut program in 1966. At NASA, he was put in charge of the testing program […]

LTC Virgil Ivan “Gus” Grissom (1926 - 1967)

Astronaut. Grissom was a native of Mitchell, Indiana and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with cluster for his Korean service, two NASA Distinguished Service medals and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the Air Force Command Astronaut Wings. He […]

Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr (1923 - 1998)

American Astronaut.  The first American into space, he is currently the oldest man to have walked on the moon.  Born in Derry, New Hampshire, the son of Army Lieutenant Colonel Alan B. Shepard and Renza Emerson Shepard, Alan Jr graduated from the Admiral Farragut Academy (military high school) in 1941, and received a BS degree […]

Francis X. Carey (1933 - 1982)

Astronaut.  He was born in Paterson, New Jersey, and enlisted in the Air Force where he began technical training at Denver’s Lowry Air Force Base. He later transferred to Patrick Air Force Base in Cocoa Beach, FL, for advanced training at the Titan Missile site which provided the foundation of future space programs. He was […]

Neil Alden Armstrong (1930 - 2012)

American Astronaut. He was the mission commander of the Apollo 11 manned space flight to the Moon. On July 20, 1969, he became the first person in recorded human history to walk on the moon, before being joined on the lunar surface by fellow astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin. Viewed by a global audience of over […]

Francis Richard “Dick” Scobee (1939 - 1986)

Space Shuttle Challenger Pilot. Francis Scobee was born in Cle Elum, Washington. Enlisting in the Air Force in 1957 as an engine mechanic, he attended college in his off-duty hours and was eventually awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1965. He was made an officer the same year and attended flight […]

Minnie (1970 - 1998)

Animal Astronaut. Minnie was the only female chimp trained for the Mercury Project in the early 1960s, but she never flew.  After her role in the Mercury program ended, Minnie became part of an Air Force chimp breeding program, producing nine offspring and helping raise the offspring of several other members of the chimp colony. […]

Michael John Smith (1945 - 1986)

Astronaut. Mike Smith was the pilot of the ill-fated space shuttle Challenger. From the time he graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1967, he had an accomplished Navy career which lasted almost 20 years. He earned a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1968 and completed […]

James Lawton Collins, Sr (1882 - 1963)

United States Army General. The father of astronaut Michael Collins, he served as aide-de-camp to General John J. Pershing during the Philippine Insurrection, the Mexican Punititve Expedition and in France during World War I. During World War II he commanded the Puerto Rican Division and the 5th Service Command. He retired in 1946. (bio by: […]

William Cameron McCool (1961 - 2003)

United States Astronaut. Served as pilot of the Space Shuttle Columbia. On February 1, 2003, NASA lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later it was confirmed that the Columbia had broken apart over eastern Texas, and that there were no survivors. […]

William C. McCool (1961 - 2003)

United States Astronaut. Served as pilot of the Space Shuttle Columbia. On February 1, 2003, NASA lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later it was confirmed that the Columbia had broken apart over eastern Texas, and that there were no survivors. […]

Dr Karl G. Henize (1926 - 1993)

Astronaut. Crewmember aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. Their mission lasted from July 29, 1985, to August 6, 1985. Dr. Henize died of a heart attack while attempting to climb Mount Everest. He was buried on Changste Glacier on Mount Everest. (bio by: Erik Lander) Cause of death: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema

Stephen D. Thorne (1953 - 1986)

American Astronaut. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in systems engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1975. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy, Thorne entered flight training and received his wings in December 1976. Following training in the F-4 Phantom, he joined Fighter Squadron 21 and deployed to the Western Pacific aboard […]

Dr Eugene Merle “Gene” Shoemaker (1928 - 1997)

Astronomer and geologist. He is best known as one of the discoverers of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, which crashed spectacularly into Jupiter. He had tried to be an astronaut but was unable due to medical reasons. Upon his death, one ounce of his cremated remains were carried to the moon aboard NASA’s Lunar Prospector.  Family links: […]

Gordon “Gordo” Cooper, Jr (1927 - 2004)

Pioneer Astronaut. As a veteran WW II Air Force Pilot, he was a member of the original first seven selected as a Mercury Astronaut in April 1959. On May 15 and 16, 1963, he piloted the “Faith 7” spacecraft on a 22 orbit mission which concluded the operational phase of Project Mercury. During the 34 […]

John H. Glenn, Sr (1895 - 1966)

Father of renowned Marine aviator, astronaut and U.S. senator, John H. Glenn, Jr.  Family links:  Spouse:  Clara Theresa Sproat Glenn (1897 – 1971)* *Calculated relationship

Henry Warren “Hank” Hartsfield, Jr (1933 - 2014)

US Astronaut. During the course of his career at NASA, he logged roughly 483 hours in space and served as commander of the space shuttle Discovery’s maiden mission in 1984. Raised in Alabama, he received his bachelors degree in Physics from Auburn University in 1954 and continued his studies at Duke University. He later studied […]

Edward Higgins White, II (1930 - 1967)

Astronaut. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he was a Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, whom received flight training in Florida and Texas, following his graduation from West Point. He then spent 3-1/2 years in Germany with a fighter squadron, flying F-86’s and F-100’s. He was a Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, […]

Edward Galen Givens, Jr (1930 - 1967)

American Astronaut. Died in a car accident while returning home from a party. Conspiracy advocates claim he was “murdered,” but all inquires into the theory have proven baseless. (bio by: Brad Haines)  Family links:  Parents:  Edward Galen Givens (1904 – 1991)  Mary Helen Jarrell Givens (1909 – 2002)  Sibling:  Edward Galen Givens (1930 – 1967) […]

Clara Theresa Sproat Glenn (1897 - 1971)

Theodore Cordy “Teddy” Freeman (1930 - 1964)

Test Pilot, Astronaut. Born in Haverford, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1953 and became a Naval Aviator. After he graduated from both the Air Force’s Experimental Test Pilot and Aerospace Research Pilot Courses, he elected to serve with the US Air Force as a Captain. He logged more than 3,300 hours […]

John Michael “Mike” Lounge (1946 - 2011)

US Astronaut. A 1969 graduate of the US Naval Academy, he earned a degree in astrogeophysics from the University of Colorado in 1970. His nine-year service as a naval officer included 99 combat missions in Southeast Asia aboard the USS Enterprise. In 1978 he joined NASA as an engineer at the Johnson Space Center in […]

Theodore Cordy “Teddy” Freeman (1930 - 1964)

Test Pilot, Astronaut. Born in Haverford, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1953 and became a Naval Aviator. After he graduated from both the Air Force’s Experimental Test Pilot and Aerospace Research Pilot Courses, he elected to serve with the US Air Force as a Captain. He logged more than 3,300 hours […]

David McDowell Brown (1956 - 2003)

United States Astronaut. Born in Arlington, Virginia, he attended Eastern Virginia Medical School and joined the US Navy immediately after his internship in 1982. He served as director of medical services at Navy Branch Hospital in Adak, Alaska, became a naval aviator in Beeville, Texas in 1990 and was a US Navy Captain test pilot […]

John Leonard “Jack” Swigert, Jr (1931 - 1982)

Astronaut, US Congressman. Born John Leonard Swigert in Denver, Colorado, he served with the US Air Force as a fighter pilot 1953 to 1956 and with the Air National Guard 1957 to 1965. He held a position as engineering test pilot for North American Aviation, Inc. before joining NASA as an Astronaut in April 1966. […]

Laurel Blair Salton Clark (1961 - 2003)

United States Astronaut. Chosen as an astronaut in 1996, she was serving as a Mission Specialist on the United States Space Shuttle “Columbia” when on February 1, 2003 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later […]

Michael Philip Anderson (1959 - 2003)

United States Astronaut. 43 years old, and a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, he was chosen as an astronaut in 1994. He was a Payload Commander on the Space Shuttle Columbia. On February 1, 2003 NASA lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing […]

Gregory B. Jarvis (1944 - 1986)

Astronaut. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he entered active duty in the US Air Force in 1969 and was assigned to the Space Division in El Segundo, California. As a Communications Payload Engineer officer, he worked on advanced tactical communications satellites. After his discharge from the Air Force, he served in various spacecraft test and systems […]

Roger Bruce Chaffee (1935 - 1967)

Astronaut. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he was an engineer, Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy and a NASA Astronaut in the Apollo program. On January 27, 1967, during a training exercise and pre-launch test for the Apollo 1 mission, Chaffee was killed, along with Astronauts Edward White and Gus Grissom in a command module […]

James Benson Irwin (1930 - 1991)

Astronaut. After he graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1951, he joined the US Air Force, earned his pilot wings and became a flight instructor. After various services assigned to a top-secret test missions, he was accepted in the astronaut program in 1966. At NASA, he was put in charge of the testing program […]