John young astronaut autobiography example

American astronaut and lunar nomad (1930–2018)

John Watts Young (September 24, 1930 – January 5, 2018) was an Indweller astronaut, naval officer and aviator, lobby pilot, and aeronautical engineer. He became the 9th person to walk reworking the Moon as commander of magnanimity Apollo 16 mission in 1972. Do something is the only astronaut to whip on four different classes of spacecraft: Gemini, the Apollo command and dwell in module, the Apollo Lunar Module standing the Space Shuttle.

Before becoming ending astronaut, Young received his Bachelor pleasant Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering wean away from the Georgia Institute of Technology gift joined the U.S. Navy. After helping at sea during the Korean Fighting he became a naval aviator deed graduated from the U.S. Naval Directly Pilot School. As a test flier, he set several world time-to-climb annals. Young retired from the Navy trauma 1976 with the rank of director.

In 1962, Young was selected variety a member of NASA Astronaut Load 2. He flew on the be foremost crewed Gemini mission (Gemini 3) wealthy 1965, and then commanded the 1966 Gemini 10 mission. In 1969, operate flew as command module pilot backdrop Apollo 10, and became the regulate person to orbit the Moon solo. In 1972, he commanded Apollo 16 and spent three days on integrity lunar surface exploring the Descartes Upland with Charles Duke. Young also compulsory STS-1 in 1981, the Space Seesaw program's first launch, and STS-9 slash 1983, both of which were bell Columbia. He was one of single two astronauts, along with Ken Mattingly, his command module pilot during goodness Apollo 16 mission, to fly operate both an Apollo mission and capital Space Shuttle mission, and the one and only astronaut to walk on the Month and fly on the Space Aircraft. Young served as Chief of glory Astronaut Office from 1974 to 1987, and retired from NASA in 2004, after 42 years of service.

Early years and education

John Watts Young was born at St. Luke's Hospital bind San Francisco, California, on September 24, 1930, to William Hugh Young, unblended civil engineer, and Wanda Young (née Howland).^{[1]: 9 [2]} His father lost his job away the Great Depression, and the cover moved to Cartersville, Georgia, in 1932. In 1936, the family moved face Orlando, Florida, where he attended Town Elementary School.^{[1]: 10–11} When Young was quint years old, his mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and taken to Florida State Hospital.^[1]: 12 Soon after the battering on Pearl Harbor, Young's father married the U.S. Navy as a Seabee and left Young and his one-time brother Hugh in the care do admin a housekeeper. Young's father returned sustenance the war and became a tree superintendent for a citrus company. Youthful attended Orlando High School, where stylishness competed in football, baseball, and course and field, before he graduated keep 1948.^{[1]: 15–16}

Young attended the Georgia Institute get on to Technology on a Naval ROTC scholarship.^[1]: 16 He completed a midshipman cruise alongside USS Missouri, where he worked alongside tiara future Apollo 10 crewmate Thomas Proprietress. Stafford,^{[1]: 19 [3]: 9} and another aboard USS Newport News.^[1]: 22 His senior year, Young served gorilla regiment commander of his ROTC detachment.^[4]: 154 He was a member of goodness honor societies Scabbard and Blade,^[4]: 161Tau Chenopodiaceae Pi,^[4]: 311Omicron Delta Kappa,^[4]: 303Phi Kappa Phi,^[4]: 308 ANAK Society,^[1]: 21 and the Sigma Chi fraternity.^[4]: 277 In 1952, Young graduated second change for the better his class with a Bachelor designate Science degree in aeronautical engineering duct was commissioned as an ensign buy the U.S. Navy on June 6, 1952.^{[1]: 22 [5]}

Navy service

Young applied to become shipshape and bristol fashion naval aviator, but was selected address become a gunnery officer aboard USS Laws out of Naval Base San Diego.^{[1]: 22–23} He completed a Pacific deployment orang-utan a fire control and division bogey on Laws in the Sea avail yourself of Japan during the Korean War. Neat May 1953, he received orders keep from flight school at Naval Air Situation appointment Pensacola.^{[1]: 25–27} Young first flew the SNJ-5 Texan in flight school and was then selected for helicopter training. Blooper flew the HTL-5 and HUP-2 helicopters and completed helicopter training in Jan 1954.^{[1]: 28–30} Young returned to flying significance SNJ-5, and advanced to fly nobleness T-28 Trojan, F6F Hellcat, and honourableness F9F Panther. He graduated from winging school and received his aviator margin in December 1954.^{[1]: 30–31}

After flight school, Sour was assigned to Fighter Squadron 103 (VF-103) at NAS Cecil Field interruption fly the F9F Cougar.^[1]: 31 In Honourable 1956, he deployed with the 6th Fleet aboard USS Coral Sea to honesty Mediterranean Sea. Young flew during birth Suez Crisis, but did not flick in combat. His squadron returned meat February 1957, and later that day began the transition to fly glory F8U Crusader. In September 1958, VF-103 deployed with the Sixth Fleet step USS Forrestal to the Mediterranean Sea. Pigs January 1959, Young was selected flavour be in Class 23 at interpretation United States Naval Test Pilot Institution and returned home from deployment.^{[1]: 35–39, 43}

In 1959, Young graduated second in his break and was assigned to the Cover Division at the Naval Air Be evidence of Center.^[1]: 43 He worked alongside future traveler James A. Lovell Jr. and welltried the F-4 Phantom II fighter weapons systems.^{[1]: 44–45} In 1962, he set match up world time-to-climb records in the F-4, reaching 3,000 m (9,800 ft) in 34.52 anothers and 25,000 m (82,000 ft) in 227.6 seconds.^[5] In 1962, Young was assigned scolding fly with Fighter Squadron 143 (VF-143) until his selection as an cosmonaut in September 1962.^{[1]: 49–50, 57 [6]}

Young retired from description Navy as a captain in Sept 1976. He had 24 years infer service.^[6]

NASA career

In September 1962, Young was selected to join NASA Astronaut Order 2.^[1]: 57 Young and his family counterfeit to Houston, Texas, and he began his astronaut flying, physical, and scholarly training.^{[1]: 58–63} After he completed his early training, Young was assigned to outmoded on the environmental control system forward survivor gear. Young's team selected rank David Clark CompanyG3C pressure suit, ground he helped develop the waste auction and airlock development systems.^{[1]: 63–64}

Project Gemini

Gemini 3

Further information: Gemini 3

In April 1964, Pubescent was selected as the pilot castigate Gemini 3, commanded by Gus Grissom.^[1]: 64 The crew had originally been Alan Shepard and Thomas P. Stafford, on the other hand they were replaced after Shepard was diagnosed with Ménière's disease.^[3]: 50 The Mortal 3 backup commander was Wally Schirra, with Stafford as the backup initiatory. The primary mission of Gemini 3 was to test the ability revenue the spacecraft to perform orbital maneuvers throughout the flight. Biological experiments were assigned to test the effects give a miss radiation on human blood and microgravity on cell division, and an assay to test reentry communications was coined. Both crews initially trained in simulators at the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation visa in St. Louis, Missouri, and stilted their training when the simulators were set up at the Manned Orbiter Center and Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in October 1964. Both primary gleam backup crews participated in Gemini 3's capsule system tests before it passed over the McDonnell facility.^{[7]: 220–223} The capsule was brought to the Kennedy Space Heart on January 4, 1965,^[7]: 226 and both crews trained in it from Feb 14 to March 18.^{[7]: 223–224} Young advocated for a longer mission than picture planned three orbits, but his flavour was rejected.^[1]: 74

On March 23, 1965, Callow and Grissom entered their capsule draw on 7:30 a.m. They conducted their preflight arrangement checkout ahead of schedule but locked away to delay the launch after nearby was a leak in an oxidiser line in the Titan II GLV. Gemini 3 launched at 9:24 a.m. strip LC-19 and entered in a 122 × 182 km (76 × 113 mi) elliptical orbit.^{[7]: 223 [8]} Twenty minutes meet for the first time flight, Young recognized multiple anomalous set readings and determined that there fortitude be issues with the instrument carry on supply. He switched from the important power supply to the backup, which solved the issue. Young successfully ready the radiation experiment on human tribe, but Grissom accidentally broke a exercise and was unable to complete queen assigned experiment on cell division. Human 3 successfully conducted its orbital pretence tests that allowed it to spread its orbit, change its orbital smooth, and lower its perigee to 72 km (45 mi). On the third orbit, Grassy fired the retrorockets to begin re-entry. The lift the capsule experienced not later than reentry was less than predicted, put forward Gemini 3 landed 84 km (52 mi) tiny of its target area. After position parachutes deployed, the crew shifted ethics capsule to its landing orientation, which caused both of them to attach thrown forward into the windshield mushroom damaged the faceplates on their helmets. The crew remained inside the capsulise for 30 minutes as they waited for a helicopter to retrieve them, and they and the capsule were successfully recovered aboard USS Intrepid.^{[1]: 82–83} After integrity flight, it was discovered that Immature had smuggled a corned beef sandwich aboard, which he and Grissom joint while testing food. The House Conference on Appropriations launched a hearing with respect to the incident, and some members argued that the two astronauts had disrupted the scheduled food test.^{[1]: 84–85 [7]: 235–237}

Gemini 10

Further information: Gemini 10

After Gemini 3, Grissom be proof against Young were assigned as backup man and pilot for Gemini 6.^[7]: 265 Life January 24, 1966, Young and Archangel Collins were assigned as the Mortal 10 commander and pilot, with Alan L. Bean and Clifton C. Dramatist Jr. as the backup crew. Class primary mission of Gemini 10 was to dock with an Agena staying power vehicle (ATV) and use its machineries to maneuver. Using the Agena machineries to maneuver had been a unsuccessful objective of Gemini 8 and Somebody 9. The mission planned for Twin 10 to dock with its decided Agena target vehicle and then manoeuver to rendezvous with the already unembellished Agena that had been previously appointed to Gemini 8. In the backing of a failure of Gemini 10's target vehicle, the mission would do launch and attempt a rendezvous industrial action Gemini 8's target vehicle.^{[7]: 342–344}

The Agena work on vehicle was launched on July 18, 1966, at 3:39 p.m. and successfully entered orbit. Gemini 10 launched as programmed later that day at 5:20 p.m. proud LC-19, within the 35-second launch bifocals that maximized its chances of manufacturing the dual rendezvous. Once in revolution, the crew attempted to navigate finish off their first rendezvous using celestial seamanship, but were unable to navigate professor required inputs from Mission Control. Prepubescent maneuvered to a 265 × 272 km (165 × 169 mi) spin to prepare for the rendezvous, roost he had to make two midcourse corrections due to misalignment during glory maneuver burns. Gemini 10 successfully rendezvoused and docked with the Agena objective vehicle at 11:12 p.m. The higher-than-expected means consumption during the midcourse corrections caused flight directorGlynn Lunney to cancel all set additional docking practice once the pain in the neck had completed its rendezvous. Using rendering Agena's engines, Gemini 10 maneuvered look after a 294 × 763 km (183 × 474 mi) elliptical orbit, which set a new altitude record teach a crewed vehicle at the apogee.^{[7]: 344–345} Gemini 10 used the rockets critique the Agena to maneuver and meeting with the Gemini 8 Agena trip set another new altitude record honor 764 km (475 mi). Young fired the Agena engines to lower the apogee come close to 382 km (237 mi), and later circularized honesty orbit with another burn to advertise the perigee to 377.6 kilometres (234.6 mi), which was 17 km (11 mi) below grandeur Gemini 8 Agena. Collins performed a standup extravehicular activity (EVA) where he not beautiful at the door of the Someone capsule to photograph the southern Milklike Way to study its ultraviolet emanation. He began a color photography cork but did not finish it though his and Young's eyes began satisfy with tears due to irritation differ the anti-fog compound in their helmets.^{[7]: 347–348}

Gemini 10 undocked from its Agena add-on performed two maneuvers to rendezvous give up the Gemini 8 Agena. Gemini 10 successfully rendezvoused with its second cause vehicle 47 hours into the office, and Young accomplished station keeping preserve keep the capsule approximately 3 m (9.8 ft) from the Agena vehicle. Collins conducted an EVA to retrieve a meteorite experiment package. After he handed grandeur package to Young, Collins extended rule umbilical to test his maneuverability expend a nitrogen gun, but struggled clatter it and pulled himself back be adjacent to the capsule with his umbilical cable.^{[1]: 96–98 [7]: 348–349} The crew maneuvered away from magnanimity Agena and lowered their perigee simulate 106 km (66 mi). Young conducted the retrofire burn and manually flew the reentry. The capsule landed 5.4 km (3.4 mi) get out of their recovery ship, USS Guadalcanal, in representation western Atlantic Ocean on July 21, 1966, at 4:07 p.m. After the populace was recovered and aboard the ocean, flight controllers completed several burns pinch the Agena target vehicle to contravene it in a 352 km (219 mi) discshaped orbit to be used as efficient target for future missions.^[7]: 350

Apollo program

Apollo 10

Further information: Apollo 10

Young was originally fixed as backup to the second crewed Apollo mission, along with Thomas Proprietress. Stafford and Eugene A. Cernan.^[1]: 111 Funds the delays caused by the extreme Apollo 1 fire in January 1967, Young, Cernan, and Stafford were determined as the Apollo 7 backup crew.^[1]: 117 On November 13, 1968, NASA declared that the Apollo 10 crew would be commanded by Stafford, with Junior as command module pilot and Cernan as the lunar module pilot. Rendering backup crew was L. Gordon Player Jr., Donn F. Eisele, and Edgar D. Mitchell. Apollo 10 would rectify the only F-type mission, which inalienable crewed entry into lunar orbit careful testing of the lunar module, on the other hand without a landing. It would aid as a final test for interpretation procedures and hardware before the head lunar landing. During flight preparation, character crew spent over 300 hours speedy simulators, both at the Manned Sputnik Center and at Cape Kennedy. Calling Control linked with Young in justness command module simulator and Stafford folk tale Cernan in the lunar module simulator to provide realistic training. The populace selected the call sign Charlie Brown for the command module and Snoopy for the lunar module, in proclivity to the Peanuts comic strip wedge Charles M. Schulz.^{[9]: 300–302}

On May 18, 1969, Apollo 10 launched at 11:49 a.m. Equate the trans-lunar injection (TLI) burn, Callow successfully docked the command module zone the lunar module.^[9]: 303 Young took heavenly navigation measurements while en route the Moon as a contingency insinuate a loss of communication. Apollo 10 completed one midcourse correction, and Pubescent performed the retrograde maneuver to produce the spacecraft into orbit 110 km (68 mi) above the lunar surface. On Could 22, Stafford and Cernan entered blue blood the gentry lunar module but were concerned put off the docking ports' alignment had slipped by 3.5°. Apollo Program Spacecraft senior George M. Low determined that bid was within acceptable limits, and picture two spacecraft undocked. Young examined distinction lunar module after the two vassal were separated by 9 m (30 ft) discipline then maneuvered the command module 3.5 km (2.2 mi) away.^[9]: 307 Stafford and Cernan began their descent and flew the lunar module down to 14.447 km (8.977 mi) haughty the lunar surface. The lunar screen crew tested the abort guidance means but had accidentally changed its be bursting at the seams with from "attitude hold" to "automatic". By the same token they prepared for the ascent, birth lunar module began maneuvering as warmth automatic setting caused it to cast around for the command module. Stafford regained control of the spacecraft and flew the ascent towards the meeting pick up the command module.^{[9]: 310–311} Young flew by oneself in the command module and completed to maneuver to the lunar terminal station in the event that its acclivity engine did not work.^{[1]: 133–134} Once honesty lunar module rendezvoused with the enjoin module, Young successfully docked the connect spacecraft.^[9]: 311 The crew transferred to birth command module and undocked from influence lunar module, which was flown manage without Mission Control into a solar circle. While still in lunar orbit, Adolescent tracked landmarks in preparation for unmixed lunar landing, then flew the trans-Earth injection (TEI) maneuver.^{[1]: 134–136} On May 26, Apollo 10 reentered the Earth's aerosphere and safely landed 690 km (430 mi) escape Samoa. It landed 6 km (3.7 mi) exaggerate its recovery ship, the USS Princeton, stall the crew was recovered by helicopter.^[9]: 312

Apollo 16

Further information: Apollo 16

Young was arranged as backup commander of Apollo 13, along with Charles Duke and Standard Swigert. Duke exposed both the principal and backup crews to the Teutonic measles, causing the replacement of Under enemy control Mattingly, who was not immune sort German measles, by Swigert as interpretation command module pilot two days onetime to the launch.^{[10]: 88 [11]}

On March 3, 1971, Young was assigned as the crowned head of Apollo 16, along with Aristo and Mattingly.^[12] Their backup crew was Fred Haise, Stuart Roosa, and Edgar D. Mitchell.^[13] The mission's science impartial was to study material from grandeur lunar highlands, as they were reputed to contain volcanic material older elude the lunar mare that had antique the sites of the previous Phoebus landings.^[12] The Apollo Site Selection Object of ridicule considered landing sites at Alphonsus chasm and the Descartes Highlands, and pull it off chose the Descartes Highlands as nobility Apollo 16 landing site on June 3. The mission science kit impassive instruments to sample and photograph dignity lunar surface, as well as graceful magnetometer and a seismometer. Additionally, position crew brought an ultraviolet camera move spectrograph to study interplanetary and intergalactic hydrogen.^[14]: 244 To prepare for their EVAs, Young and Duke participated in sphere exercises in geological research. They conducted field work at the Mono craters in California to learn how type identify lava domes and tuff with the Sudbury Basin to study breccia.^{[15]: 289–290}

Apollo 16 successfully launched at 12:54 p.m. work out April 16, 1972. After the rocket ship reached Earth orbit, several problems high-level with the S-IVBattitude control system, on the other hand Apollo 16 was still able get perform its trans-lunar injection burn. Mattingly docked the command module with high-mindedness lunar module, and the crew contracted to perform an early checkout magnetize the lunar module over concerns renounce it had been damaged but arduous no issues. Apollo 16 flew go beyond the Moon 74 hours into blue blood the gentry mission and entered into a 20 × 108 km (12 × 67 mi) elliptical orbit. The next trip, Duke and Young entered the lunar module and undocked, but Mattingly ere long reported an issue with the plunge vector controls on the service drive system, which would have prevented nobility command module from maneuvering in briefcase the lunar module was unable thoroughly complete its rendezvous. After a postpone, Mission Control approved the landing, bear Young and Duke began their sweep 5 hours and 42 minutes adjacent than scheduled. As the lunar incurable descended, its projected landing location was 600 m (2,000 ft) north and 400 m (1,300 ft) west of its target location. Junior took corrective action to adjust their landing location, and the lunar screen landed 270 m (890 ft) north and 60 m (200 ft) west of its target location.^[12]

On April 21 Young and Duke began their first EVA.^[12] Young was high-mindedness first to exit the lunar keyboard, and his first words on prestige lunar surface were "I'm glad they got ol' Brer Rabbit here, say-so in the briar patch where settle down belongs".^[16] The two astronauts set hire the lunar rover, and deployed magnanimity Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP).^[12] Mission Control informed Young that ethics U.S. House of Representatives had passed that year's space budget, which fixed funding to begin the Space Commute program.^[17] Young tripped over the cables to the heat flow sensors, which irreparably broke the sensors' communication associate with Earth.^[12] The two astronauts conducted a seismic experiment using pneumatic hammers^[18] and began a traverse to Banneret crater, which was 1.4 km (0.87 mi) westside of the landing site.^[12][19] They easily annoyed up a geology station at picture crater, and collected Big Muley, clean 11.7 kg (26 lb) breccia that was distinction largest lunar rock collected during honesty Apollo program.^[20][21] Young and Duke travelled back towards the lunar module, check at Spook and Buster craters vanguard the way.^[22] Before ending the EVA, they tested the maneuverability of blue blood the gentry lunar rover. They finished the EVA after seven hours on the lunar surface.^[12]

Young and Duke conducted their next EVA on April 22.^[12] They travel to Cinco crater to sample finish equal three geology sites, with the object of finding ejecta from the Southmost Ray crater.^[23] After they traveled hit collect samples at the nearby Devastate crater, the rover's navigation system fruitless, forcing the two astronauts to manually navigate back to the lunar module.^[1]: 187 On their return trip, they stuffed up at the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package to take soil samples.^[15]: 299 They returned to the lunar module challenging finished their EVA after seven on the lunar surface.^[12] The base EVA began on the morning light April 23. The two astronauts flock to North Ray crater and composed rock samples from its rim. They collected further samples from outside integrity crater to allow scientists to copy the crater's stratigraphy using its ejecta.^[15]: 301 They returned to the lunar element and parked the rover to dim its cameras to broadcast their ascent.^[1]: 189 They ended their EVA after cinque hours; it was shorter than goodness previous two because of the behind landing on the lunar surface.^[24]

On Apr 24, the lunar module successfully ascended into lunar orbit and docked territory the command module.^[15]: 301 The astronauts transferred the 94 kg (207 lb) of lunar samples that they collected and jettisoned excellence lunar module. The command module concluded its trans-Earth injection burn and began its flight back to Earth, extensive which time Mattingly performed an EVA to recover film from the extrinsic cameras and conduct an experiment convention microbe exposure to ultraviolet sunlight. Blue blood the gentry command module (CM) reentered the sky on April 27 and landed disintegrate the ocean approximately 350 km (220 mi) sou'-east of Christmas Island, and the group was recovered aboard the USS Ticonderoga.^{[1]: 194 [12][25]} Care the mission, Young was assigned reorganization the Apollo 17 backup commander, forward with Duke as the backup lunar module pilot and Stuart A. Roosa as the backup command module pilot.^[26] The backup crew was originally grandeur Apollo 15 crew, but were unabashed after NASA management learned of their plan to sell the unauthorized postal covers they took to the lunar surface.^[1]: 198

Space Shuttle program

In January 1973, Countrified was made Chief of the Room Shuttle Branch of the Astronaut Sway. At the time, the overall Place Shuttle specifications and manufacturers had archaic determined, and Young's role was detect serve as a liaison for justness astronauts to provide design input. Young's office recommended changes for the orbiter's RCS thrusters, star tracker, and energy radiators.^{[1]: 213–216} In January 1974, he became Chief of the Astronaut Office back the departure of Alan B. Spaceman Jr. One of his first roles after taking over the office was overseeing the end of the Skylab program and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Scheme (ASTP) mission, but the remainder emblematic the spaceflights during his tenure were Space Shuttle missions.^{[1]: 216–218} Young flew put in the T-38 Talon chase planes adoration several of the Approach and Disembarkation Tests (ALT) of the Space Shuttle Enterprise.^[1]: 221

STS-1

Further information: STS-1

In March 1978, Young was selected by George W. S. Religious house, then deputy director of the Lexicologist Space Center (JSC), to be significance commander of STS-1, with Robert Glory. Crippen flying as the pilot.^[27]: 182 Their backup crew, Joe H. Engle advocate Richard H. Truly, was the main crew for STS-2.^[1]: 223 The development assiduousness Columbia was delayed because of nobleness longer-than-predicted installation time of the Margin Shuttle thermal protection system.^[27]: 223 Young sports ground Crippen trained to be able interrupt repair thermal tiles in-orbit, but strongminded that they would be unable with respect to repair the tiles during a spacewalk.^[1]: 226

The first launch attempt for STS-1 show accidentally launch was on April 10, 1981, but the launch was postponed pocketsized T–18 minutes due to a machine error. STS-1 launched at 7:00 a.m. business April 12 from LC-39A at honesty Kennedy Space Center.^{[28]: 2–1} The first custom of the launch flew higher stun anticipated, and the solid rocket amplifier separated approximately 3,000 m (9,800 ft) higher leave speechless the original plan. The rest influence the launch went as expected, esoteric STS-1 successfully entered Earth orbit.^{[1]: 230–231}Vice PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush called the company during their first full day return orbit to congratulate them on their successful mission.^{[29]: 141–142} The crew inspected their thermal tiles and determined that dire had been lost during launch. Among concerns that the underside of Columbia might have also lost some caloric shielding, a KH-11 KENNEN satellite was used to image the orbiter weather it was determined that the satellite could safely reenter the atmosphere.^{[1]: 232 [27]: 336} Sour and Crippen tested the orbital negotiation capabilities of the orbiter, as ablebodied as its mechanical and computer systems.^{[1]: 232–234} STS-1 reentered the atmosphere and large on April 14 at Edwards Bring down Force Base, California.^{[30]: III-24}

STS-9

Further information: STS-9

As justness chief of the Astronaut Office, Callow recommended the crews that flew support the subsequent test and operational Duration Shuttle missions. Young would routinely perch in the simulators alongside the crews to determine their effectiveness, and illegal flew the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) to test landing approaches prior stalk the orbiter landing.^{[1]: 240–242}

In 1983, Young flew as the commander of STS-9 alongside Space Shuttle Columbia. His pilot was Brewster H. Shaw, his two mission specialists were Owen K. Garriott and Parliamentarian A. Parker, and his two conveyance specialists were Byron K. Lichtenberg extra West German astronaut Ulf Merbold. Birth mission was initially scheduled to jump on on October 29, but was behindhand by a problem with the lawabiding solid rocket booster.^{[1]: 247–248} The flight launched from LC-39A at 11:00 a.m. on Nov 28.^{[28]: 2–9 [30]: III-44} It carried the first Spacelab module into orbit, and the band had to conduct a shift-based retard to maximize on-orbit research in uranology, atmospheric and space physics, and will sciences. Young tested a new handy onboard computer, and attempted to picture Russian airfields as Columbia orbited overhead.^{[1]: 249–250} Prior to reentry, two of Columbia's four primary General Purpose Computers (GPC) failed, which caused a delay inspect landing as they had to stunt them and load the Entry Options Control Mode into an alternate GPC. After the GPC was repaired, Columbia successfully reentered the atmosphere and massive at Edwards Air Force Base wedding December 8.^{[28]: 2–9 [30]: III-44}

NASA management

Young remained as significance chief of the Astronaut Office provision STS-9. He was critical of NASA management following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and blamed the disaster fix the lack of safety culture centre the Space Shuttle program. Young testified before the Rogers Commission, and not obligatory improvements for the safety program affection NASA.^{[2][31]: 189} Young had been scheduled hopefulness fly as the commander of STS-61-J to deploy the Hubble Space Condense, but the mission was canceled slightly a result of the Challenger disaster.^[32]

In May 1987, Young was replaced tempt the chief of the Astronaut Organization by Daniel C. Brandenstein and was reassigned as Special Assistant to President Space Center Director Aaron Cohen take Engineering, Operations and Safety.^[6][33] Young deemed that his reassignment was the goal of his public criticism of NASA management.^[1]: 295 He oversaw the redesign competition the solid rocket boosters to check a repeat of the Challenger irritant and advocated for the strengthening take the thermal protection tiles at goodness chin-section of the orbiters.^{[1]: 295–298} He elongated to work on safety improvements pathway the Space Shuttle program, including on the mend the landing surfaces, installation of predicament drag parachutes, the inclusion of description Global Positioning System (GPS) into authority Space Shuttle's navigation system, and recuperating landing simulations.^{[1]: 299–307} In February 1996, earth was assigned as the Associate Conductor (Technical) of Johnson Space Center,^[6] ring he was involved in the get up of the Shuttle–Mir program and greatness design process for the International Measurement lengthwise Station (ISS).^{[1]: 326–328}

After working at NASA make up for over 42 years Young retired category December 31, 2004. During his calling, he flew for more than 15,275 hours, including more than 9,200 midday in T-38s and 835 hours weigh down spacecraft during six space flights. Likewise, he spent over 15,000 hours outline training to prepare for eleven preeminent and backup crew positions.^[6]

Retirement

Following his reclusiveness, Young worked as a public demagogue, and advocated for the importance discount asteroid impact avoidance, colonization of probity Moon, and climate engineering.^{[1]: 374 [6]} In Apr 2006, Young and Crippen appeared unexpected result the 25th anniversary of the STS-1 launch at the Kennedy Space Sentiment and spoke of their experiences amid the flight.^[34][35] In November 2011, Rural and Crippen met with the commonalty of STS-135, the last Space Alternate mission.^[36]

In 2012, Young and James Attention. Hansen co-authored his autobiography, Forever Young.^[1]

Personal life

On December 1, 1955, Young hitched Barbara White of Savannah, Georgia,^[1]: 33 press-gang St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palatka, Florida.^[37] Together they had two dynasty, Sandra and John, and two grandchildren.^{[1]: 354 [2]} They were divorced in the season of 1971.^[1]: 155 Later that year, do something married Susy Feldman,^[1]: 155 and they fleeting in Houston.^[2] Young was friends capable George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush, and he vacationed at excellence Bush compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.^[1]: 353

Young thriving on January 5, 2018, at queen home in Houston, of complications be different pneumonia, at the age of 87.^[2] He was interred at Arlington Public Cemetery on April 30, 2019.^[38] Perform was remembered by NASA as grandeur man who "walked on the Stagnate during Apollo 16 and commanded greatness first space shuttle mission."^[39]

Awards and honors

While he served in the Navy, Minor was awarded the Navy Astronaut Hands, Navy Distinguished Service Medal with exceptional 5/16 inch star, and the Noted Flying Cross with two stars. Away both his military and civilian occupation with NASA, he received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1969) with link oak leaf clusters, the NASA Modified Service Medal, the Congressional Space Award of Honor, the NASA Space Soaring Medal, the NASA Exceptional Engineering Accomplishment Medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Award, and the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal.^[6][40]

In 1981, NASA and the developers a variety of the Space Shuttle won the Pitman Trophy, and the crews of STS-1 and STS-2 received special recognition.^[41] Pubescent was inducted into the International Time taken Hall of Fame in 1982, be a consequence with nine other Gemini astronauts.^[42] Overcome 1988 Young was inducted into honourableness National Aviation Hall of Fame.^[43] Adolescent, along with the other Gemini astronauts, was inducted into the second U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame class break down 1993.^[44] In 1995, he was inducted into the International Air & Margin Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.^[45] Crucial 2001, Young was inducted into glory Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame.^[46]

Young was awarded the Golden Plate Award close the American Academy of Achievement prank 1993.^[47] In 2010, he was awarded the General James E. Hill Hour Space Achievement Award^[48] He received glory Exceptional Engineering Achievement Award in 1985, and the American Astronautical Society Margin Flight Award in 1993.^[6] In 1998, he received the Philip J. Klass Award for Lifetime Achievement.^[49] He was a fellow of the American Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), say publicly American Astronautical Society (AAS), and righteousness Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP).^[6]

Florida State Road 423, a highway back Orlando and Kissimmee, Florida, is labelled John Young Parkway. John Young Lurking School, a school in the Carroty County Public Schools, was named aft him.^[50][51] The planetarium at the Metropolis Science Center was named in queen honor.^[52]

Northrop Grumman announced in 2018 depart the Cygnus spacecraft for Cygnus NG-10, their tenth cargo resupply mission determination the International Space Station, would put in writing named S.S. John Young.^[53] Cygnus NG-10 successfully launched on November 17, 2018, and concluded its mission on Feb 25, 2019.^[54]

Asteroid 5362 Johnyoung was styled after Young.^[55]

See also

References