![Thomas P. Stafford-NASA Photo](staffordnasa.jpg)
Apollo Commander, Astronaut
Thomas P. Stafford (in foreground) and Soyuz Commander, Cosmonaut
Alexei A. Leonov make their historic handshake in space during
the joint Russian / American docking mission known as the
ASTP, or Apollo Soyuz Test Project. The handshake took place
after the hatch to the Universal Docking Adapter (UDA) was
opened. Stafford is inside the UDA and Leonov is inside the
Soyuz. The UDA was a specially designed docking module that
was built by the United States that enabled the two spacecraft
to link-up. It was attached to the Apollo Command Module during
rendezvous and docking maneuvers. Once docking was complete,
the module was pressurized. |
THOMAS P. STAFFORD, LIEUTENANT GENERAL,
USAF (RET.)
NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)
PERSONAL DATA: Born September 17, 1930, in Weatherford,
Oklahoma. Married to the former Linda Ann Dishman of Chelsea, Oklahoma.
First marriage was to the former Faye L. Shoemaker of Weatherford,
Oklahoma. They have two daughters, Dionne Kay and Karin Elaine and
a grandson. Recreational interests include hunting, scuba diving,
fishing and deep sea fishing and swimming.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Weatherford High School,
Weatherford, Oklahoma; received a Bachelor of Science degree from
the United States Naval Academy in 1952. In addition, General Stafford
is the recipient of several honorary degrees. These include a doctorate
of laws from the University of Cordoba, Argentina, a doctorate of
humane letters, University of Oklahoma and a masters of humane letters,
Southwestern University, Weatherford, Oklahoma; a doctorate of science
from Oklahoma City University; a doctorate of laws, Western State
University, Los Angeles California; doctorate of communications, Emerson
College, Boston, Massachusetts; a doctorate of aeronautical engineering,
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, and
a doctorate of humanities, Oklahoma Christian College, Edmond, Oklahoma.
ORGANIZATION: Fellow of the American Astronautical
Society, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Society
of Experimental Test Pilots, and a member of the Masonic Lodge.
SPECIAL HONORS: NASA Distinguished Service Medals
(2), NASA Exceptional Service Medals (2), Air Force Distinguished
Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Distinguished Flying
Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force
Command Pilot Astronaut Wings. Other awards include the American Institute
of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Chanute Flight Award, the Veterans
of Foreign Wars National Space Award, National Geographic Society's
General Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy, Federation Aeronautique
Internationale Gold Space Medal. In 1966, he was co-recipient of the
IAAA Award. He was honored with the Harmon International Aviation
Trophy in 1966 and 1976. In 1969 he received the National Academy
of Television Arts and Sciences Special Trustees Award and in 1978
the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Kitty Hawk Sands of Time
Award; received the Society of Experimental Test Pilots James H. Doolittle
Award for Management, September 1979, October 1979, received the NASA
Medal for outstanding leadership, one of the Agency's highest awards.
In 1993 General Stafford was the eighth recipient of the Congressional
Space Medal of Honor. He was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame
and received the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement (RNASA).
In 1994, NASA recognized his tremendous efforts and presented him
with the NASA Public Service Award for the Hubble Telescope Service
and Repair Mission. General Stafford was inducted into the Oklahoma
Commerce and Industry Hall of Honor in October 1994, and to the National
Aviation Hall of Fame and the Aerospace Walk of Honor in 1997.
EXPERIENCE: General Stafford graduated with honors
in 1952 from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, and was
commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He
received his pilot wings at Connally AFB, Waco, Texas, in September
1953. He completed advanced interceptor training and was assigned
to the 54th Flight Interceptor Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City,
South Dakota. In December 1955 he was assigned to the 496th Fighter
Interceptor Squadron, Hahn Air Base, Germany, where he performed the
duties of pilot, flight leader, and flight test maintenance office,
flying F-86Ds. He was an instructor in
flight test training and specialized academic subjects-establishing
basic textbooks and directing the writing of flight test manuals
for use by the staff and students. He is co-author of the Pilot's
Handbook for Performance Flight Testing and the Aerodynamics Handbook
for Performance Flight Testing.
General Stafford was selected among the second
group of astronauts in September 1962 by the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) to participate in Projects Gemini
and Apollo. In December 1965, he piloted Gemini VI the first rendezvous
in space, and helped develop techniques to prove the basic theory
and practicality of space rendezvous. In June 1966 he commanded
Gemini IX and performed a demonstration of an early rendezvous that
would be used in Apollo;the first optical rendezvous; and a lunar
orbit abort rendezvous From August 1966 to October 1968 he headed
the mission planning analysis and software development responsibilities
for the astronaut group for Project Apollo
General Stafford was the lead member of the group,
which helped formulate the sequence of missions leading to the first
lunar landing mission. He demonstrated and implemented the theory
of a pilot manually flying the Saturn booster into orbit and the
translunar injection maneuver.
General Stafford was commander of Apollo 10 in
May 1969, first flight of the lunar module to the moon, performed
the first rendezvous around the Moon, and performed the entire lunar
landing mission except the actual landing.
He also made reconnaissance and tracking on future
Apollo landing sites. General Stafford was cited in the Guiness
Book of World Records for highest speed ever attained by man which
occurred during Apollo 10 reentry when the spacecraft attained 24,791
statute miles per hour.
He was assigned as head of the astronaut group
in June 1969, responsible for the selection of flight crews for
projects Apollo and Skylab. He reviewed and monitored flight crew
training status reports, and was responsible for coordination, scheduling,
and control of all activities involving NASA astronauts.
In June 1971, General Stafford was assigned as
Deputy Director of Flight Crew Operations at the NASA Manned Spaceflight
Center. He was responsible for assisting the director in planning
and implementation of programs for the astronaut group, the Aircraft
Operations, Flight Crew Integration, Flight Crew Procedures, and
Crew Simulation and Training Divisions.
He logged his fourth space flight as Apollo commander
of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission, July 15-24, 1975-a
joint space flight culminating in the historic first meeting in
space between American Astronauts and Soviet Cosmonauts.
General Stafford was the first member of his Naval
Academy Class of 1952 to pin on the first, second and third stars
of a General Officer. He has flown six rendezvous in space; logged
507 hours and 43 minutes in space flight and wore the Air Force
command Pilot Astronaut Wings. He has flown over 127 different type
of aircraft and helicopters and four different types of spacecraft.
General Stafford assumed command of the Air Force
Flight Test Center November 4, 1975. He was promoted to the grade
of Major General August 9, 1975, with date of rank of June 1, 1973.
Promoted to grade of Lieutenant General on March
15, 1978 and on May 1, 1978, assumed duties as Deputy Chief of Staff,
Research Development and Acquisition, Headquarters USAF, Washington,
D.C.; retired in November 1979.
In June of 1990, Vice President Quayle and Admiral
Richard Truly, then NASA Administrator, asked General Stafford to
Chair a team to independently advise NASA how to carry out President
Bush's vision of returning to the Moon, this time to stay, and then
go on to explore Mars. General Stafford assembled teams of 40 full-time
and 150 part-time members from the DOD, DOE and NASA, and completed
the study called "America at the Threshold", a road map
for the next 30 years of the U.S. Manned Space Flight Program. General
Stafford and Vice President Quayle held a joint Press Conference
at the White House in June 1991 to announce the recommendations
to the public.
He co-founded the Technical Consulting Firm of
Stafford, Burke, and Hecker, Inc. in Alexandria, Virginia. He sits
on the Board of Directors of six corporations listed on the New
York Stock Exchange, one listed on the American Exchange, and two
others, including Seagate Technology, Inc. Seagate Technology is
the largest independent hard disk drive maker in the world. He has
served as an advisor to a number of governmental agencies including
NASA and the Air Force Systems Command. He was a defense advisor
to Ronald Reagan during the presidential campaign and a member of
the Reagan transition team. He served on the National Research Council's
Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board; the Committee on NASA Scientific
and Technological Program Reviews and Vice President Quayle's Space
Policy Advisory Council. He was Chairman of the NASA Advisory Council
Task Force on Shuttle-Mir Rendezvous and Docking Missions, and the
NASA Advisory Council Task Force on ISS Operational Readiness.
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