Joe Engle
- STS -2 ( 1981)
- STS -51 -I ( 1985)
Joe Henry Engle ( born August 26, 1932 in Chapman, Kansas, United States) is a former American astronaut.
Engle is married and the father of two grown children. He is still an avid flyer today.
Start of career
Engle grew up in a rural area in the state of Kansas. After leaving school he studied aeronautics and aerospace engineering at the University of Kansas. After his graduation in 1955, he was trained in the Air Force as an officer. In 1957 he began his pilot training and then served on the George Air Force Base in California. On the Edwards Air Force Base, he trained as a test pilot. From June 1963 he was involved in the testing of experimental aircraft X-15. In three of his 15 flights with this rocket-powered aircraft he reached a height of more than 50 miles ( 80 kilometers ). He was regarded by the Air Force definition already as an astronaut when he was selected in 1966 to the fifth group of NASA astronauts.
Astronauts activity
In 1966, the Gemini program was already in full swing. The new astronauts were therefore equal allocated to the Apollo program.
2TV -1
Engle was one of the three astronauts who are one of the most important tests of the new Apollo spacecraft conducted in the summer of 1968, which should make its practicality test. Along with Joe Kerwin and Vance Brand Engle should undergo the spaceship a long term test of one week in a vacuum chamber. For the launch of Apollo 7, a positive result of this test was imperative. As of June 16, 1968 spent Kerwin, fire and Engle seven days of the Apollo Command Module 2TV -1, which corresponded to that of Apollo 7, but was not suitable for spaceflight. Except for the lack of gravity, this test was a realistic simulation of an Apollo mission in Earth orbit.
Apollo 10 (support team)
In November 1968 Engle support crew of Apollo 10 was assigned. During the flight in May 1969, he worked as a speaker connection ( Capcom ).
Apollo 14 ( backup)
On 6 August 1969, shortly after the successful moon landing by Apollo 11 Engle was nominated as a replacement for Ed Mitchell, pilot of the lunar module of Apollo 14. Also still belonged Commander Eugene Cernan as a substitute for Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and Ron Evans as a pilot of the Apollo command module for this backup crew.
It was actually considered to be the replacement to step in Engle, as Ed Mitchell during the mission planned experiments on psychic phenomena. In order not to separate the experienced team has been waived this change. Mitchell's private experiments have not produced useful results.
Apollo 17 ( replaced)
On August 13, 1971, shortly after the flight of Apollo 15, NASA announced the crew for the Apollo 17 mission. As scheduled, the backup crew of Apollo 14 on the series would have to rise to the main team. So the nomination of Eugene Cernan was no surprise as commander and Ron Evans as a pilot of the Apollo Command Module. Instead Joe Engle, however, Harrison was 15 assigned as pilot of the Lunar Module "Jack" Schmitt from the backup crew of Apollo. Schmitt was one of the science astronauts, NASA had selected in 1965, and none of them even come to use. Under pressure from the NASA scientists Schmitt was given preference over Engle. Was at this time the flights of Apollo 18 and Apollo 19 were already deleted, so clear that Apollo 17 for a long time should be the last flight to the moon.
Preparation of Space Shuttle Flights
After a flight to the moon just missed Engle still remained at NASA. He did not participate in the project of the American space station Skylab or Apollo -Soyuz project. Rather, he dealt immediately with the shuttle program. Here he was able to bring his experience on the flights with the X- 15, which had penetrated even into space, and then as the shuttle landed unpowered.
He was commander of one of the two teams that the behavior of the space shuttles examined during the landing approach in the context of the ALT program ( Approach and Landing Tests ) from February to November 1977.
STS -1 ( backup)
The first flight of the shuttle STS -1, he was commander of the reserve team.
STS -2
On November 12, 1981, after 16 years of waiting, he started as commander of STS -2 to its first orbital flight. Engle was the sixth and last NASA astronaut, the same was given command of a multi-person spacecraft during the first flight. Richard Truly accompanied him as a pilot on this flight with Columbia. It was the first manned flight in which the spacecraft was re- used.
Designed and cut to five days mission was shortened by almost three days because one of the three fuel cells for the production of energy and drinking water to precipitate. Nevertheless, 90 % of the planned program were completed. For the first time the Canadian manipulator in its various modes has been successfully tested. With the payload in the cargo bay of the shuttle exploration of mineral resources, the climate, the ocean and the weather were carried out.
After his first space flight Engle worked for some time in the management of NASA. After a few months, but he was again put in the status of an active astronauts and was preparing for his second space flight before.
STS -51 -I
With the space shuttle Discovery, he started on 27 August 1985 as commander of mission STS -51 -I. It was the 20th Space Shuttle mission and the sixth flight of Space Shuttle Discovery. The five -man crew brought three communications satellites into orbit. In addition, a suspended with the mission STS -51- D defective satellite was captured, repaired and exposed again. These outboard works of eleven hours and 27 minutes duration were necessary.
Joe Engle was involved in the investigation to the Challenger disaster in 1986. He served as a consultant for NASA until well into the 1990s.
Honors
For his participation in the X-15 project, he was in 1964 awarded the USAF Astronaut Wings. A selection of other honors:
- USAF Distinguished Flying Cross (1964 and 1978 )
- AIAA Pioneer of Flight Award ( 1965)
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal o NASA Special Achievement Award
- AIAA Haley Space Flight Award for 1980
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- Kansan of the Year, 1981
- USAF Distinguished Service Medal
In 2000, Joe Engle was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
The 1991 discovered asteroid ( 8028 ) Joeengle was named after him.