Stuart Roosa

Apollo 14 (1971 )

Stuart Allen " Stu " Roosa ( born August 16, 1933, Durango, Colorado, † December 12, 1994 in Falls Church, Virginia) was an American NASA astronaut. For Apollo 14, the sixth manned flight to the moon, he served as a pilot of the command module.

Life

After graduating from high school in Claremore, Oklahoma Roosa studied at Oklahoma State University and the University of Arizona. In 1953 he joined the United States Air Force. At the University of Colorado in 1960 Roosa earned his degree with honors Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering ( Aeronautical Engineering ). From 1962 to 1964 he served on various bases, among others as combat and test pilot. Throughout his service, he completed more than 5,500 flight hours. 1966 Roosa joined with the fifth group of astronauts in NASA. Following the Apollo program, he was assigned to the Space Shuttle program. After 1976, NASA and the Air Force with the rank of colonel left, he worked in various companies in leading positions and from 1981 until his death, owner and president of the company's Gulf Coast Coors, Inc. in Gulfport ( Mississippi). Roosa died on 12 December 1994, leaving behind a wife and four children. His grave is located on the Arlington National Cemetery.

Apollo

During the preparation phase of the Apollo flights Roosa led the April 5th to April 7, 1968, together with James Lovell and Charles Duke, a simulated ditching by where the astronauts drove in an Apollo capsule landing in the Gulf of Mexico about 48 hours.

1969 Roosa was a member of the support team (support crew ) for Apollo 9

He completed his only space flight from 31 January to 9 February 1971 as a pilot of the command module ( Kitty Hawk ) from Apollo 14 with Alan Shepard ( Commander ) and Edgar Mitchell (pilot of the lunar module Antares ). While Shepard and Mitchell were staying on the moon, Roosa remained alone in the command module in lunar orbit, where he carried out various photographically documented observations at this time.

For the missions Apollo 16 and Apollo 17 Roosa was as pilot of the command module in the reserve team.

Awards

Stuart Roosa received during his career as an astronaut, inter alia, the following awards:

NASA Distinguished Service Medal
JSC Superior Achievement Award
Air Force Command Pilot Astronaut Wings
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Arnold Air Society 's John F. Kennedy Award
City of New York Gold Medal
American Astronautical Society 's Flight Achievement Award