Robert L. Crippen
| Robert L. Crippen | |
|---|---|
 |
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| USAF / NASA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | American |
| Status | Retired |
| Born |
September 11, 1937 Beaumont, Texas, U.S. |
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Other names
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Robert Laurel Crippen |
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Other occupation
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Naval aviator, test pilot |
| UT, B.S. 1960 | |
| Rank | Captain, USN |
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Time in space
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23d 13h 46m |
| Selection |
1966 USAF MOL Group 2 1969 NASA Group 7 |
| Missions | STS-1, STS-7, STS-41-C, STS-41-G |
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Mission insignia
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| Awards |
  
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Robert Laurel "Bob" Crippen (born September 11, 1937), (Capt, USN, Ret.), is a retired American naval officer and aviator, test pilot, aerospace engineer, and former astronaut for the United States Department of Defense and for NASA. He was the Pilot of the first Space Shuttle flight and flew three more missions as Commander. Crippen received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Crippen was born September 11, 1937, in Beaumont, Texas. After graduating from New Caney High School in New Caney, Texas in 1955, Crippen received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1960. He was selected as a member of the Texas Alpha chapter of Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Gamma Tau.
Crippen was commissioned through the United States Navy's Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) Program at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. He continued his flight training at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Florida, and went from there to Naval Air Station Chase Field in Beeville, Texas, where he received his wings. As a Naval Aviator from June 1962 to November 1964, he made two deployments aboard the aircraft carrier USS Independence, flying the A-4 Skyhawk in Attack Squadron 72 (VA-72). He later attended the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Upon graduation he remained at Edwards as an instructor until he was picked for the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) spaceflight program in October 1966.
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