Richard Gordon

Biography

Full Name: Richard Francis Gordon, Jr.
Born: October 5, 1929 in Seattle, Washington
Died: November 6, 2017
Joined NASA: October 17, 1963
Left NASA: January 1, 1972
Space Flights: 2
Time in Space: 13 days, 3 hours, 53 minutes
Number of EVA’s: 2
Total EVA Time: 2 hours, 41 minutes

MISSION ASSIGNMENTS

Gemini 8
Assignment: Back-up Pilot

Gemini 9A
Assignment: Capcom

Gemini 11
September 12-15, 1966
Assignment: Pilot
Flight Duration: 2 days, 23 hours, 17 minutes

Apollo 9
Assignment: Back-up Command Module Pilot & Capcom

Apollo 12
November 14-24, 1969
Assignment: Command Module Pilot
Flight Duration: 10 days, 4 hours, 36 minutes

Apollo 15
Assignment: Back-up Commander & Capcom

HIGHLIGHTS

B.Sc., Chemistry, University of Washington, 1951

Recieved Pilots Wings as a Naval Aviator in 1953.

Attended All Weather Flight School and was assigned to a fighter-attack squadron at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida.

1957, attended the US Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, Maryland serving as a flight test pilot until 1960.

From 1960 until selection by NASA, stationed at Miramar Naval Air Station in California.

In May 1961 Dick Gordon set a new transcontinental speed record, flying from Los Angeles to New York in 2 hours and 47 minutes.

September 12-15, 1966, flew as the Pilot of Gemini 11, establishing a new altitude record of 850 miles and performing 2 spacewalks.

November 14-24, 1969, flew as the CMP on Apollo 12, the second manned lunar landing.

Would have commanded Apollo 18 but left NASA shortly after Congressional budget cuts cancelled the mission.

1972, Executive Vice-President of the New Orleans Saints Football Club.

1977, General Manager of Energy Developers Limited.

1978, President, Resolution Engineering & Development Co.

1980, Vice-President of Operations, AMARCO.

1981-83, Director of Scott Science & Technology (founded by fellow astronaut David R. Scott).

March 1982, President of Astro Sciences Corp.

In the summer of 1984, served as technical advisor to the CBS mini-series “Space”, also playing the role of “Capcom”.

Later, President, J & L Information Systems.

Currently living in Sedona, Arizona.

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