Richard Francis Gordon Jr.
Astronaut

Date of Birth: October 5, 1929
Place of Birth: Seattle, Washington
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.