Tom Stafford
Born 1930 · Age 95
American Air Force officer, test pilot, NASA astronaut; commander of Gemini 9A and Apollo 10; commander of the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project; later Air Force lieutenant general, advisor, author, and museum founder.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Weatherford, Oklahoma
Thomas Patten Stafford born to Dr. Thomas S. Stafford (dentist) and Mary Ellen Stafford (née Patten, former teacher).
First powered flight (Piper Cub)
Made his first flight at age 14 in a Piper Cub; childhood interest in aviation sparked by WWII-era aircraft nearby.
Father diagnosed with skin cancer
Thomas S. Stafford (father) was diagnosed with skin cancer.
Graduated Weatherford High School
Completed high school in Weatherford, Oklahoma; recruited to play football at University of Oklahoma with Navy ROTC scholarship.
Engaged to Faye Shoemaker
Became engaged to Faye Shoemaker while visiting home during his fourth year at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Graduated U.S. Naval Academy (BS, engineering with honors)
Graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering with honors; selected by lottery to join the U.S. Air Force upon graduation and commissioned as second lieutenant in USAF.
Married Faye Shoemaker
Married Faye Shoemaker in 1953; later had two daughters.
Graduated USAF pilot training
Completed pilot training and moved to F-86 Sabre training at Tyndall AFB.
Assigned to 54th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron
Flew F-86 Sabre for Arctic defense out of Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.
Assigned to 496th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, West Germany
Transferred to Hahn Air Base, West Germany flying F-86 interceptor missions and serving as assistant maintenance officer.
Co-wrote test pilot handbooks
Co-authored the Pilot's Handbook for Performance Flight Testing and the Aerodynamics Handbook for Performance Flight Testing while an instructor at Edwards.
Graduated USAF Experimental Test Pilot School (top of class)
Attended Edwards AFB Test Pilot School; finished first in his class and received the A. B. Honts Award; stayed on as instructor.
Accepted to Harvard Business School (briefly) / moved to Boston
Accepted at Harvard Business School in September 1962; three days after arrival he was selected to NASA Group 2.
Selected to NASA Astronaut Group 2
Chosen as one of nine in NASA's second astronaut class (the 'New Nine').
Agena target exploded (Gemini 6 primary target)
The Agena target vehicle intended for Gemini 6 exploded on ascent; mission reconfigured to Gemini 6A to rendezvous with Gemini 7.
Gemini 6A pad ignition abort
Gemini 6A experienced an immediate engine shutdown on ignition; crew did not eject; issue traced to electrical/fuel cap problem.
Launched on Gemini 6A (first rendezvous of two crewed vehicles)
Schirra and Stafford launched and rendezvoused with Gemini 7, coming within feet; crew played 'Jingle Bells' — first musical interlude in space.
Gemini 6A splashdown and recovery
Gemini 6A splashed down and was recovered by USS Wasp.
Received Harmon International Aviation Trophy
Awarded the Harmon Trophy recognizing achievements in aviation (date in text: 1966).
Elliot See and Charlie Bassett crash
Primary Gemini 9 crew died in T-38 crash; Stafford and Gene Cernan moved from backup to primary crew for Gemini 9A.
ATDA (Augmented Target Docking Adapter) launched as backup target
After a lost Agena, ATDA launched into orbit for Gemini 9A rendezvous; later its shroud partially failed to open.
Launched on Gemini 9A (commander)
Stafford commanded Gemini 9A with Gene Cernan; rendezvoused with ATDA but could not dock; Cernan's EVA aborted due to mobility/visor problems.
Gemini 9A splashdown and recovery
Gemini 9A landed and was recovered by USS Wasp after mission problems with ATDA and EVA.
Assigned as Apollo 10 commander (dress rehearsal for lunar landing)
NASA reassigned Stafford, John Young, and Gene Cernan as the primary crew for Apollo 10; Stafford helped design a color TV camera for the mission.
Set human speed record on Apollo 10 return
During Apollo 10 return, the capsule reached 24,791 mph, the fastest speed ever by humans.
Received AIAA Award and National Academy of Television Arts recognition
Received AIAA Award (1969) and TV Arts & Sciences Special Trustees Award related to Apollo-era contributions.
Launched Apollo 10 (commanded lunar-orbit 'dress rehearsal')
Apollo 10 launched; Stafford and Cernan flew the LM to within nine miles of the lunar surface (Snoopy) while Young remained in Charlie Brown command module.
Became Chief of the Astronaut Office
Replaced Alan Shepard in July 1969 as Chief of the Astronaut Office and oversaw crew assignments for Apollo and Skylab until July 1971.
Promoted to brigadier general (USAF)
Promoted to the rank of brigadier general in late 1972 and soon named commander of the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project (ASTP).
ASTP crew training began (US–Soviet cooperation)
ASTP training took place in both the U.S. and the USSR beginning in 1973; Stafford formed close ties with cosmonaut Alexei Leonov.
Appeared as himself in TV movie 'Houston, We've Got a Problem'
Played himself in a 1974 television production.
Became first general officer to fly in space
As a brigadier general during ASTP, Stafford became the first general officer to fly in space.
Received National Geographic Society's General Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy
Award recognizing significant achievement in the field of USAF space activities (1975).
Logged 507 hours of spaceflight (career milestone)
By end of his astronaut flights (including ASTP) Stafford had logged 507 hours in space (reported cumulative total).
Launched Apollo and Soyuz (ASTP launch)
Soyuz 19 launched July 15, 1975 at 12:20 UTC and Apollo launched at 19:50 UTC; the mission marked the first joint U.S.–Soviet space mission.
Apollo–Soyuz docked; historic handshake
Apollo and Soyuz docked on July 17, 1975; crews met, exchanged gifts, conducted joint experiments, and symbolized détente.
ASTP Apollo spacecraft landed / crew hospitalized
Apollo remained in orbit until July 24; on descent the command module filled with nitrogen tetroxide; crew hospitalized in Hawaii for edema from inhalation; Stafford assisted an unconscious crewmate.
Assumed command of Air Force Flight Test Center (Edwards AFB)
Took command of Edwards AFB Flight Test Center; oversaw USAF and NASA test facilities and ranges; flew many aircraft and foreign types.
Received Golden Plate Award & AIAA Octave Chanute Award
Multiple recognitions in 1976 for contributions to aeronautics and astronautics.
Promoted to lieutenant general; Deputy Chief of Staff, R&D & Acquisition
Promoted to lieutenant general in March 1978 and became Deputy Chief of Staff for Research Development and Acquisition at the Pentagon.
Seeded B-2 stealth bomber concept (hotel-stationery specs)
In early 1979 Stafford wrote specs on hotel stationery for an advanced stealth technology bomber (later B-2), and helped initiate competitions that led to stealth programs.
Founded consulting firm Stafford, Burke, and Hecker
Formed consulting firm with two retired USAF generals (Kelly H. Burke and Guy L. Hecker Jr.) to provide aerospace consulting.
Flew over 120 types of aircraft and three spacecraft
By retirement Stafford had flown more than 120 fixed-wing and rotary aircraft types and three types of spacecraft.
Received Society of Experimental Test Pilots James H. Doolittle Award
Recognized with the Doolittle Award in 1979 for contributions as a test pilot and leader.
Retired from USAF and NASA roles
Official retirement on November 1, 1979 after a distinguished military and astronaut career; logged over 500 hours in space and thousands of flight hours.
Served on corporate boards (Omega SA, Gibraltar Exploration, Gulfstream)
Post-retirement, Stafford took corporate board positions including Omega SA and Gulfstream Aerospace.
Chaired NASA 'Synthesis Committee' (Space Exploration Initiative)
In July 1990 Vice President Quayle and NASA Administrator Richard Truly asked Stafford to chair committee advising NASA on long-term lunar and Mars missions; produced plan for lunar missions in 2004 and Mars in 2012.
Advisor for Space Station Freedom / Shuttle–Mir
Became an advisor for Space Station Freedom and technical advisor for Shuttle–Mir missions STS-63 and STS-71 and review committee for Progress–Mir collision.
Founded Stafford Air & Space Museum (Weatherford, OK)
Stafford Air & Space Museum opened in his hometown; later grew to over 63,000 sq ft and became a Smithsonian affiliate housing unique artifacts including Gemini 6 spacecraft.
Awarded Congressional Space Medal of Honor
Received the U.S. Congressional Space Medal of Honor in recognition of his career contributions to spaceflight.
Portrayed in 'From the Earth to the Moon' miniseries
Played by Steve Hofvendahl in HBO's miniseries about Apollo.
Inducted into multiple aviation/space halls of fame (dates vary)
Inductee of National Aviation Hall of Fame, U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, International Air & Space Hall of Fame, Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame, International Space Hall of Fame.
Published autobiography 'We Have Capture'
Autobiography co-written with Michael Cassutt detailing his life and career was published in 2002.
Received Elmer A. Sperry Award
Awarded the Elmer A. Sperry Award recognizing contributions in transportation engineering.
Received Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy
Awarded the National Aeronautic Association Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.
Awarded Russian Medal 'For Merit in Space Exploration'
Presented the Russian Medal 'For Merit in Space Exploration' by President Dmitry Medvedev at the Moscow Kremlin.
Wrote epilogue for Al Worden's 'Falling to Earth' (2011 book)
Contributed the epilogue to Al Worden's 2011 book 'Falling to Earth'. (Published mention in later editions.)
Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Elected to the NAE in recognition of leadership in aerospace research, development and operations.
Depicted in Hydro, Oklahoma corn maze
Honored with a corn maze depiction visible from space.
Received General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award
Awarded the Space Foundation's General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award.
Eulogy at Alexei Leonov's funeral
Delivered a eulogy in Russian at the funeral of his longtime friend Alexei Leonov in October 2019.
Museum holdings and Smithsonian affiliation (ongoing growth)
Stafford Air & Space Museum grew to house key artifacts including test-fired US F-1 and Soviet NK-33 engines and the Gemini 6 spacecraft; museum is a Smithsonian affiliate.
Died in Satellite Beach, Florida
Died from liver cancer at a care home on March 18, 2024, at age 93.
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