Wally Funk is a flight instructor and member of the Mercury 13 — a group of 13 women who underwent the same physiological screenings as the Mercury 7 astronauts. She recently flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital launch vehicle.
Wally Funk is a flight instructor and member of the Mercury 13 — a group of 13 women who underwent the same physiological screenings as the Mercury 7 astronauts. She recently flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital launch vehicle.
Huy Tran is the director of aeronautics at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California, managing research and technology development for advanced air traffic management tools, advanced aircraft design and analysis, and aviation safety technology.
Charles Howell was an electronics specialist in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War before utilizing those skills years later at NASA Langley Research Center as a flight test systems engineer.
While at school at CalTech, Kevin Noertker worked on projects at NASA. Upon graduation, Kevin began working at Northrop Grumman, focusing on stealth aviation technology. Later, Kevin founded Ampaire Inc., a company that makes hybrid-electric aircraft
Franklin Sykes, EAA 293292, served in the U.S. Army in the 1950s before becoming a mechanical engineer and working at places such as Convair and Pratt & Whitney — using his engineering skills on both the Apollo and space shuttle programs.
Mike Melvill, EAA Lifetime 53387, was Scaled Composites’ lead test pilot for many years and in 2004 became the world’s first commercial astronaut, piloting SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space.
Mary "Wally" Funk became the first female air safety investigator, first female civilian flight instructor, and was one of the Mercury 13 women who trained for the possibility of space flight.
"Hoot" has served as a naval aviator, test pilot, engineer, and astronaut in the shuttle program. He also is a regular at the Reno Air Races.
General Joe Engle is an astronaut who has his roots in homebuilding. His career spans the X-15, Apollo, and the Space Shuttle missions.
Jeanie Engle started out her NASA career as an intern and worked her way up to one of the most prestigious positions at NASA headquarters.
Gene Kranz is perhaps the most well known figure of Mission Control. His handling of some of NASA's most difficult and demanding situations has earned him a place in the history books.
Col. Frank Borman is one of this nation's pioneer astronauts. The missions he was a part of paved the way to the moon landings.
Bradley Flick is the Director for Research and Engineering at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Clayton Turner is the director of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, leading a group of NASA scientists and engineers that perform advanced aeronautical and aerospace research for the agency.
Jay Apt is a Ph.D. physicist and NASA astronaut that flew on four space shuttle missions from 1991 to 1996. During STS-79 in 1996, Jay visited the Russian Mir space station.
Wally Funk is a woman who accomplished many firsts. She was one of the Mercury 13, which investigated if women could serve as astronauts.
Mike Melvill first met Burt Rutan at Oshkosh in 1971 when he purchased plans for a Rutan VariViggen. He and his wife Sally moved to Mojave in 1978 and began working for Burt, first at the Rutan Aircraft Factory and later at Scaled Composites.
Richard Manley worked at North American Aviation from 1962 to 1970. He was a test technician on inertial guidance systems for the first three years before joining the Space Division and working on the Apollo space capsules.
Col. Frank Borman was an Air Force fighter pilot, test pilot, and then astronaut. He would fly on Gemini and Apollo missions and would serve as mission commander on the famous and historic Apollo 8 mission around the moon in 1968.
