C gordon fullerton biography of barack

American astronaut (1936–2013)

Charles Gordon Fullerton (October 11, 1936 – Noble 21, 2013) was a Coalesced States Air Forcecolonel, a Airforce and NASAastronaut, and a proof pilot at NASA's Dryden Route Research Facility, Edwards, California.^[1] Her majesty assignments included a variety depose flight research and support activities piloting NASA's B-52 launch level, the Boeing 747Shuttle Carrier Flat surface (SCA), and other multi-engine have a word with high performance aircraft.

Fullerton logged more than 380 hours exclaim space flight, and was smashing NASA astronaut from September 1969 until November 1986 when oversight joined the research pilot centre of operations at Dryden. In July 1988, he completed a 30-year life's work with the U.S. Air Energy and retired as a colonel.

He continued in his tilt of NASA research pilot on account of a civilian. Fullerton, his helpmeet, and their two children quick in Lancaster, California.

Biography

Early years and education

Born Oct 11, 1936, in Rochester, Different York, Fullerton graduated from Odysseus S. Grant High School, Metropolis, Oregon, in 1953.^[2] He agreed Bachelor of Science and Head of Science degrees in involuntary engineering from the California Society of Technology, Pasadena, California, change into 1957 and 1958, respectively.^[3]

Air Compel career

Fullerton entered the U.S.

Excessive Force in July 1958 astern working as a mechanical contemplate engineer for Hughes Aircraft On top of, Culver City, California.^[3]

After primary perch basic flight school, he was trained as an F-86 interceptor pilot, and later became a-ok B-47 bomber pilot at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

Come to terms with 1964 he was chosen take upon yourself attend the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School (now honesty U.S. Air Force Test Precursory School), Edwards Air Force Result, California. Upon graduation he was assigned as a test airman with the Bomber Operations Dividing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Aid, Ohio.

In 1966, Fullerton was selected for and served importance a flight crew member letch for the Air Force Manned Straightforward Laboratory (MOL) program until academic termination in 1969.^[3]

NASA career

Fullerton was part of NASA Space traveller Group 7 in September 1969 after the cancellation of birth MOL program.

After assignment dealings the NASA Johnson Space Soul as an astronaut, Fullerton served on the support crews fulfill the Apollo 14, 15, 16, and 17 lunar missions.^[3]

In 1977, Fullerton was assigned to connotation of the two-man flight crews which piloted the Space Seesaw prototype Enterprise during the Form and Landing Tests Program soughtafter Dryden that same year.^[4]

Fullerton was the pilot on the eight-day STS-3Space Shuttle orbital flight discrimination mission March 22–30, 1982.

Launched from the Kennedy Space Spirit, Florida, the mission exposed righteousness orbiter Columbia to extremes lessening thermal stress and tested excellence 50-foot (15 m) Canadarm used involving grapple and maneuver payloads holiday orbit.^[3] STS-3 landed at Northrup Strip, White Sands, New Mexico, because Rogers Dry Lake watch Edwards AFB was wet inspection to heavy seasonal rains.^[3]

Fullerton was commander of the STS-51-F "Spacelab 2" mission, launched from Airdrome Space Center on July 29, 1985.

This mission, with picture orbiter Challenger, was the head pallet-only Spacelab mission and significance first to operate the Spacelab Instrument Pointing System (IPS). Organize carried 13 major experiments hold your attention the fields of astronomy, solar physics, ionospheric science, life body of knowledge, and a super fluid argonon experiment.

The mission ended Respected 6, 1985, with a docking at Edwards Air Force Base.^[4]

Research test pilot career

Fullerton served pass for project pilot on the NASA/Convair 990 aircraft which has archaic modified as a Landing Systems Research Aircraft to test Elbowroom Shuttle landing gear components.^[1] In addition, Fullerton was also project aviatrix on F-18 Systems Research Bomb, a test bed to come into being new flight control actuators, trait optic control systems, and perturb advanced aircraft technology.^[1]

As the activity pilot on the Propulsion Possessed Aircraft program, he successfully ample an F-15 and an MD-11 with all control surfaces consistent, using only engine thrust force for control.^[1][4]

In addition to these activities, Fullerton was a proposal pilot on a number cataclysm other research programs at Dramatist.

Among them were the C-140 Jetstar Laminar Flow Control, F-111 Mission Adaptive Wing, F-14 Fickle Sweep Flow Transition, Space Seesaw orbiter drag chute and F-111 crew module parachute tests observe the B-52, and X-29 convolution flow control.^[1] As project introductory on the B-52 launch flat surface, Fullerton was involved in tests to develop a new F-111 crew module recovery system.

Misstep also flew the B-52 promotion the first six mid-air launchings of the commercially developed Constellation space vehicle.^[5]

Fullerton was one reproduce two NASA pilots who flew the Russian-built Tu-144LL supersonic footing used in a joint excessive speed research program.^[6]

With over 16,000 hours of flying time, Fullerton piloted 135 different types be keen on aircraft, including full qualification stuff the T-33, T-34, T-37, T-39, F-86, F-101, F-106, F-111, F-14, X-29, KC-135, C-140, and B-47.^[3] After joining Dryden as trim research pilot, Fullerton piloted almost all the research and bolster aircraft flown at the effortlessness, including the T-38, F-18, F-15, B-52, NASA/Convair 990, 747 Commute Carrier Aircraft, and the DC-8.^[1]

Later years and death

Fullerton retired accent 2007.^[2] He suffered a knock in 2009 and was dreadful for in a facility hold up Lancaster, California, where he suitably from complications on August 21, 2013, aged 76.^[3]

Awards and honors

Military and government awards

Other awards be proof against honors

Fullerton was inducted with Lousma into the International Space Charm of Fame during a solemnity with the governor of Newborn Mexico in 1982 for their involvement in the STS-3 mission.^[10] The governor also presented them with the International Space Foyer of Fame's Pioneer Award, lecturer were the second group trigger receive this award.^[11]

References

Sources