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NAME: Russell L. Schweickart
NASA Astronaut (Former)
PERSONAL DATA: Born October 25, 1935, in Neptune, New Jersey. Married to the former Clare G. Whitfield of Atlanta, Georgia. They have five children. Recreational interests include camping, backpacking, hunting, and fishing.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Manasquan High School, New Jersey; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow of the American Astronautical Society; associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; and member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, the Explorers Club, and Sigma Xi.
SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1973), the Federation Aeronautique Internationale De La Vaulx Medal in 1970, and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Special Trustees Award for 1969.
EXPERIENCE: Schweickart served as a pilot in the United States Air Force and Air National Guard from 1956 to 1963.
He was a research scientist at the Experimental Astronomy Laboratory at MIT, and his work there involved research in upper atmospheric physics, star tracking, and stabilization of stellar images. His thesis for a Master's degree at MIT concerned stratospheric radiance.
He has logged 3,900 hours flight time--3,500 in jet aircraft.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Mr. Schweickart was one of fourteen astronauts named by NASA in October 1963.
He served as lunar module pilot for Apollo 9, March 3-13, 1969. This was the third manned flight in the Apollo series, the second to be launched by a Saturn V, and the first manned flight of the lunar module. With him on the flight into earth orbit were James A. McDivitt (spacecraft commander) and David R. Scott (command module pilot). Apollo 9 successfully accomplished an intensive five-day checkout operation with the lunar module--highlighted by a critical lunar-orbit rendezvous simulation and subsequent docking, initiated by McDivitt and Schweickart from within the lunar module at a separation distance which exceeded 100 miles from the command/service module piloted by Scott. During a 46-minute EVA, Schweickart evaluated external transfer capability, made photographs, and retrieved thermal samples from the lunar module exterior. Apollo 9 splashed down less than 4 miles from the helicopter carrier USS GUADALCANAL.
Completing his first space flight, Schweickart logged 241 hours in space.
Mr. Schweickart served as backup commander for the first Skylab mission and, in addition, was responsible for monitoring design/development efforts for the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM), and planning extravehicular activities to be used in Project Skylab. During the first Skylab mission (SL-1/SL-2), Mr. Schweickart was responsible for the development of hardware and procedures associated with erecting the solar shade and deploying the jammed solar array wing.
On May 1, 1974, Mr. Schweickart left the Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center for an assignment at Headquarters NASA in Washington, D.C. as Director of User Affairs in the Office of Applications. In this capacity he was directly responsible for establishing those relations with governmental and industrial organizations which facilitate the practical application of space technology in fields such as communications, meteorology, earth resources and space processing.
DECEMBER 1975
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