David Scott
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| David Scott | |
|---|---|
 NASA · Public domain · source | |
| Name | David Scott |
| Caption | Scott in official NASA portrait |
| Birth name | David Randolph Scott |
| Birth date | 06 June 1932 |
| Birth place | San Antonio, Texas, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | United States Military Academy (BS), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS, Engineer's Degree) |
| Occupation | Test pilot, NASA astronaut |
| Rank | Brigadier General, United States Air Force |
| Selection | NASA Group 3 (1963) |
| Time | 22 days 18 hours 54 minutes |
| Mission | Gemini 8, Apollo 9, Apollo 15 |
| Insignia | 30px 30px 30px |
| Awards | NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Congressional Space Medal of Honor, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal |
David Scott. David Randolph Scott is an American former astronaut and brigadier general in the United States Air Force who became the seventh person to walk on the Moon. He served as command module pilot on Apollo 9 and commander of the landmark Apollo 15 mission, the first to utilize the Lunar Roving Vehicle. A member of NASA's third astronaut group, his career also included the pivotal Gemini 8 flight, where he performed the first successful docking in space under the command of Neil Armstrong.
Early life and education
Born in San Antonio, Texas, he was the son of United States Air Force officer and World War II fighter pilot Tom W. Scott. He spent part of his youth at various United States Air Force bases, including Clark Air Base in the Philippines. Scott attended Western High School in Washington, D.C. before receiving an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated fifth in his class in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned into the United States Air Force. He later earned both a Master of Science degree and an Engineer's Degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962.
NASA career
Selected as part of NASA Astronaut Group 3 in 1963, his first spaceflight was as pilot on Gemini 8 in 1966 alongside commander Neil Armstrong. The mission achieved the first successful docking with an Agena target vehicle, but was aborted early after a critical thruster malfunction. He served as command module pilot on Apollo 9 in 1969, a crucial Earth-orbit test of the complete Apollo spacecraft, including the Lunar Module. During this mission, he conducted an extensive solo flight in the Command Module while crewmates James McDivitt and Rusty Schweickart tested the Lunar Module.
Apollo 15 mission
As commander of Apollo 15 in 1971, he led the first of the advanced "J-missions," which featured extended lunar surface operations. He and lunar module pilot James Irwin landed at the Hadley–Apennine region near the Hadley Rille. They were the first crew to use the Lunar Roving Vehicle, greatly expanding their geological exploration range. Scott performed three moonwalks, including the famous "Hammer and feather drop" demonstration of Galileo's theory of gravity. The mission returned the iconic "Genesis Rock" and over 170 pounds of lunar samples. The crew's return to Earth was marred by a controversy involving unauthorized postal covers, later known as the "Apollo 15 postal covers incident."
Post-NASA career and legacy
He retired from both NASA and the United States Air Force in 1975. He later worked in the private sector and served as a consultant for various film and television projects, including advising on the movie *Apollo 13*. With co-author Alexei Leonov, the first person to conduct a spacewalk, he wrote the book *Two Sides of the Moon*. He has received numerous honors, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and induction into the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame. His spacesuit is displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C..
Personal life
He was married to Lurton Scott (née Ann Lurton Ott) from 1959 until her death in 2020; they had two children. He is an avid art collector and has expressed a deep interest in the works of Vincent van Gogh. Following his space career, he has resided in Los Angeles, California, and remains a prominent speaker on space exploration and history.
Category:American astronauts Category:Apollo astronauts Category:United States Air Force officers Category:Moonwalkers Category:1932 births Category:Living people