Joe H. Engle

Joe H. Engle. Joe Henry Engle is a retired United States Air Force officer, test pilot, and former NASA astronaut. He is renowned for being the only person to have flown into space aboard two different winged vehicles, having piloted both the North American X-15 rocket plane and the Space Shuttle. Engle's career bridges the gap between the pioneering era of high-speed flight and the operational period of the Space Shuttle program.

Early life and education

Joe Henry Engle was born on August 26, 1932, in Dickinson County, Kansas. He developed an early interest in aviation, which led him to attend the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. At the university, he enrolled in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program and graduated in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering. His academic and flight training during this period laid the foundation for his future career as a military test pilot and astronaut.

Military career

Upon graduation, Engle was commissioned into the United States Air Force. He completed pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma and later flew the North American F-100 Super Sabre with the 474th Fighter Day Wing. Seeking to advance his skills, he attended the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California, graduating in 1962. His exceptional performance as a test pilot at Edwards led to his selection for the United States Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School and involvement in testing advanced aircraft like the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.

NASA career

Engle was selected by NASA as part of NASA Astronaut Group 5 in April 1966. He served as a member of the support crew for the Apollo 10 mission and was the backup Lunar Module pilot for Apollo 14. He was deeply involved in the development and testing of the Space Shuttle, serving as commander for several critical approach and landing test flights aboard the Space Shuttle Enterprise in 1977. These tests validated the shuttle's aerodynamic and handling qualities in the atmosphere, a crucial step before orbital missions.

Spaceflight experience

Engle's spaceflight experience is unique in aviation history. As a NASA research pilot, he flew the North American X-15 rocket plane on 16 flights, three of which exceeded the Kármán line—the international boundary of space. This included X-15 Flight 138 on June 29, 1965, making him an astronaut before joining NASA. He later commanded two Space Shuttle missions. STS-2 in 1981, aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, was the second orbital test flight of the program. He also commanded STS-51-I in 1985, a successful mission that deployed three communications satellites and performed the on-orbit repair of the Syncom IV-3 satellite.

Later life and legacy

After retiring from NASA and the United States Air Force with the rank of brigadier general in 1986, Engle remained active in aviation and aerospace circles. He has served on various advisory boards and has been honored with numerous awards, including the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio. His legacy is that of a pioneering pilot who uniquely operated spacecraft from the X-15 to the Space Shuttle, embodying the transition from experimental rocket planes to reusable orbital spacecraft. Category:American astronauts Category:United States Air Force generals Category:Test pilots