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| Don Lind | |
|---|---|
| Name | Don Lind |
| Birth date | March 18, 1930 |
| Birth place | Canton, Ohio |
| Death date | January 30, 2024 |
| Death place | Tampa, Florida |
| Nationality | United States |
| Occupation | Astronaut, physicist, naval aviator, test pilot |
| Alma mater | University of Kansas |
Don Lind was an American astronaut, physicist, and veteran aviator who served with NASA during the Apollo and Space Shuttle eras. He had a lengthy career spanning service as a United States Navy aviator, assignments with the United States Air Force, scientific research in astrophysics, and a late-career spaceflight on STS-51-B. Lind contributed to lunar science planning, payload development, and astronaut training across multiple decades.
Born in Canton, Ohio, Lind moved with his family to Kansas where he attended Topeka High School and later matriculated at the University of Kansas. At Kansas he earned bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in physics, studying topics connected to solar physics and cosmic rays. While a student he worked with faculty involved in space science initiatives and participated in research linked to observatories such as the Mount Wilson Observatory and collaborations with scientists from Harvard University and the California Institute of Technology. His doctoral work intersected with programs funded by agencies including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Office of Naval Research.
After university Lind entered military service, qualifying as a naval aviator with training at Naval Air Station Pensacola and advanced instruction at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. He flew carrier-based aircraft and took part in operations related to the Korean War era training pipeline, working alongside squadrons affiliated with United States Pacific Fleet units. Later he attended Empire Test Pilots' School-style courses and transitioned into assignments that brought him into contact with Air Force test programs, including aircraft evaluations influenced by manufacturers such as Grumman Corporation, McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed Corporation, and North American Aviation. Lind's flight experience included instrument proficiency, carrier qualifications, and test-profile missions that interfaced with groups at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and research centers like the Aerospace Research Laboratories.
Selected as part of a cohort of scientist-astronaut candidates, Lind joined NASA during the buildup to the Apollo program and was assigned to support planning for lunar surface experiments, orbital science payloads, and extravehicular activity protocols. He worked in divisions connected to mission planning for Apollo 11, Apollo 12, and subsequent lunar missions, liaising with teams at Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, and the Ames Research Center. Lind contributed to payload development with contractors including Rockwell International and McDonnell Douglas Astronautics and coordinated with investigators from institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, California Institute of Technology, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
After decades in support roles, crew reshuffles, and shuttle program planning, Lind flew as a mission specialist on STS-51-B aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, participating in experiments from the Spacelab pallet focused on materials science, life sciences, and astrophysics. On STS-51-B he worked alongside crewmates from United States Air Force payload teams, international investigators from European Space Agency, and representatives of industrial partners like IBM and Honeywell. The mission docked in orbit for microgravity operations that informed later programs such as International Space Station research and supported instruments proposed for missions like Hubble Space Telescope servicing and Mars Observer-era planning.
Following his flight Lind remained active in veteran astronaut associations, advising on policy at forums hosted by Smithsonian Institution museums, participating in panels at conferences organized by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and engaging with educational outreach at universities including University of Kansas, Arizona State University, and Florida State University. He collaborated with institutions such as National Air and Space Museum and contributed oral histories and technical briefings archived by organizations like the NASA History Division and the National Archives and Records Administration. Lind also engaged in consultancies with aerospace firms including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and smaller suppliers involved in Space Shuttle hardware and satellite instrumentation.
Throughout retirement he appeared at commemorations for programs such as Project Mercury, Gemini program, and the Skylab missions, often joining figures from the eras like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, John Glenn, and others in public events and symposiums. He received recognition from professional societies including the American Astronomical Society and alumni honors from the University of Kansas and local civic awards from communities in Kansas and Florida.
Lind married and raised a family, maintaining ties to hometown institutions including Kansas State Historical Society and regional museums. His scientific and flight archives are held in collections associated with Smithsonian Institution Archives and university special collections that document participation in programs like Apollo Applications Program and Space Shuttle Program. His work helped bridge earlier lunar science planning with later microgravity research that influenced projects such as the International Space Station and ground-based laboratories at National Laboratory partnerships. Lind's legacy endures in archival materials, oral histories, and the scientific literature produced through collaborations with researchers at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, and academic departments across the United States.
Category:American astronauts Category:United States Navy officers Category:University of Kansas alumni