Former NASA astronaut and space shuttle commander Alan Dex Poindexter died while on vacation with his family on July 1 in Pensacola, Fla. A veteran of two spaceflights, Poindexter spent a total of 28 days in space.
“Alan and I joined the astronaut corps in 1998 and flew together on STS-122, which was truly an incredible experience” said NASA Associate Administrator for Education and former astronaut Leland Melvin. “He was a passionate, caring and selfless individual who will be missed by all.”
“We in the astronaut family have lost not only a dear friend, but also a patriot of the United States” said Peggy Whitson, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston”. “He proudly served his country for 26 years as a fighter pilot, test pilot, astronaut and commander of a space shuttle. I am proud to have both flown in space and worked with him for so many years. Dex will be deeply missed by those of us at Johnson and the entire NASA family”.
Poindexter earned an undergraduate degree with highest honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and a graduate degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. He was selected as an astronaut candidate in June 1998 and served in the Astronaut Office, Shuttle Operations Branch at Johnson as the lead support astronaut for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He also served as a spacecraft communicator or CAPCOM, for multiple missions.
“Dex was a wonderful human being and a pleasure to have in the astronaut office” said Janet Kavandi fellow astronaut and Director of Flight Crew Operations.
Poindexter retired from NASA and the astronaut corps in 2010 and returned to serve in the United States Navy as Dean of Students at the Naval Postgraduate School.
Keywords – Former NASA astronaut died on July 1, Poindexter, United States Navy, spacecraft communicator, Astronaut Office, Leland Melvin, veteran of two spaceflights.
No comments:
Post a Comment