Bob Springer | |
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| Born | Robert Clyde Springer (1942-05-21)May 21, 1942 (age 83) |
| Education | United States Naval Academy (BS) Naval Postgraduate School (MS) |
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Colonel,USMC |
Time in space | 9d 21h 32m |
| Selection | NASA Group 9 (1980) |
| Missions | STS-29 STS-38 |
Mission insignia |   |
Robert Clyde Springer (born May 21, 1942[1]) is a retired Americanastronaut andtest pilot who flew as amission specialist on twoNASASpace Shuttle missions in 1989 and 1990. A decoratedaviator in theUnited States Marine Corps, Springer also flew more than 500combat sorties during theVietnam War. He has logged over 237 hours inspace and 4,500 hours flying time, including 3,500 hours injet aircraft.[1]
Springer was born May 21, 1942, inSt. Louis, Missouri. He was active in theBoy Scouts of America where he achieved its second-highest rank,Life Scout. He graduated fromAshland High School inAshland, Ohio in 1960. He received acommission in the U.S. Marine Corps following his 1964 graduation from theUnited States Naval Academy inAnnapolis, Maryland with aBachelor of Science degree in Naval Science. Springer attendedThe Basic School atMarine Corps Base Quantico,Virginia before reporting to theNaval Air Training Command for flight training atPensacola, Florida andBeeville, Texas.
Upon receiving hisaviatorwings in August 1966, he was assigned toVMFA-513 at theMarine Corps Air Station Cherry Point,North Carolina. There Springer flewF-4 Phantom IIfighters. He was subsequently assigned toVMFA-115 atChu Lai inSouth Vietnam, where he completed 300 F-4 combat missions. In June 1968, Springer served as an advisor to theSouth Korean Marine Corps units in Vietnam and flew 250combat missions inO-1 Bird Dogs andUH-1 Iroquois "Huey"helicopters.
Springer returned to the United States to attend the U.S.Naval Postgraduate School inMonterey, California, receiving aMaster of Science degree inOperations Research andSystems Analysis in 1971. In March 1971 he was assigned to the3rd Marine Aircraft Wing atMCAS El Toro,California, where he became Wing operations analysis officer.
He flew UH-1Es in 1972 while withHML-267 atCamp Pendleton, California and then went toOkinawa in Japan to fly UH-1Es withHML-367,1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Springer flew F-4 Phantom II fighters as an aircraft maintenance officer withVMFA-451 inBeaufort, South Carolina and also attended what was then calledNavy Fighter Weapons School ("TOPGUN").
A 1975 graduate of theU.S. Naval Test Pilot School atNAS Patuxent River,Maryland, he served as Head of the Ordnance Systems branch and as a test pilot for more than 20 different types of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. In this capacity, he performed the first flights in theAH-1T helicopter. He graduated from theArmed Forces Staff College inNorfolk, Virginia in 1978, and was assigned to Headquarters Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, where he assumed responsibility for joint operational planning for Marine Forces inNATO and theMiddle East. He was serving as aide-de-camp for the Commanding General,Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, when advised of his selection by NASA in May 1980.
Springer became an astronaut in August 1981. His technical assignments included support crew forSTS-3, concept development studies for the Space Operations Center, and the coordination of various aspects of the final development of theRemote Manipulator System ("Canadarm") for operational use. He worked atMission Control in theLyndon B. Johnson Space Center as theCAPCOM for seven flights between 1984 and 1985.
Springer was responsible forAstronaut Office coordination of Design Requirements Reviews and Design Certification Reviews. These review efforts encompassed the total recertification and reverification of the Shuttle prior toSTS-26 return to flight status. He flew as amission specialist onSTS-29 in 1989, andSTS-38 in 1990.
Springer retired from NASA and the U.S. Marine Corps in December 1990.
Space ShuttleDiscovery (March 13–18, 1989) was launched fromKennedy Space Center. During 80 orbits of theEarth on this highly successful five-day mission, the crew deployed aTracking and Data Relay Satellite, and performed numerous secondary experiments, including a Space Station "heat pipe" radiator experiment, two student experiments, a protein crystal growth experiment, and a chromosome and plant cell division experiment. In addition, the crew took over 4,000 photographs of the Earth using several types of cameras, including theIMAX 70 mm movie camera. Mission duration was 119 hours and concluded with a landing atEdwards Air Force Base, California.
Space ShuttleAtlantis (November 15–20, 1990) was launched at night from Kennedy Space Center. During the five-day mission the crew conductedDepartment of Defense operations. After 80 orbits of the Earth,Atlantis and her crew landed back at the Kennedy Space Center, in the first Shuttle recovery in Florida since 1985.
Distinguished Flying Cross,Bronze Star,Air Medal (21st award),Navy Commendation Medal (2nd award),Navy Achievement Medal,Combat Action Ribbon,NASA Space Flight Medal,Presidential Unit Citation,Navy Unit Citation, and various Vietnam Campaign ribbons and service awards.[1]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theNational Aeronautics and Space Administration.NASA Astronaut Group 8 ← NASA Astronaut Group 9 →NASA Astronaut Group 10 | |||||||
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