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David M. Walker (astronaut)
David Mathieson Walker (May 20, 1944 – April 23, 2001), (Capt, USN), was an American naval officer and aviator, fighter pilot, test pilot, and a former NASA astronaut. He flew aboard four Space Shuttle missions in the 1980s and 1990s. Personal life Walker was born May 20, 1944, in Columbus, Georgia. In his youth, he was a Boy Scout with Troop 8 in Eustis, Florida, and earned its highest rank of Eagle Scout. He died on April 23, 2001, from cancer; he was 56 years old and was being treated at University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. His wife, the former Paige Lucas, and two adult sons from a previous marriage survived him. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on May 24, 2001. Education *1962: Graduated from Eustis High School, Eustis, Florida *1966: Received a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy Military career Walker graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and subsequently received flight tr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, Georgia, Muscogee County, with which it officially merged in 1970; the original merger excluded Bibb City, Georgia, Bibb City, which joined in 2000 after dissolving its own city charter. Columbus is the List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), second most populous city in Georgia (after Atlanta), and fields the state's List of metropolitan areas in Georgia (U.S. state), fourth-largest metropolitan area. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Columbus had a population of 206,922, with 328,883 in the Columbus, Georgia metropolitan area, Columbus metropolitan statistical area. The metro area joins the nearby Alabama cities of Auburn, Alabama, Auburn and Opelika, Alabama, Opelika to form the Columbus–Auburn–Ope ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts Of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest Ranks in Scouts BSA, rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over 2.75 million youth. Requirements include earning at least 21 merit badge (Boy Scouts of America), merit badges, 14 of which are mandatory for the award. The Eagle Scout must demonstrate Scout Spirit, an ideal attitude based upon the Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. Eagle Scouts are presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes the accomplishments of the Scout. Additional recognition can be earned through Eagle Palms, awarded for completing additional tenure, leadership, and merit badge requirements. Those who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout also become eligible, although are not required, to jo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eustis, Florida
Eustis is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. It lies about 35 miles northwest of Orlando, Florida and is part of the Greater Orlando, Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population in the city proper was 23,189 at the 2020 census. Eustis is often referred to by its motto "America’s Hometown" and is known for its small-town charm. The City of Eustis holds a festival every year which begins on the last Friday of February and runs through Sunday and has been held since 1902. This annual festival, referred to as GeorgeFest, is recognized as the longest consecutive running event held in honor of George Washington, first President of the United States. History Eustis is one of several towns in Lake County, Florida, Lake County that trace their origins to the 1870s, a post-American Civil War, Civil War era when settlers moved southward into the Florida frontier. The city is named after then Colonel Abraham Eustis, a U.S. Army offi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scouts BSA (Boy Scouts Of America)
Scouts BSA (known as Boy Scouts until 2019) is the flagship program and membership level of Scouting America for coeducational children and teenagers between the ages of typically 11 and 17. It provides youth training in character, citizenship, personal fitness, and leadership, and aims to develop the skills necessary to become successful adults. To foster these skills, Scouting utilizes eight methods of Scouting to guide their educational programing: scouting ideals (as exemplified by the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout Motto, and the Scout Slogan), the patrol method of working in small groups, participation in outdoor programs, advancement and recognition for achievements, adult leaders, personal growth, leadership development, and the uniform. The participants, also known as Scouts, are organized into small groups called Scout troops, which are led by youth leaders given the title of senior patrol leaders (SPLs), as well as adult leaders, called Scouters. In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable launch system, reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was the Space Transportation System (STS), taken from the 1969 plan led by U.S. vice president Spiro Agnew for a system of reusable spacecraft where it was the only item funded for development. The first (STS-1) of four orbital test flights occurred in 1981, leading to operational flights (STS-5) beginning in 1982. Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. They launched from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Operational missions launched numerous satellites, interplanetary probes, and the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), conducted science experiments in orbit, participated in the Shuttle–Mir program, Shuttle-''Mir'' program with Russia, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Astronaut
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spacecraft. Although generally reserved for professional space travelers, the term is sometimes applied to anyone who travels into space, including scientists, politicians, journalists, and space tourists. "Astronaut" technically applies to all human space travelers regardless of nationality. However, astronauts fielded by Russia or the Soviet Union are typically known instead as cosmonauts (from the Russian "kosmos" (космос), meaning "space", also borrowed from Greek ). Comparatively recent developments in crewed spaceflight made by China have led to the rise of the term taikonaut (from the Standard Chinese, Mandarin "tàikōng" (), meaning "space"), although its use is somewhat informal and its origin is unclear. In China, the People' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States's civil list of government space agencies, space program, aeronautics research and outer space, space research. National Aeronautics and Space Act, Established in 1958, it succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to give the American space development effort a distinct civilian orientation, emphasizing peaceful applications in space science. It has since led most of America's space exploration programs, including Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the 1968–1972 Apollo program missions, the Skylab space station, and the Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA supports the International Space Station (ISS) along with the Commercial Crew Program and oversees the development of the Orion (spacecraft), Orion spacecraft and the Sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Test Pilot
A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testing of the Airplane.'' American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., 1996, p. 265 History Test flying as a systematic activity started during the World War I, First World War, at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) in the United Kingdom. An "Experimental Flight" was formed at the Central Flying School. During the 1920s, test flying was further developed by the RAE in the UK, and by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in the United States. In the 1950s, NACA was transformed into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. During these years, as work was done into aircraft stability and handling qualities, test flying evolved towards a more qualitative scientific profession. In the 1950s, test ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fighter Pilot
A fighter pilot or combat pilot is a Military aviation, military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, Air-to-ground weaponry, air-to-ground combat and sometimes Electronic-warfare aircraft, electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting (close range aerial combat). A fighter pilot with at least five air-to-air kills becomes known as an flying ace, ace. Recruitment Fighter pilots are one of the most highly regarded and desirable positions of any air force. Selection processes only accept the elite out of all the potential candidates. An individual who possesses an exceptional academic record, physical fitness, healthy well-being, and a strong mental drive will have a higher chance of being selected for pilot training. Candidates are also expected to exhibit strong leadership and teamwork abilities. In nearly all air forces, fighter pilots are Officer (armed forces), commis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Naval Aviator
A naval aviator is a commissioned officer or warrant officer qualified as a crewed aircraft pilot in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps. United States Coast Guard crewed aircraft pilots are officially designated as "Coast Guard aviators", although they complete the same undergraduate flight training as Navy and Marine Corps crewed aircraft pilots, and are awarded the same aviation breast insignia. Naming conventions In the U.S. Navy, most naval aviators are unrestricted line officers (URLs), eligible for command at sea, but a small number of former senior enlisted personnel subsequently commissioned as line limited duty officers and warrant officer, chief warrant officers in the aviation operations technician specialty have also been trained as naval aviators and naval flight officers. A small number of URL officers trained as naval aviators and naval flight officers who hold technical degrees at the undergraduate and/or postgraduate level may also opt to later ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Captain (United States)
In the uniformed services of the United States, captain is a commissioned-officer rank. In keeping with the traditions of the militaries of most nations, the rank varies between the services, being a senior rank in the naval services and a junior rank in the ground and air forces. Many fire departments and police departments in the United States also use the rank of captain as an officer in a specific unit. Usage For the naval rank, a captain is a senior officer of U.S. uniformed services pay grades O-6 (the sixth officer rank), typically commanding seagoing vessels, major aviation commands and shore installations. This rank is used by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the U.S. Maritime Service. Seaborne services of the United States and many other nations refer to the officer in charge of any seagoing vessel as "captain" regardless of actual rank. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
