{"id":70256,"date":"2018-01-16T15:26:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-16T19:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-416917"},"modified":"2023-07-26T15:04:04","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T19:04:04","slug":"john-young-remembered-as-gemini-apollo-space-shuttle-astronaut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/john-young-remembered-as-gemini-apollo-space-shuttle-astronaut\/","title":{"rendered":"John Young Remembered as Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle Astronaut"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1638\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?w=1638\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Astronaut John W. Young\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=240,300 240w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=768,960 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=819,1024 819w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=1229,1536 1229w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=1638,2048 1638w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=320,400 320w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=480,600 480w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=720,900 720w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=960,1200 960w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?resize=1600,2000 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1638px) 100vw, 1638px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1387\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Apollo 16 commander John Young\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg 3604w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=300,203 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=768,520 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=1024,694 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=1536,1040 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=2048,1387 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=400,271 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=600,406 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=900,610 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=1200,813 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/5-as16-113-18339a.jpg?resize=2000,1355 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1589\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"John Young on Columbia's flight deck\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg 3196w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=300,233 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=768,596 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=1024,795 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=1536,1192 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=2048,1589 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=400,310 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=600,466 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=900,698 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=1200,931 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/7-s81-30419a.jpg?resize=2000,1552 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>By Bob Granath<\/em><br>\n<em>NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center, Florida<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In memory of NASA astronaut <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jsc.nasa.gov\/Bios\/htmlbios\/young.html\" rel=\"noopener\">John Young<\/a>, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana placed a memorial wreath at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/heroes-and-legends-attraction-honors-pioneers-of-spaceflight\" rel=\"noopener\">Heroes and Legends exhibit<\/a> at the center\u2019s visitor complex. The brief ceremony took place on the afternoon of Jan. 11, 2018. Young died Jan. 5, 2018, at the age of 87 in Houston. He was the only astronaut to fly in NASA\u2019s Gemini, Apollo and Space Shuttle Programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNASA and the world have lost a pioneer,\u201d acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/press-release\/nasa-remembers-agency-s-most-experienced-astronaut\" rel=\"noopener\">statement<\/a>. \u201cAstronaut John Young\u2019s storied career spanned three generations of spaceflight; we will stand on his shoulders as we look toward the next human frontier.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cabana also praised Young for his constant focus on flight safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHe tried bringing attention to technical problems so they could be dealt with,\u201d Cabana said. \u201cSafety was foremost in his mind. He knew we are in a very risky business, but he also knew the importance to paying attention to detail and always doing things right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young served as pilot on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/content\/gemini-pioneered-the-technology-driving-todays-exploration\" rel=\"noopener\">Gemini III<\/a> with Mercury veteran Gus Grissom. Launched on March 23, 1965, it was the first flight in which the astronauts could change their spacecraft\u2019s orbit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following year, Young was command pilot on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/gemini-x-set-records-for-rendezvous-altitude-above-earth\" rel=\"noopener\">Gemini X<\/a> with Mike Collins during July 18-21, 1966. The mission became the first to rendezvous with two spacecraft \u2014 an Agena target docking vehicle launched for their mission and the one orbited earlier that year for Gemini VIII.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Between May 18-26, 1969, Young was command module pilot on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/content\/apollo-10-was-moon-landing-rehearsal-eft-1-preps-for-trips-beyond\" rel=\"noopener\">Apollo 10<\/a> with Tom Stafford as commander and Gene Cernan as lunar module pilot. The mission served as a \u201cdress rehearsal\u201d for the first lunar landing mission two months later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young was commander of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers\/marshall\/history\/this-week-in-nasa-history-apollo-16-lands-on-the-moon-april-20-1972.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Apollo 16<\/a> during April 16-27, 1972. He walked on the moon with lunar module pilot Charlie Duke while Ken Mattingly orbited in the command module.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the Apollo 16 moon walks, Mission Control in Houston radioed up that Congress had passed funding for the space shuttle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young was selected to command <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/subject\/3299\/sts1\/\" rel=\"noopener\">STS-1<\/a>, the first flight of the Space Shuttle Program with pilot Bob Crippen. Liftoff occurred on April 12, 1981, launching a new era of spaceflight 20 years to the day after Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel in space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/shuttle\/shuttlemissions\/archives\/sts-9.html\" rel=\"noopener\">STS-9<\/a> lifted off on Nov. 28, 1983, Young became the first person to fly in space a sixth time. This would be the first shuttle mission to carry the European Space Agency\u2019s Spacelab module in the cargo bay. The six-person crew included ESA astronaut Ulf Merbold of Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young was born in San Francisco, but his family moved to Georgia and later Orlando, Florida. He earned a degree in aeronautical engineering from Georgia Tech, graduating in 1952 with highest honors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following graduation, Young joined the U.S. Navy. After serving for a year aboard a destroyer, he then was assigned to flight training. He flew fighter planes for four years before completing test pilot training and served three years at the Navy\u2019s Air Test Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In September 1962, Young was selected as one of nine military pilots becoming NASA\u2019s second group of astronauts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A year after Apollo 16, Young became chief of the Space Shuttle Branch of the Astronaut Office at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The following year, he retired from the Navy as a captain after 25 years of military service and was named chief of the Astronaut Office, a post he held until May 1987.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among his many awards and honors, Young was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on March 19, 1993.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the end of 2004, Young retired from NASA. But he continued to advocate the development of technologies that will allow explorers to live and work on the Moon and Mars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJohn was one of that group of early space pioneers whose bravery and commitment sparked our nation\u2019s first great achievements in space,\u201d Lightfoot said. \u201cBut, not content with that, his hands-on contributions continued long after the last of his six spaceflights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1788\" height=\"1125\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?w=1788\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg 1788w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?resize=300,189 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?resize=768,483 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?resize=1024,644 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?resize=1536,966 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?resize=400,252 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?resize=600,378 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?resize=900,566 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/11-cabana_wreathpresentation2.jpg?resize=1200,755 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1788px) 100vw, 1788px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>John Young Honored at Kennedy Space Center<\/strong><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Bob Granath NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center, Florida In memory of NASA astronaut John Young, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana placed a memorial wreath at the Heroes and Legends exhibit at the center\u2019s visitor complex. The brief ceremony took place on the afternoon of Jan. 11, 2018. Young died Jan. 5, 2018, at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":79733,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2713,2932,2926,2716,2949,2944,2862,2671,2725],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[10285,3917],"coauthors":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"John Young Remembered as Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle Astronaut","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/john-young-remembered-as-gemini-apollo-space-shuttle-astronaut\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/john-young-remembered-as-gemini-apollo-space-shuttle-astronaut\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg"},"articleSection":"Missions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"NASA"}],"creator":["NASA"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["Missions","Space Shuttle","Apollo","Apollo 10","Apollo 16","Gemini","Gemini III","Gemini X","Kennedy Space Center","NASA History"],"dateCreated":"2018-01-16T19:26:00Z","datePublished":"2018-01-16T19:26:00Z","dateModified":"2023-07-26T19:04:04Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"John Young Remembered as Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle Astronaut\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/john-young-remembered-as-gemini-apollo-space-shuttle-astronaut\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2018-01-16T19:26:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"Missions,Space Shuttle,Apollo,Apollo 10,Apollo 16,Gemini,Gemini III,Gemini X,Kennedy Space Center,NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"NASA\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":4,"time_ago":"6 years","featured_image":{"id":79733,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/8-jsc2002e43166a.jpg","title":"8-jsc2002e43166a","alt":"Astronaut John W. Young","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70256"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70256"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70256\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":173039,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70256\/revisions\/173039"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70256"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=70256"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=70256"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=70256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}