RICHARD M. MULLANE (COLONEL, USAF, RET.)

NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)

PERSONAL DATA: Born September 10, 1945, in Wichita Falls, Texas, but considers 

Albuquerque, New Mexico, to be his hometown. Married to the former Donna Marie 

Sei of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They have three grown children. Recreational 

interests include backpacking, skiing, and running.

EDUCATION: Graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School, Albuquerque, New 

Mexico, in 1963; received a bachelor of science degree in Military Engineering from 

the United States Military Academy in 1967; and awarded a master of science degree in 

Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1975.

SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded 6 Air Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying 

Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, National Defense 

Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal, and 

NASA Space Flight Medal; named a Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Navigator Training School (and recipient of its 

Commander's Trophy), the USAF Institute of Technology; and the USAF Test Pilot School.

EXPERIENCE: Mullane, an Air Force Colonel, was graduated from West Point in 1967. He completed 150 combat missions 

as an RF-4C weapon system operator while stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam, from January to November 1969. He 

subsequently served a 4-year tour of duty in England. In July 1976, upon completing the USAF Flight Test Engineering Course 

at Edwards Air Force Base, California, he was assigned as a flight test weapon system operator to the 3246th Test Wing at Eglin 

Air Force Base, Florida.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in January 1978, Mullane became an astronaut in August 1979. A veteran of three 

space flights, he has logged a total of 356 hours in space. He was a mission specialist on the crew of STS-41D (August 30 to 

September 5, 1984), STS-27 (December 2-6, 1988), and STS-36 in (February 28 to March 4, 1990). 

Colonel Mullane retired from NASA and the USAF in September 1990. He is self-employed as a professional speaker & writer 

and resides in Albuquerque, NM. His first novel, Red Sky, A Novel of Love, Space, & War was published in June 1993 by 

Northwest Publishing, Inc. of Salt Lake City, UT. 

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE: STS-41D Discovery, launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1984. 

This was the maiden flight of the Orbiter Discovery. During this 7-day mission the crew successfully activated the OAST-1 

solar cell wing experiment, deployed three satellites, operated the CFES-III experiment, the student crystal growth experiment, 

and photography experiments using the IMAX motion picture camera. STS-41D completed 96 orbits of the earth in 145 hours 

before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1984.

STS-27 Atlantis, launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on December 2, 1988. The mission carried a DOD payload, as 

well as a number of secondary payloads. After 68 orbits of the earth, the mission concluded with a dry lakebed landing on 

Runway 17 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 6, 1988. Mission duration was 105 hours.

STS-36 Atlantis, launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on February 28, 1990. This mission carried Department of 

Defense payloads together with a number of secondary payloads. After 72 orbits of the earth, the STS-36 mission concluded 

with a lakebed landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on March 4, 1990.

JANUARY 1996

This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought direct from the above named individual.

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration

Biographical Data

 Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

 Houston, Texas 77058