By: Melanie Domenech

Beauty & Brains

ROBERT LAUREL CRIPPEN

• DOB: September 11, 1937

• Marital Status: Married to former Pandora Lee Puckett

• Children: Three daughters

• Ellen Marie, June 14, 1962

• Susan Lynn, December 24, 1964

• Linda Ruth, May 10, 1967

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

• New Caney High School

• University of Texas: BS in Aerospace Engineering in 1960

• USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

PRE-NASA EXPERIENCE

• Aviation Officer Program (Navy)

• Attack Pilot aboard the USS IDEPENDANCE

• Instructor at the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School

• USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory Program

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

NASA

• NASA Manned Spacecraft Center/ Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas

• Astronaut (1969-1984)

• Deputy Director, Flight Crew Operations Directorate (1984-1986)

• Deputy Director, National STS Operations, NASA Kennedy Space Center,

• Director, Space Shuttle Program, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC

• Director, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS (CONT…)

After NASA

• Vice president of Training Simulation Systems at Lockheed Martin Information Systems

• President of the Thiokol Propulsion Group (Officially Retired in 2001)

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS (CONT.…)

• NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1972)

• NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1981)

• Department of Defense Distinguished Service Award (1981)

• Distinguished Service Medals (1985, 1988, 1993)

• NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal (1988)

• Congressional Space Medal of Honor (2006)

RECOGNITION/ AWARDS

• Fellow American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

• American Astronautical Society

• Society of Experimental Test Pilots

ASSOCIATIONS

• 11 works in 21 publications in 2 languages and 494 library holdings

PUBLICATIONS

Crippen vs. Sullivan

• Crew Men to Women Ratio: 5 : 2

• Award Ratio: 23 : 8

• First Publications: 1973 : 1986

• NASA Space Flight Medal: 1981 : 1990, 1984

• NASA Exceptional Service Medal: 1972 : 1988

• Started working for NASA: 1969 : 1978

• Hours Spent in Space: Over 565 : Over 532

SCIENTIFIC SHOWDOWN

• Robert L. Crippen

• Kathryn D. Sullivan

EXCERPTS FROM THEMSELVES …

• "Astronaut Bio: Robert L. Crippen (072001)." NASA - Johnson Space Center. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/crippen-rl.html>.

• "Crippen, Robert L. [WorldCat.org]." WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.worldcat.org/wcidentities/lccn-n81-141243>.

• "International Space Hall of Fame :: New Mexico Museum of Space History :: Inductee Profile." New Mexico Museum of Space History » Alamogordo, New Mexico » Celebrating the Significant Role the State of New Mexico Has Played in the Development of the U.S. Space Program. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nmspacemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.php?id=107>.

• "NASA - Biography of Robert L. Crippen." NASA. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/crippen.html>.

• "NASA JOHNSON SPACE CENTER ORAL HISTORY PROJECT." Johnson Space Center NASA. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/oral.../CrippenRL/CrippenRL_Bio.pdf>.

• "Kathryn D. Sullivan Oral History." NASA - Johnson Space Center. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Web. 10 Sept. 2011. <http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/oral_histories/SullivanKD/sullivankd.htm>.

• "JSC Oral History Project." NASA - Johnson Space Center. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/oral_histories/c-d.htm>.

WORKS CONSULTED

Works Cited

• Robert L. Crippen, Former Astronaut. Photograph. Robert L. Crippen Recounts Space Mission Highs, Lows to PB Business Group. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/robert-l-crippen-recounts-space-mission-highs-lows-1641430.html>.

• Robert L. Crippen. Photograph. NASA Biographical Data. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/crippen-rl.html>.

• Robert L. Crippen. Photograph. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://wsm.wsu.edu/mystory/index.php/2010/10/john-fabian-named-association-of-space-explorers-distinguished-member/>.

• Robert L. Crippen. Photograph. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.astronautscholarship.org/crippen_signing.html>.

• Sally Ride and the Crew of STS-7 - Official Portrait . Photograph. About Women's History. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://womenshistory.about.com/od/aviationspace/ig/Sally-Ride-Picture-Gallery/Sally-Ride-and-Crew-of-STS-7.htm>.

• Space Shuttle's 1st Pilot: Q&A With Former NASA Astronaut Bob Crippen . Photograph. NASA. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://www.space.com/11350-space-shuttle-pilot-bob-crippen-30th-anniversary.html>.

• STS-1 Shuttle Mission Imagery. Photograph. NASA. Web. 24 Oct. 2011. <http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-1/html/s01-07-0502.html>.

PHOTOGRAPHY CITATIONS