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Josef AllenAmerican scientist and astronaut
Date of Birth: 27.07.1937
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Professional Career
- Space Program Training and Support
- Space Flights
- Post-NASA Career
- Publications
Early Life and Education
Joseph Percival Allen IV was born and raised in Crawfordsville, Indiana. He graduated from Crawfordsville High School and pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics and mathematics at DePauw University, which he earned in 1959. Allen went on to Yale University, where he obtained a Master of Science degree in 1961.
Professional Career
From 1962 to 1965, Allen served as a visiting scholar at Brookhaven National Laboratory. He then joined Yale University's Nuclear Structure Laboratory as a physicist, earning his PhD in physics in 1965. From 1966 until joining NASA's astronaut program in 1967, he worked as a research associate at the University of Washington's Nuclear Physics Laboratory.
Space Program Training and Support
As part of NASA's 1967 scientist-astronaut group, Allen underwent flight training at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma. He served on the support crew for Apollo 15, participating in the scientific planning and as a mission control communicator. Allen also worked in NASA's advanced planning group and as a science and technology advisor for the President's Council on International Economic Policy.
From 1975 to 1978, Allen was NASA's assistant administrator for legislative affairs. Subsequently, he trained as a Space Shuttle flight specialist and was part of the support crew for Columbia's maiden flight in 1981. He also assisted in managing flight operations and served as a technical assistant to the flight director.
Space Flights
Allen's first spaceflight as a mission specialist occurred on Columbia STS-5 in November 1982, making him the 113th human in space and the 50th American. He spent approximately five days in orbit.
His second flight took place on Discovery STS-51A in November 1984. During this mission, Allen conducted two spacewalks, spending a total of 11 hours and 44 minutes outside the spacecraft.
Post-NASA Career
Allen retired from NASA and the astronaut corps in July 1985. He became CEO of Space Industries International, Inc. in Washington, D.C., and later served as president of Calspan SRL Corp. Inc. In 1990, he was appointed by Vice President Dan Quayle to an advisory committee on developing a new U.S. space program. Allen also chaired the board of directors for Veridian Corporation until his retirement in 2003.
Publications
In 1985, Allen co-authored "Entering Space: An Astronaut's Odyssey."Honors and Awards
Allen received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal, and two NASA Space Flight Medals.
