1. Owen Garriott: NASA Astronaut and Renowned Scientist
2. Ionospheric Research
3. Becoming an Astronaut
4. Skylab Mission
5. Columbia Mission
6. Post-NASA Career
7. Legacy

Owen Garriott: NASA Astronaut and Renowned Scientist

Early Life and Education

Born in 1930, Owen Garriott graduated high school in 1948. He pursued a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1953 and a Master's degree in the same field from Stanford University in 1957. He went on to earn a Ph.D. from Stanford in 1960, specializing in ionospheric physics.

Ionospheric Research

As a physicist, Garriott dedicated his research to studying the ionosphere. He authored over 45 scientific papers and reports in his field, as well as a book. His contributions significantly advanced the understanding of the Earth's atmosphere.

Becoming an Astronaut

In 1966, Garriott qualified as a jet pilot after completing a year-long training program in the United States Air Force. The following year, he was selected for the fourth class of NASA astronauts.

Skylab Mission

On July 28, 1973, Garriott embarked on his first space mission as a science-pilot on the Skylab space station. During his 60-day mission, he conducted numerous experiments on the Sun, Earth resources, and human adaptation to microgravity.

Columbia Mission

Garriott's second and final spaceflight occurred from November 28 to December 8, 1983, as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-9). This mission involved over 70 experiments in various disciplines, primarily testing the usability of the Spacelab-1 module for scientific research. Notably, Garriott became the first astronaut to conduct amateur radio operations (call sign W5LFL) from a spacecraft.

Post-NASA Career

Despite plans for future spaceflights, Garriott's astronaut career was cut short by the Challenger disaster, which halted shuttle missions for several years. He served in NASA's space station project from 1984 to 1986 and retired from the astronaut corps in June 1986. Garriott then pursued a successful business career.

Legacy

Owen Garriott's contributions to space exploration and scientific knowledge are enduring. His research in ionospheric physics and his groundbreaking work on the Skylab and Columbia missions left an indelible mark on the field of space science.

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