Michael J. Smith

American astronaut and pilot

Michael J. Smith - American astronaut and pilot
Born

April 30th, 1945
80 years ago

Died

1986
39 years ago — 41 years old

Category

Athletes & Sports Figures

Country

United States

Links & References

Served as a pilot of the Space Shuttle Challenger on the STS-51-L mission. The flight launched on January 28, 1986, and tragically ended with the destruction of the shuttle 73 seconds after takeoff. Participated in training for this mission and had previously accumulated significant flight hours as a naval aviator. Achievements included operational leadership in military and space environments prior to joining NASA.

Piloted the Space Shuttle Challenger STS-51-L

Accumulated flight hours as a naval aviator

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