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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