posted 04-24-2005 03:44 AM               

For 21 years, Dr. Gibson was a co-holder of the American record for time in space of 84 days, set when he was the Science-Pilot on Skylab III in 1974. On that mission, he worked outside the space station for more than 15 hours during three different spacewalks.

During his 14-year career with NASA, he also served on the support crew of the Apollo 12 mission and as the ground communicator with the flight crew while they explored the Moon. He earned Air Force wings and has logged more than 2200 hours of high performance time and 100 hours of helicopter time.

Dr. Gibson earned a bachelor"s degree in Engineering from the University of Rochester and master"s degree and doctorate in Engineering and Physics from the California Institute of Technology. After one year in the aerospace industry, he was selected as one of the first six scientist-astronauts from 2000 applicants.

Following his NASA career, Dr. Gibson held marketing and program management positions with Booz, Allen and Hamilton and TRW. He also held positions as president for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and his own consulting company, Gibson International. Currently he is Corporate Vice President of Science Applications International Corporation and manages its EROS Data Center Operation in Sioux Falls, S.D.

He has performed a significant amount of speaking and writing, having published a text book in solar physics, two novels through Doubleday and Bantam (Reach and In the Wrong Hands), and edited The Greatest Adventure, a compilation of stories and pictures on space missions from many astronauts and cosmonauts around the world.

Dr. Gibson received a number of honorary doctorate degrees and national and international awards and honors, including the Robert J. Collier Trophy, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal from the President, and induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.