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Author
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Topic: Naval Air Station Patuxent River and NASA
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BMckay
Member Posts: 3222
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 08-13-2016 05:48 PM
   
I am looking for a list of all astronauts who have gone through Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, plus any location of artifacts, articles or stories about the role it has played since its inception.Any thoughts, suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. |
JBoe
Member Posts: 960
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012
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posted 08-13-2016 06:14 PM
Jim Lovell has a connection to Pax River as he's a graduate of the Naval Test Pilot School. There's a museum outside the gate that features a moon rock that he had given them. Unfortunately, the museum's website is under construction, but can be found here (Google cache).The museum is a great southern Maryland stop and features the history of PAX River along with NAVAIR development and testing. |
pupnik
Member Posts: 114
From: Maryland
Registered: Jan 2014
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posted 08-13-2016 10:51 PM
John Glenn passed through Pax. His memoir has some stories from there. Many of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo Navy and Marine astronauts would likely have passed through Pax River as it's essentially the Navy's version of Edwards. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-13-2016 11:04 PM
The Wikipedia entry for the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Pax River has a partial list of astronaut alums: Notable alumni include astronauts Alan Shepard (in 1951), Scott Carpenter (1954), Jim Lovell (1958), Wally Schirra (1958), John Young (1959), John Glenn (class 12), Pete Conrad (1958), Alan Bean, Frederick Gregory (Class 58), Pierre Thuot (Class 83), Mark Kelly, Richard Gordon (Class 19), William "Willie" McCool (Class 101), Sunita Williams (1993), and Stephen S. Oswald. |
Robonaut
Member Posts: 259
From: Solihull, West Mids, England
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 08-14-2016 05:54 AM
There have been lots of astronauts who have attended Pax for test pilot training. Many more than the Wikipedia entry. A quick check of the last two astronaut selections shows five: Scott Tingle, Reid Wiseman, Josh Cassada, Nicole Mann, and Anne McClain. |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3222
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 08-14-2016 07:16 AM
Please keep the information coming. Has anyone seen flown items or photos of the soon-to-be-astronauts while they were there? |
sts205cdr
Member Posts: 649
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 08-14-2016 12:07 PM
Beamer did, too. Class 100, I think. A book was written about them.Edit: Flying the Edge: The Making of Navy Test Pilots by George C. Wilson. Pics of Beamer (Robert Curbeam), great reading! |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3222
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 08-19-2016 08:42 AM
Thank you so far for the info. Please keep it coming.I will be heading down to Patuxent River on the 20th to take in when they are doing and maybe offer some assistance. If you have been there, please send me your thoughts about the place, the location, the displays and what you think they can improve on. What type of space exhibit would you like to see? They do have a donated moon rock and a great history of pilots/engineers who went into space. So any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. |
JBoe
Member Posts: 960
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012
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posted 08-19-2016 09:11 AM
Bryan, I'd be interested in what your observations are when you return. I haven't visited the museum since a few years ago, but would be interested in the progress of the new building. As far as space themed exhibits, I would like to see more than just the moon rock and few small items from Jim Lovell perhaps from other astronauts that attended the Test Pilot School. Also, the outdoor exhibits that consist of various static display aircraft (bearing the test colors, orange and white) need to be restored in my opinion.If you have access to Pax River and its various commands that would be awesome to hear your impressions or opportunities to secure any artifacts. |
pupnik
Member Posts: 114
From: Maryland
Registered: Jan 2014
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posted 08-19-2016 06:05 PM
I'm actually planning to go there tomorrow. I haven't been there yet as I had put it off as they built the new building. |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3222
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 08-22-2016 06:42 AM
I have lots to digest and write down about the trip. We had a great time touring the museum, the base and TPS. The museum needs to upgrade their space exhibit but they are on the right track with the museum. The new building is cool and will be able host and exhibit many things, new and old. The people are great. We were at a used ejection seat display and listening to a story about it when the guy who the story was about walked by and gave us a thumbs up. You want to see a Tomcat and other aircraft up close, the flight line part is cool. They have a G-4 print signed by McDivitt and White that is one of the best I have ever seen. The base tour was really cool. We did most of it bay car but we stopped at a few hangars and saw some Hornets and X-47B plus some other real cool things. One thing that needs to be preserved is a wall mural at the old officers club. Someone tried to remove it but stopped before they damaged it. I think the whole wall needs to be removed and the mural cleaned up and brought over to the museum. It shows four TPS grads who went into space plus one on the moon (probably Young). The building is going to be torn down some day.  It was really cool to walk around TPS and see all the plaques of men and women who attended. They have lots of flown flags from Apollo and the shuttle. It is a really hard curriculum so I am totally impressed by anyone who attends and graduates! Everyone there are such hard workers that we even saw a few pilots doing paperwork on a Saturday! It was also very humbling to be given the tour by the Lt. Colonel who is in charge of the school. He came in on his day off as well. Thank you to everyone who made this day a possibility an if you ever get a chance to visit or support the museum, please do. It is a work in progress but one worth helping. |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3222
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 02-11-2019 04:37 PM
They got this mural down and now will try to raise money to exhibit it and create a nicer Navy in Space exhibit. Check out: Save the Historic Mural: Naval Aviation in Space. We need your help in providing the funding required to have this iconic painting professionally conserved and prepared for display. As such, we are establishing a campaign to reach out to loyal supporters of Pax River and others who know the historic value of this painting and the cultural resource that it will become. |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3222
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 05-24-2019 09:17 AM
They are doing well but still need more support. Donate what you can to this gem of place and a cool mural. |
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