Rusty Schweikart's Life Story
Rusty Schweikart, an American astronaut, was born in Neptune Township, New Jersey. He graduated from Manasquan High School and later attended the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics in 1956 and a Master of Science in Astronautics in 1963.
Schweikart's impressive academic credentials paved the way for his illustrious military career. He enlisted in the US Air Force as a pilot with the 101st Tactical Fighter Wing, accumulating over 4000 hours of flight time. His exceptional flying skills and experience made him a strong candidate for the NASA astronaut program, which he joined in October 1963.
Schweikart's selection as a backup pilot for the Apollo 1 mission in March 1966 marked a significant milestone in his career. He was later chosen to fly the first manned Earth orbital test of the Apollo Lunar Module in December 1966, serving as the Lunar Module Pilot.
Tragedy struck when the Apollo 1 mission was launched in March 1969. Schweikart was the first to perform an Extravehicular Activity (EVA) in the entire Apollo program, testing the Portable Life Support System that would later be used by astronauts during their moonwalks. He was also scheduled to perform another EVA, a demonstration of an emergency transfer from the Lunar Module to the Command Module, but space sickness forced him to postpone the attempt.
Despite the setback, Schweikart continued to play a crucial role in the Apollo program. He was assigned to study the phenomenon of space sickness, which led to his missing assignments on the lunar missions. He went on to become the backup commander for the first Skylab space station mission in 1973.
During the launch of the Skylab mission, the station's thermal heat shield was lost, prompting Schweikart to devote considerable time developing procedures and equipment for building and implementing an emergency solar shade and deploying a jammed solar array wing. His efforts ultimately saved the space station, earning him NASA's Distinguished Service Medal in 1969 and the agency's Exceptional Service Medal in 1973.
Schweikart's dedication to space exploration and safety continued long after his retirement from NASA. He co-founded and became the Chairman of the Board of the B612 Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding ways to defend Earth from the impact of stray asteroids. In 2005, he testified before Congress about the devastating consequences of asteroid impacts and the need for a space mission to attach a transponder to asteroid 99942 Apophis, which some astronomers estimated could strike Earth in the 21st century.
Schweikart's remarkable life story was published in a book titled "In the Shadow of the Moon" in 2007, providing a glimpse into the remarkable career of this American astronaut.
