Biographies of U.S. Astronauts

Young

John Watts

USA

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Personal data

Birthdate:  24.09.1930
Birthplace:  San Francisco / California
Marital status:  married
Children:  two
Selection date:  17.09.1962
Selection group:  NASA-2
Position:  CDR
Status:  Ret. 31.12.2004
Day of death:  05.01.2018
Place of death:  Houston / Texas

Spaceflights

No. Mission Position Time Duration
1  Gemini 3  PLT  23.03.1965 4h 52m 
2  Gemini 10  Command Pilot  18.07. - 21.07.1966 2d 22h 46m 
3  Apollo 10  CMP  18.05. - 26.05.1969 8d 00h 03m 
4  Apollo 16  CDR  16.04. - 27.04.1972 11d 01h 51m 
5  STS-1 Columbia  CDR  12.04. - 14.04.1981 2d 06h 20m 
6  STS-9 Columbia  CDR  28.11. - 08.12.1983 10d 07h 47m 
7        
Total  34d 19h 39m 
 

Backup assignments

No. Mission Position
1  Gemini 6A  PLT
2  Apollo 7  CMP
3  Apollo 13  CDR
4  Apollo 17  CDR

Additional information

Bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering from GeorgiaTech, 1952; four honorary doctorate degrees; Captain, USN, Ret.; test pilot; was assigned for mission STS-61J (cancelled); since 1975 Chief of Astronaut Office (until May 1987); from May 1987 - February 1996 he was Assistant to the Director of NASA Johnson Space Center; hobbies: Windsurfing, bicycling, reading, gardening; later Associate Director, Technical, JSC; now retired.

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Last update on August 24, 2018.

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