National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas 77058
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------NAME: Eugene A. Cernan (Captain, USN, Ret.)
NASA Astronaut (former)PERSONAL DATA: Born in Chicago, Illinois,
on March 14, 1934. Married - Jan Nanna Cernan. They have three daughters,
and one grandchild. His hobbies include love for horses, all competitive sports
activities, including hunting, fishing and flying.EDUCATION: Graduated from Proviso Township
High School in Maywood, Illinois; received a bachelor of science degree in
Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1956 and a master of science
degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School,
Monterey, California; recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Law degree from
Western State University College of Law in 1969, an Honorary Doctorate of
Engineering from Purdue University in 1970, Drexel University in 1977, and
Gonzaga University & Comenius University of the Slovak Republic, Petroleum
Economics and Management Seminar, Northwestern University, 1978.ORGANIZATIONS: Fellow, American Astronautical
Society; member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots; member, Tau Beta Pi
(National Engineering Society), Sigma Xi (National Science Research Society),
Phi Gamma Delta (National Social Fraternity), and the Explorer's Club.SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded two NASA Distinguished
Service Medals, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the JSC Superior Achievement
Award, two Navy Distinguished Service Medals, the Navy Astronaut Wings, the
Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, the National Academy of Television Arts and
Sciences Special Trustees Award (1969), the Federation Aeronautique Internationale
Gold Space Medal for 1972, the Cities of Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and
New York Gold Medals, the VFW National Space Medal in 1973, Daughters of The
American Revolution Medal of Honor, Induction into the U.S. Space Hall of
Fame, the Challenger Center's "Salute to the U.S. Space Program"
Honor, Slovak World Recognition Award and Slovak Presidential Medal of Honor.EXPERIENCE: Cernan, a retired United
States Navy Captain, received his commission through the Navy ROTC Program
at Purdue. He entered flight training upon graduation. He was assigned to
Attack Squadrons 26 and 112 at the Miramar, California, Naval Air Station,
and Subsequently attended the Naval Postgraduate School. He has logged more
than 5000 hours flying time with more than 4800 hours in jet aircraft and
over 200 jet aircraft carrier landings.NASA EXPERIENCE: Captain Cernan was
one of fourteen astronauts selected by NASA in October 1963.He occupied the pilot seat alongside of command pilot Tom Stafford
on the Gemini IX mission. During this 3-day flight which Began on June 3,
1966, the spacecraft achieved a circular orbit of 161 statute miles; the crew
used three different techniques to effect rendezvous with the previously launched
Augmented Target Docking Adapter; and Cernan, the second American to walk
in space, logged two hours and ten minutes outside the spacecraft in extravehicular
activities. The flight ended after 72 hours and 20 minutes with a perfect
re-entry and recovery as Gemini IX landed within 1-1/2 miles of the prime
recovery ship USS WASP and 3/8 of a mile from the predetermined target.Cernan subsequently served as backup pilot for Gemini 12 and as backup
lunar module pilot for Apollo 7.On his second space flight, he was lunar module pilot of Apollo 10,
May 18-26, 1969, the first comprehensive lunar-orbital qualification and verification
flight test of an Apollo lunar module. He was accompanied on the 248,000 nautical
sojourn to the moon by Thomas P. Stafford (spacecraft commander) and John
W. Young (commander module pilot). In accomplishing all of the assigned objectives
of this mission, Apollo 10 confirmed the operations performance, stability,
and reliability of the command/service module and lunar module configuration
during trans-lunar coast, lunar orbit insertion, and lunar module separation
and descent to within 8 nautical miles of the lunar surface. The latter maneuver
involved employing all but the final minutes of the technique prescribed for
use in an actual lunar landing, and allowed critical evaluations of the lunar
module propulsions systems and rendezvous of the landing radar devices in
subsequent rendezvous and re-docking maneuvers. In addition to demonstrating
that man could navigate safely and accurately in the moon's gravitational
fields, Apollo 10 photographed and mapped tentative landing sites for future
missions.Cernan's next assignment was backup spacecraft commander for Apollo
14.He made his third space flight as spacecraft commander of Apollo
17--the last scheduled manned mission to the moon for the United States--which
commenced at 11:33 P.M. (CST), December 6, 1972, with the first manned nighttime
launch, and concluded on December 19, 1972. With him on the voyage of the
command module "America" and the lunar module "Challenger"
were Ronald Evans (command module pilot) and Harrison H. (Jack) Schmitt (lunar
module pilot). In maneuvering "Challenger" to a landing at Taurus-Littrow,
located on the southeast edge of Mare Serenitatis, Cernan and Schmitt activated
a base of operations from which they completed three highly successful excursions
to the nearby craters and the Taurus mountains, making the Moon their home
for over three days. This last mission to the moon established several new
records for manned space flight that include: longest manned lunar landing
flight (301 hours 51 minutes); longest lunar surface extravehicular activities
(22 hours 6 minutes); largest lunar sample return (an estimated 115 kg (249
lbs.); and longest time in lunar orbit (147 hours 48 minutes). While Cernan
and Schmitt conducted activities on the lunar surface, Evans remained in lunar
orbit aboard the "America" completing assigned work tasks requiring
geological observations, handheld photography of specific targets, and the
control of cameras and other highly sophisticated scientific equipment carried
in the command module SIM-bay. Evans also completed a 1-hour, 6-minute extravehicular
activity on the transearth coast phase of the return flight, successfully
retrieving three camera cassettes and completing a personal inspection of
the equipment bay area. Apollo 17 ended with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean
approximately 0.4 miles from the target point and 4.3 miles form the prime
recovery ship USS TICONDEROGA.Captain Cernan has logged 566 hours and 15 minutes in space-of which
more than 73 hours were spent on the surface of the moon.In September, 1973, Cernan assumed additional duties as Special Assistant
to the Program Manager of the Apollo spacecraft Program at the Johnson Space
Center. In this capacity, he assisted in the planning, development, and evaluation
of the joint United States/Soviet Union Apollo-Soyuz mission, and he acted
for the program manager as the senior United States negotiator in direct discussions
with the USSR on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.On July 1, 1976, Captain Cernan retired after over 20 years with
the U.S. Navy. He concurrently terminated his formal association with NASA.Captain Cernan was the second American to have walked in space having
spanned the circumference of the world twice in a little more than 2-1/2 hours.
He was one of the two men to have flown to the moon on two occasions, and
as commander of the last mission to the moon, Apollo 17, had the privilege
and distinction of being the last man to have left his footprints on the surface
of the moon.BUSINESS: Cernan joined Coral Petroleum,
Inc., of Houston, Texas, as Executive Vice President-International. His responsibilities
were to enhance Coral's energy related programs on a worldwide basisIn September 1981, Captain Cernan started his own company, The Cernan
Corporation, to pursue management and consultant interests in the energy,
aerospace, and other related industries. Additionally he has been actively
involved as a co-anchorman on ABC-TV's presentations of the flight of the
shuttle.In a recent acquisition, Captain Cernan became Chairman of the Board
of Johnson Engineering Corporation. Johnson Engineering currently provides
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with Flight Crew
Systems Development with personnel located both on and off site at Johnson
Space Center. Over the last seventeen years, Johnson Engineering has supported
NASA in the design of crew stations for Space Shuttle, Spacelab, Space Station,
Lunar Base and Mars Outpost. The company is directly involved with the operation
of the 1-G trainers in Building 9A and B, as well as the Weightless Environment
Training Facility in Building 29.
DECEMBER 1994
This is the only version available from NASA. Updates must be sought direct from the above named individual.
