Dale D. Myers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dale D. Myers
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Myers in the 1980s
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Dale Dehaven Myers
January 8, 1922 Kansas City, Missouri, United States
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| Died | May 19, 2015 (aged 93) La Costa, California, United States
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| Alma mater | University of Washington, B.S. 1943 |
| Occupation | Deputy Administrator of NASA, aerospace engineer |
| Spouse(s) | Marge Myers |
| Children | 2 |
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Dale Dehaven Myers (born January 8, 1922 – died May 19, 2015) was a very important American engineer. He worked with airplanes and rockets. He was even the Deputy Administrator of NASA, which is like a top leader at NASA. He held this job from 1986 to 1989. Myers was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Washington and finished in 1943.
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Who Was Dale Myers?
Dale Myers was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 8, 1922. His father was a doctor. When Dale was a boy, his hero was Charles Lindbergh. Lindbergh was a famous pilot who flew across the Atlantic Ocean. When Dale was just five years old, he met Lindbergh and shook his hand. Myers later said that meeting Lindbergh was a moment that changed his life.
Early Life and Education
From 1939 to 1940, Myers went to Kansas City Junior College. In 1943, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He studied aeronautical engineering at the University of Washington. This type of engineering is all about designing and building aircraft.
Working with Airplanes and Missiles
In the mid-1940s, Myers helped create different airplanes. One of these was the North American F-82 Twin Mustang. From 1946 to 1957, he worked on developing missiles. He later became a vice-president and manager for weapon systems.
Dale Myers and NASA's Space Programs
In 1963, Myers started working at a company called Rockwell International. The next year, he began working on projects for NASA's space program.
Leading the Apollo Program
From 1964, Myers was the program manager for the Apollo program's Command/Service Module. This was a key part of the spacecraft that took astronauts to the Moon. In January 1967, a fire on Apollo 1 sadly killed three astronauts. Many leaders of the program were replaced, but Myers was kept on. He moved to the Space Shuttle program in 1969. This was right after Apollo 11 made its historic Moon landing. Myers often said that his work on the Apollo program was a major highlight of his career.
Becoming a NASA Leader
In 1970, Myers was promoted to a top role at NASA. He became the Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight. This meant he was in charge of all human space missions.
While in this role, he was at mission control when Apollo 13 had a serious explosion. He also helped choose geologist and astronaut Harrison Schmitt to be part of the Apollo 17 crew. Myers worked in this role until 1974. During this time, he received three NASA Distinguished Service Medals. These are very high honors from NASA. He got one in 1971 for his work on Apollo. He received two more in 1974 for his work on Skylab and the Space Shuttle, and for his overall work in human spaceflight. In 1970, he also received an honorary doctorate from Whitworth College.
After NASA and Return to Service
After leaving NASA, Myers went back to Rockwell. He also worked for the Department of Energy. For five years, from 1979 to 1984, Myers was the president of Jacobs Engineering Group. Later, he started his own consulting company.
On October 6, 1986, Myers was chosen to be the Deputy Administrator of NASA. This was about a year after the sad Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. At first, Myers didn't want the job. But President Ronald Reagan called him and convinced him to accept. He took over from William Robert Graham. His main job was to help NASA recover and restart the Space Shuttle program. Myers believed NASA needed to get back its "hands-on, loving care." He left NASA on May 13, 1989. A NASA historian, Roger Launius, said that Myers brought a lot of hope back to the agency after the disaster.
Later Years and Legacy
After leaving NASA for the second time, Myers continued to work as a consultant. He and his wife retired in La Costa, California. He often spoke publicly about the space program. He even gave a speech to Congress in 2003. Dale Myers passed away on May 19, 2015. He is remembered for his important contributions to space exploration. In 2016, Myers was added to the International Air & Space Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Dale Myers' signature
