David M. Brown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David M. Brown
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| Born |
David McDowell Brown
April 16, 1956 Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
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| Died | February 1, 2003 (aged 46) Airspace over Texas
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| Awards |
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| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
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Previous occupation
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Test pilot |
| Rank | Captain, USN |
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Time in space
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15d 22h 20m |
| Selection | NASA Astronaut Group 16 (1996) |
| Missions | STS-107 |
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Mission insignia
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David McDowell Brown (born April 16, 1956 – died February 1, 2003) was a U.S. Navy captain and a NASA astronaut. He sadly passed away during his first trip to space. This happened when the Space Shuttle Columbia (mission STS-107) broke apart as it returned to Earth.
David Brown became an astronaut in 1996. However, he did not fly to space until the Columbia mission. After his death, he was given the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. This is a very special award for astronauts.
Contents
Learning and Growing Up
David Brown went to school in Arlington, Virginia.
- He attended McKinley Elementary School.
- He also went to Swanson Middle School.
- In 1974, he graduated from Yorktown High School.
- In 1978, he earned a science degree in biology from the College of William and Mary.
- In 1982, he received a medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Groups and Clubs
David Brown was part of several important groups:
- He was active in the Boy Scouts of America. He reached the rank of Life Scout, which is the second-highest rank.
- He was a past president of the International Association of Military Flight Surgeon Pilots.
- He was also a member of the Aerospace Medical Association.
- He belonged to the Society of U.S. Naval Flight Surgeons.
Awards and Special Mentions
David Brown received many awards for his service. In 1986, he was named the Navy Operational Flight Surgeon of the Year.
Special Badges
These badges showed his special skills:
- Naval Aviator: For flying Navy aircraft.
- Naval Astronaut: For flying in space.
- Naval Flight Surgeon: For being a doctor for pilots.
Personal Awards
He earned several medals, including:
- Defense Distinguished Service Medal †
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Congressional Space Medal of Honor †
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal †
- NASA Space Flight Medal †
The † symbol means the award was given after his death.
Serving in the Military
After medical school, David Brown joined the U.S. Navy. He trained to be a flight surgeon. Flight surgeons are doctors who take care of pilots and aircrew.
In 1988, he was chosen for pilot training. This was very rare for a flight surgeon. He became a Naval Aviator in 1990. He was the top student in his class! He learned to fly planes like the A-6E Intruder and the F/A-18 Hornet. He flew from aircraft carriers like the USS Carl Vinson and USS Independence.
David Brown flew over 2,700 hours in aircraft. About 1,700 of these hours were in fast military jets. He was also the first pilot qualified to fly NASA's T-38 aircraft.
He also had an FCC amateur radio license. His call sign was KC5ZTC.
Becoming a NASA Astronaut
NASA chose David Brown to be an astronaut in April 1996. He started his training at the Johnson Space Center in August 1996. He trained for two years to become a mission specialist. He helped prepare the International Space Station and assisted astronauts with their cockpit setup.
On April 21, 2001, he even appeared on ESPN. He was an expert on g-force, which is the force you feel during fast movements.
David Brown flew on the Space Shuttle Columbia for mission STS-107. He spent 15 days, 22 hours, and 20 minutes in space. The mission was all about science and research. The crew worked day and night, doing about 80 experiments.
The mission ended on February 1, 2003. The Columbia's crew passed away during their return to Earth. This happened just 16 minutes before they were supposed to land.
His Life Outside of Work
David Brown was the only unmarried member of the STS-107 crew. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Remembering David Brown
Many things have been named in honor of David Brown:
- An asteroid, 51825 Davidbrown, is named after him.
- A crater on the Moon is named D. Brown.
- Brown Hall at the Florida Institute of Technology is named after him.
- He was the first person to receive the William & Mary Alumni Association's Alumni Medal after his death.
- A medical center at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute is named after him and Laurel B. Clark.
- A special fund was created in his memory at Eastern Virginia Medical School. It helps students who want to study aerospace medicine.
- The planetarium of Arlington Public Schools was renamed the David M. Brown Planetarium.
- The Dave Brown Memorial Park in Friendswood, Texas, is named after him.
- The College of William & Mary holds an annual gymnastics meet in his honor. David Brown was a gymnast there.
- The Yorktown High School Crew Team named their men's varsity 8 boat "Captain David M. Brown" around 2003.
- Circle Oil Hill Elementary in Kansas gives a scholarship each year called the "David Brown Hopes & Dreams Scholarship." It started in 2005.
See also
In Spanish: David McDowell Brown para niños
- Space science
- Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
