Edgar Cortright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Edgar Cortright
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| Born |
Edgar Maurice Cortright
July 29, 1923 |
| Died | May 4, 2014 (aged 90) |
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| Occupation | Engineering and executive positions at NASA and private corporations |
Edgar Maurice Cortright (born July 29, 1923 – died May 4, 2014) was an important American scientist and engineer. He held senior positions at NASA, the United States' space agency. He was best known for being the Director of NASA's Langley Research Center. He also led the team that investigated the accident during the Apollo 13 space mission in 1970.
Contents
Edgar Cortright: A NASA Leader
Early Life and Education
Edgar Cortright was born on July 29, 1923, in Hastings, Pennsylvania. This area was known for coal mining. His family later moved near Philadelphia, where he went to high school.
He studied aeronautical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). He earned his first degree in 1947 and a master's degree in 1949. At RPI, he was roommates with George Low, who later became a leader at NASA. Much later, in 1975, Edgar earned a special engineering doctorate degree from RPI.
His Family
Edgar Cortright's parents were Janet Pearsall Cortright and Edgar Maurice Cortright Sr. He had a sister named Janet and a brother named David.
In 1945, he married Beverly Jane Hotaling. She passed away in 2012. They had two children, Susan and David. At the time of his death, Edgar also had three grandsons.
Working at NASA
Edgar Cortright joined the United States Navy in 1941. After serving, he began working at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). This was a government agency that studied flight. He worked at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. There, he held several roles, including leading sections that studied supersonic flight.
In 1958, NASA was created, taking over from NACA. Edgar Cortright was one of the first people to join the new agency. He worked at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He held many important jobs there. These included being Chief of Advanced Technology and later Deputy Director for Space Science and Applications. He also worked on manned space flights.
In October 1967, he received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. This is one of NASA's highest awards.
Leading Langley Research Center
From 1968 to 1975, Edgar Cortright was the Director of the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. This center is a very important part of NASA. It focuses on aerospace research.
Investigating Apollo 13
In April 1970, an explosion happened during the Apollo 13 space mission. This was a very serious event. Edgar Cortright was chosen to lead the Apollo 13 Review Board. This group was set up to find out why the accident happened. The Board gave its report to NASA in June 1970. Their findings helped make future space missions safer.
After NASA
After leaving NASA in 1975, Edgar Cortright worked for private companies. He was a Vice President and Technical Director at Owens Illinois Corporation. Later, he became a Senior Vice President and then President at Lockheed-California Company in Los Angeles.
Edgar Cortright passed away on May 4, 2014, in Palm City, Florida. He was 90 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Edgar Cortright para niños
