Steven R. Nagel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steven R. Nagel
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| Born | October 27, 1946 Canton, Illinois, U.S.
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| Died | August 21, 2014 (aged 67) Columbia, Missouri, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Steven Ray Nagel |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois, B.S. 1969 Fresno State, M.S. 1978 |
| Occupation | Test pilot, fighter pilot |
| Awards |  |
| Space career | |
| NASA Astronaut | |
| Rank |  Colonel, USAF |
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Time in space
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30d 01h 34m |
| Selection | 1978 NASA Group 8 |
| Missions | STS-51-G, STS-61-A, STS-37, STS-55 |
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Mission insignia
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| Retirement | February 28, 1995 |
Steven Ray Nagel (October 27, 1946 – August 21, 2014) was an American astronaut and pilot. He was also an engineer who worked with aircraft and machines. Before becoming an astronaut, he was a test pilot for the United States Air Force. Steven Nagel spent a total of 723 hours (that's over 30 days!) in space. After his time at NASA, he became a teacher at the University of Missouri College of Engineering.
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Who Was Steven Nagel?
Steven Nagel was born in Canton, Illinois, on October 27, 1946. His parents were Ivan and Helene Nagel. He had one sister, Janice. Steven married fellow astronaut Linda M. Godwin. They had two daughters together. In his free time, Steven enjoyed flying planes for fun, using amateur radio, and listening to music.
His School Days and Learning
Steven Nagel finished high school in Canton, Illinois, in 1964. He then went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1969, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. This degree was in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, which is about designing and building aircraft and spacecraft. Later, in 1978, he received a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, Fresno. This degree focused on how machines work.
Flying High: His Pilot Career
Steven Nagel joined the Air Force in 1969 through a special training program. He completed his pilot training in Texas in 1970. After that, he learned to fly the F-100 Super Sabre fighter jet. From 1970 to 1971, he flew the F-100 in Louisiana.
He also spent a year in Thailand, teaching the Laotian Air Force how to fly the T-28 Trojan plane. When he returned to the United States, he became an instructor for the LTV A-7 Corsair II jet.
Becoming a Test Pilot
From 1975 to 1976, Steven attended the USAF Test Pilot School in California. A test pilot flies new or modified aircraft to see how they perform. After graduating, he worked on various projects. He flew different planes like the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and the LTV A-7 Corsair II. In total, Steven Nagel spent 12,600 hours flying, with 9,640 hours in jet aircraft.
Steven Nagel's NASA Journey
Steven Nagel became a NASA astronaut in August 1979. He had many important jobs at NASA. He helped prepare for early Space Shuttle missions. He also worked on developing a way for astronauts to escape the Space Shuttle in an emergency. For a short time in 1991, he was even the Acting Chief of the Astronaut Office.
After his fourth space flight, Steven Nagel had spent a total of 723 hours in space. He retired from the Air Force in 1995. Soon after, he retired from the Astronaut Office. He then took on a full-time role at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. There, he worked on safety and quality for space operations. Later, he became a research pilot in the Aircraft Operations Division.
Steven Nagel flew on four Space Shuttle missions: STS-51-G and STS-61-A in 1985, STS-37 in 1991, and STS-55 in 1993.
His Space Missions
STS-51-G: His First Flight
Steven Nagel's first space mission was STS-51-G. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on June 17, 1985. He was a mission specialist on the Shuttle Discovery. The crew deployed three communication satellites for Mexico, the Arab League, and the United States.
They also used the Remote Manipulator System (a robotic arm) to put a satellite called SPARTAN into space. SPARTAN then studied x-rays from space for 17 hours. The crew also did other science experiments. After about 170 hours in space, Discovery landed in California on June 24, 1985.
STS-61-A: A German Mission
Next, Steven flew as the pilot on STS-61-A. This was a special mission with West Germany called the D-1 Spacelab mission. It launched from Florida on October 30, 1985. This was the first time that experiments on a Space Shuttle were controlled from outside the United States.
The crew completed over 75 science experiments. These experiments covered topics like how the human body works in space, how materials behave, and biology. After orbiting Earth 111 times, the Shuttle Challenger landed in California on November 6, 1985.
STS-37: Commander in Space
For his third flight, Steven Nagel was the commander of STS-37. This mission launched on April 5, 1991, from Florida. It landed on April 11, 1991, in California. On this flight, the crew aboard the Shuttle Atlantis deployed the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. This observatory was sent into space to study gamma rays from across the universe.
The crew also performed the first planned spacewalk in over five years. They even did an unplanned spacewalk to fix a stuck antenna on the satellite!
STS-55: Another German Mission
Steven Nagel also commanded STS-55, which was another German Spacelab mission (D-2). This mission launched on April 26, 1993, on the Shuttle Columbia. The crew landed 10 days later, on May 6, 1993, in California.
During this busy mission, the astronauts performed 89 experiments. These experiments covered many areas, including how materials behave in space, life sciences, robotics, and astronomy.
In total, Steven Nagel spent 723 hours in space across his four missions.
Life After NASA
In 2011, Steven Nagel and his wife, Linda, moved to Columbia, Missouri. They both became teachers at the University of Missouri. Steven worked in the University of Missouri College of Engineering. He taught about how aircraft and spacecraft engines work. Linda was a professor in the physics department, teaching about astronomy.
Special Awards and Honors
Steven Nagel received many awards for his service and achievements. These include:
- The Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross.
- The Air Medal with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters.
- The Commander's Trophy, Flying Trophy, Academic Trophy, and Orville Wright Achievement Award for his pilot training.
- The Air Force Meritorious Service Medal.
- Four NASA Space Flight Medals (for each of his missions).
- NASA Exceptional Service Medals.
- The NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal.
- The NASA Distinguished Service Medal.
- The Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Illinois.
- The Distinguished Alumni Award from California State University, Fresno.
- The Lincoln Laureate award from the State of Illinois.
His Passing
Steven Nagel passed away in Columbia, Missouri, on August 21, 2014. He was 67 years old and died from melanoma, a type of cancer.
See also
