Joe F. Edwards Jr.

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Joe Edwards
NASA astronaut
RankCommander, USN
Time in space
8d 19h 48m
SelectionNASA Group 15 (1994)
MissionsSTS-89
Mission insignia
RetirementApril 30, 2000

Joe Frank Edwards Jr. (born February 3, 1958), (

.

Early life and education

Edwards was born February 3, 1958, in Richmond, Virginia, but considers both Lineville, and Roanoke Alabama to be his hometowns.[1] He graduated from Lineville High School in 1976 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1980.[2] In 1994, he received a Master of Science degree in Aviation Systems from University of Tennessee in Knoxville.[3]

Career

Edwards was designated a

F-14 Tomcat training, and flew fighter escort and reconnaissance combat missions over Lebanon in 1983.[2]

He graduated from the

F-14D Full Scale Development. He flew the first Navy flight of the F-14D and a high angle of attack/departure from controlled flight test program for the F-14 airframe/F110 engine integration. He served as Operations and Maintenance Officer in Fighter Squadron 142 (VF-142) from 1989 to 1992. He worked as Operations Officer in the Operations Directorate of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C. from 1992 to 1994.[2]

He has flown 4,000 hours in over 25 different aircraft and logged over 650 carrier-arrested landings.[2]

F-14B
which wounded Edwards managed to land on carrier after the radome separated mid-flight. With the radome missing, the radar antenna can be clearly seen.

On November 13, 1991, while serving as maintenance officer of VF-142, he was flying in the

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this superior display of airmanship under grave circumstances.[4]


NASA career

Selected as an astronaut by NASA in December 1994, Edwards reported to the

CAPCOM representative in Mission Control for Shuttle ascent and entry.[3]

Edwards flew on STS-89 (January 22–31, 1998), the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission, during which the crew transferred more than 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) of scientific equipment, logistical hardware and water from Space Shuttle Endeavour to Mir. In the fifth and last exchange of a U.S. astronaut, STS-89 delivered Andy Thomas to Mir and returned with David Wolf. Mission duration was 8 days, 19 hours and 47 seconds, traveling 3.6 million miles (5.8 million km) in 138 orbits of the Earth.[5][6]

Awards and memberships

Edwards is a member of the

U.S. Naval Institute
.

He has received the

Carrier Air Wing 7 Pilot of the Year, 1985, 1990, 1991.[2]

Personal life

Edwards retired from NASA and the U.S. Navy on April 30, 2000.[7]

He is married to the former Janet Leigh Ragan of Leonardtown, Maryland. His parents, Joe Frank and Jane McMurray Edwards, are deceased and formerly resided in Roanoke, Alabama.

References

  1. ^ East, Don C. "A Brief Historical Sketch of Lineville, Alabama" (PDF). Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Joe Frank Edwards, Jr". www.usna.edu. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
  3. ^ a b "Biographical Data: Joe Frank Edwards, Jr. (Commander, USN, Ret.) NASA Astronaut (Former)" (PDF). NASA. May 2002. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  4. ^ "How F-14 Tomcat pilot with missing radome made an emergency landing". Fighter Jets World. June 12, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  5. ^ "STS-89 Endeavour". Spacefacts.de. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  6. ^ "NASA STS-89 mission summary". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  7. ^ Peterson, Doug (May 11, 2000). "Astronaut Joe Edwards Retires From NASA". NASA. Retrieved December 18, 2022.

External links