Sam Beddingfield
Sam T. Beddingfield | |
|---|---|
 Beddingfield in 2009 in Titusville, Florida | |
| Born | October 28, 1933[1] |
| Died | June 13, 2012 (aged 78)[2] |
| Citizenship | American |
| Education | North Carolina State University |
| Occupation(s) | Test pilot and NASA employee |
Samuel T. Beddingfield (October 28, 1933 – June 13, 2012) was an American test pilot and a pioneering aerospace engineer and who had a long career with NASA during its manned space programs.[3]
Biography
Beddingfield was born in Clayton, North Carolina and attended North Carolina State University.[4] He graduated in 1956 with a degree in aeronautical engineering.
Aerospace career
Beddingfield went to work for the
At this time, NASA had 33 employees and five people on contract at the Cape. Beddingfield was involved in preparing for and launching the two
After the safe return of the first Apollo Moon-landing mission (Apollo 11), Beddingfield was assigned to the Space Shuttle program in August 1969. He was the first NASA Kennedy Space Center employee assigned to the program and worked on the shuttle in a number of progressively responsible positions through its first 23 flights. One of the responsibilities assigned to him was selecting the location of the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) and the design of the runway. He retired from NASA as the deputy director of shuttle operations in November 1985.
Retirement and death
In retirement Beddingfield was an advocate for the space program and was a frequent commentator on local and national TV during shuttle launches. He also contributed to many space history initiatives by NASA or private entities. He served as president of the Florida chapter of the NASA Alumni League from 1994–1996.
He volunteered his time to the
Beddingfield died on June 13, 2012, in Titusville, Florida at age 78.
Recognition
During his 26-year NASA career, he received numerous forms of recognition for his service. Among them was the NASA Exceptional Service Medal for both the Apollo and the Shuttle programs. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 from the Florida Committee of the National Space Club.
Notes
- ^ Sam Beddingfield obituary
- ^ Gunnerson, Scott "Space pioneer Sam Beddingfield dies" (June 13, 2012) Florida Today
- ^ "Space pioneer's career spanned history of NASA". Florida Today. June 14, 2012.
- ^ Orlando Sentinel Samuel Beddingfield Obituary Notice. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
References
- "National Space Club's 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award". NASA.
- "Special Committee on Space Technology (Stever Committee)". NASA. Archived from the original on 2012-10-17.
- "US Space Walk of Fame". Archived from the original on 2009-03-30.
- Broad, William J. (1988-09-26). "Doubts Remain About Shuttle as Launching Nears". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- "NASA to add more 'voices' to panel". Florida Today. Archived from the original on 2009-10-07.
External links
- Beddingfield, Sam T. "Astronaut Virgil "Gus" Grissom". Archived from the original on 28 March 2013.
- In the Shadow of the Moon: A Challenging Journey to Tranquility, 1965-1969 (Amazon customer review)