Wednesday February 19, 2014 the astronaut Dale Gardner passed away due to a brain aneurysm.
Dale Allan Gardner was born on November 8, 1948 in Fairmont, Minnesota. In 1970, he graduated in engineering physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he was trained as a naval flight officer, graduating with the highest academic average ever achieved in his squadron.
In 1978, Dale Gardner was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA and began a year of training. After some experience as part of the logistical support staff for space missions, he was part of the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger in mission STS-8 between August 30, 1983 and September 5, 1983.
Dale Gardner was part of the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery in mission STS-51-A between November 8, 1984, and November 16, 1984. One of the purposes of the mission was to recover two satellites that were placed in an orbit lower than scheduled due to a malfunction of the modules that were supposed to take them to the right position.
Dale Gardner and his colleague Joseph P. Allen had to physically retrieve the two satellites going to take them by using a jetpack, technically called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU). At the end of the operation, Gardner posed for a photo in which he held in his hand a “For sale” sign. The two satellites were successfully brought back to Earth.
Dale Gardner retired from the astronaut corps in 1986 and returned to his Navy service. Given his experience, he was assigned to the U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and later to the Space Control Operations Division of the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base. After being promoted to Captain, he was assigned to the Peterson Air Force Base as Command’s Deputy Director for Space Control. In 1990 he retired from the U.S. Navy and started working for private companies in the aerospace industry.
In the course of his career, Dale Gardner received several military and civilian honors including the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the NASA Space Flight Medal, the Master Space Badge and the Lloyd’s of London Meritorious Service Medal.
