Colonel Alfred M. Worden

U.S. Air Force Astronaut (Ret.)

Jackson, Michigan

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Col. Worden received a Bachelor of Military Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1955 and Master of Science degrees in astronautical and aeronautical engineering and instrumentation engineering from the University of Michigan in 1963. He joined the Air Force in 1955, where he served as an instructor at the Aerospace Research Pilots School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. He also graduated from the Empire Test Pilot School in Farnborough, England, in 1964. Worden was selected in the fifth group of astronauts in 1966. From July 26–August 7, 1971 he served as command module pilot of Apollo 15. Following the moonwalks by his crewmates David Scott and Jim Irwin, he performed the first out-of-Earth orbit spacewalk which still holds the record for the furthest in deep space. From 1972–1975 Worden served as Senior Aerospace Scientist and Chief of the Systems Study Division at the NASA Ames Research Center in California. Following his retirement from active duty in 1975, he became President of Maris Worden Aerospace, Inc. and Vice-President of BF Goodrich Aerospace, Brecksville, Ohio. Col. Worden was inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame in 1990 and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1997. On his only spaceflight he spent 12 days, 7 hours, and 12 minutes in space, of which 18 minutes were spent outside the spacecraft on an extravehicular activity (spacewalk), and he orbited the moon 74 times. He has also authored the books Hello Earth! Greeting from Endeavour, I Want to Know About a Flight to the Moon, Fallen From Earth, Astronaut Al Travels to the Moon and The Light of Earth with co-author Francis French.  Worden passed away March 18, 2020 at age 88 years.