Colonel Jack R. Lousma

U.S.M.C. Astronaut (Ret.)

Grand Rapids, Michigan

​​​​

Col. Lousma received a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1959 and a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U. S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1965. After joining the Marine Corps in 1959, he was assigned to the 2nd Marine Air Wing as an attack pilot, and later served with the 1st Marine Air Wing at Iwakuni, Japan. Lousma was selected in the fifth group of astronauts in 1966. His first mission was as pilot of Skylab 3, the second crew to visit America’s first space station from July 28 – September 25, 1973. On this mission he and his crewmates spacewalked to install a new sunshade, performed observations of the sun and Earth, and performed numerous medical experiments while taking 16,000 photographs and using 18 miles of magnetic tape in the documentation of their Earth observations. NASA states that the crew of Skylab 3 “accomplished 150% of mission goals.” From March 22-30, 1982, he commanded STS-3, the third test flight of Space Shuttle Columbia. He and his pilot, Gordon Fullerton, tested the thermal effects on Columbia and also tested the shuttle’s 50 foot long robot arm. Due to poor weather, the mission concluded with Lousma flying Columbia to the only landing at White Sands, New Mexico, in the shuttle’s history. Among numerous honors, he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Distinguished Service, the Robert J. Collier Trophy for 1973, the Marine Corps Aviation Association's Exceptional Achievement Award (1974), and the Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy for 1975. Col. Lousma was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1982, the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame in 1989, and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1997. During his two spaceflights he orbited Earth 988 times over 67 days, 11 hours, and 13 minutes in space, of which 11 hours and 1 minute were spent outside Skylab during Extravehicular Activities (spacewalks). He left NASA in 1983.