Mullane Credit - www.spacefacts.de

Personal: Male, Married, Three children. Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, USA. US Air Force US Air Force

Astronaut Career

Astronaut Group: NASA Group 8 - 1978. Inactive Entered space service: 16 January 1978. Left space service: 1 August 1990. Number of Flights: 3.00. Total Time: 14.85 days.

Author of the frankest astronaut biography ever published. Nicknamed Tarzan to Hawley's Cheetah after the duos infamously fawning encounter with Bo Derek during the filming of Tarzan the Ape Man.

NAME: Richard M. Mullane (Colonel, USAF)

NASA Astronaut

BIRTHPLACE AND DATE: Born September 10, 1945, in Wichita Falls, Texas, but considers Albuquerque, New Mexico, to be his hometown. His mother, Mrs. Hugh J. Mullane, resides in Albuquerque; his father is deceased.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Gray hair; brown eyes; height: 5 feet 10 inches; weight: 150 pounds.

EDUCATION: Graduated from St. Pius X Catholic High School, Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1963; received a bachelor of science degree in Military Engineering from the United States Military Academy in 1967; and awarded a master of science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1975.

MARITAL STATUS: Married to the former Donna Marie Sei of Albuquerque, New Mexico, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Sei.

CHILDREN: Patrick Joseph and Amy Michele, March 5, 1968; Laura Ann, February 19, 1971.

RECREATIONAL INTERESTS: He enjoys backpacking, skiing, and running.

ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Air Force Association.

SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded 6 Air Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal, and NASA Space Flight Medal; named a Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Navigator Training School (and recipient of its Commander's Trophy), the USAF Institute of Technology, and the USAF Test Pilot School.

EXPERIENCE: Mullane, an Air Force Colonel, was graduated from West Point in 1967. He completed 150 combat missions as an RF-4C weapon system operator while stationed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Vietnam, from January to November 1969. He subsequently served a 4-year tour of duty, in England. In July 1976, upon completing the USAF Flight Test Engineer Course at Edwards Air Force Base, California, he was assigned as a flight test weapon system operator to the 3246th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected by NASA in January 1978, Mullane became an astronaut in August 1979. He has flown on three Space Shuttle missions, serving as a mission specialist on the crew of STS 41-D Florida in August 1984, on STS-27 in December 1988, and on STS-36 in March 1990.

On his first mission Mullane served on the crew of STS-41 which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1984. This was the maiden flight of the Orbiter Discovery. During this 7-day mission the crew successfully activated the OAST-1 solar cell wing experiment, deployed three satellites, operated the CFES-III experiment, the student crystal growth experiment, and photography experiments using the IMAX motion picture camera. STS 41-D completed 96 orbits of the earth in 145 hours before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1984.

Mullane then flew aboard the Orbiter Atlantis, on STS-27, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on December 2, 1988. The mission carried a DOD payload, as well as a number of secondary payloads. After 68 orbits of the earth, the mission concluded with a dry lakebed landing on Runway 17 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 6, 1988. Mission duration was 105 hours.

On his third flight, Mullane served on the crew of STS-36 which launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on February 28, 1990, aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. This mission carried Department of Defense payloads and a number of secondary payloads. After 72 orbits of the earth, the STS-36 mission concluded with a lakebed landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on March 4, 1990.

With the completion of his third flight, Mullane has logged a total of 356 hours in space.

Col. Mullane has announced his intention to retire from NASA and the Air Force, effective August 1, 1990, and plans to return to his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

MARCH 1990

• 30 August 1984 Flight: STS-41-D. Flight Up: STS-41-D. Flight Back: STS-41-D. Flight Time: 6.04 days.

• 2 December 1988 Flight: STS-27. Flight Up: STS-27. Flight Back: STS-27. Flight Time: 4.38 days.

• 28 February 1990 Flight: STS-36. Flight Up: STS-36. Flight Back: STS-36. Flight Time: 4.43 days.

16 January 1978 - NASA Astronaut Training Group 8 selected.. The group was selected to provide pilot, engineer, and scientist astronauts for space shuttle flights. Recruit women and minorities to introduce diversity into the astronaut corps. Qualifications: Pilots: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Advanced degree desirable. At least 1,000 flight-hours of pilot-in-command time. Flight test experience desirable. Excellent health. Vision minimum 20/50 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 vision; maximum sitting blood pressure 140/90. Height between 163 and 193 cm.

Mission Specialists: Bachelor's degree in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics and minimum three years of related experience or an advanced degree. Vision minimum 20/150 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20. Maximum sitting blood pressure of 140/90. Height between 150 and 193 cm.. 8,079 applicants, of which half met the basic qualifications. 208 invited for physical tests and interviews. Of the 35 selected, six were women, three were male African-Americans, and one was a male Asian-American.