The science pilot for Skylab 2, Joseph P. Kerwin became the first physician from the United States to travel into space during his 1973 mission. Beyond his role as an astronaut, he served the United States Navy as a flight surgeon and pilot, blending medical expertise with operational aviation throughout a career spanning several decades of space exploration.
Academic and Medical Foundations
Born in 1932 in Oak Park, Illinois, Kerwin attended Fenwick High School before enrolling at the College of the Holy Cross. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and pre-medical studies in 1953. By 1957, he had completed his Doctor of Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Following an internship at District of Columbia General Hospital, he entered the U.S. Navy Medical Corps, becoming a designated flight surgeon in 1958.
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Kerwin served with the U.S. Marine Corps at Cherry Point, North Carolina, and at various naval stations. After receiving flight training at Chase Field in Texas in 1962, he qualified as a naval aviator. NASA selected him as a scientist-astronaut in June 1965. During the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, he functioned as a capsule communicator, famously bidding farewell to the lunar module.
Skylab 2 and Administrative Leadership
From May 25 to June 22, 1973, Kerwin participated in the Skylab 2 mission. As Director of Space and Life Sciences at the Johnson Space Center between 1984 and 1987, he oversaw medical support for crewed programs and reported on the Challenger disaster.
Post-NASA Projects
After retiring from the Navy and NASA in 1987, Kerwin joined Lockheed. He managed the Extravehicular Systems Project and co-invented the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue. He later worked for Systems Research Laboratories and Wyle Laboratories, where he led life sciences units until his retirement in 2004. He also served on the NASA Advisory Council and the Board of Directors of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute.
Fast facts
- Born: 1932, Oak Park
- Education: Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
- NASA Selection: June 1965
- Skylab 2 Mission: May 25 to June 22, 1973
- Military Rank: Captain
- Award: NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1973)
- Induction: United States Astronaut Hall of Fame (1997)
- Spouse: Shirley Ann Good
Questions readers ask
Was Joseph P. Kerwin the first doctor in space?
He was the first physician selected for NASA astronaut training and the first doctor from the United States to enter space.
What rank did he reach in the Navy?
He attained the rank of captain in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps.
Achievements
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine and College of the Holy Cross
- Worked as military officer, physician and astronaut
