Testing the portable life support system during the 1969 Apollo 9 mission, Russell Louis Schweickart executed the inaugural extravehicular activity of the Apollo program. His work in orbit provided critical verification for the hardware eventually utilized by astronauts walking on the lunar surface, marking a pivotal technical milestone in the development of crewed space flight capabilities.
Early Background and Education
Born October 25, 1935, in Neptune Township, New Jersey, Schweickart grew up on a 45-acre farm. After graduating from Manasquan High School in 1952, he attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering in 1956 and a Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics in 1963. Before his NASA career, he served as a research scientist at the MIT Experimental Astronomy Laboratory, focusing on upper atmospheric physics and stellar image stabilization.
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Schweickart served in the U.S. Air Force and the Massachusetts Air National Guard from 1956 until 1963, logging over 4,000 flight hours, including 3,500 hours in high-performance jet aircraft. Selected for NASA Astronaut Group 3 in 1963, he was the youngest member of his class. In March 1969, he flew as the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 9. Although space adaptation syndrome forced a delay of his planned extravehicular activity, he eventually conducted a brief EVA from the module's porch.
Skylab Operations and Technical Contributions
Following Apollo 9, Schweickart became a test subject for research into motion sickness. He later served as backup commander for Skylab 2, the first crewed American space station mission in 1973. When the station's thermal shield was lost during launch, he spearheaded the development of the hardware and procedures necessary to deploy an emergency solar shade and release a jammed solar array, effectively rescuing the station from mission failure.
Post-NASA Career and Advocacy
Schweickart left NASA in 1977 to serve as an assistant for science and technology to California Governor Jerry Brown. He subsequently joined the California Energy Commission, serving as its chairman for three years. In 1984, he co-founded the Association of Space Explorers. Later, in 2002, he helped establish the B612 Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on the defense of Earth against potential asteroid impacts, serving as both chair and chair emeritus.
Fast facts
- Born: October 25, 1935, Neptune Township
- Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- NASA Astronaut Group: 3
- Mission: Apollo 9 (1969)
- Total spaceflight time: 241 hours
- Awards: NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1969)
- Inducted into International Space Hall of Fame: 1983
Questions readers ask
What was Schweickart's primary contribution to the Apollo program?
He conducted the first extravehicular activity of the Apollo program, testing the portable life support system.
What is the B612 Foundation?
A non-profit co-founded by Schweickart in 2002 to focus on protecting Earth from asteroid impacts.
Achievements
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- International Space Hall of Fame — 1983
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Manasquan High School
- Worked as military officer, test pilot and astronaut
