Gary E. Payton
Ret. Air Force Col. Gary E. Payton was a major when he flew on STS-51-C/Discovery, the first Department of Defense shuttle mission. In doing so, he became the first Manned Spaceflight Engineer, one of a group of about 30 mostly Air Force astronauts trained to fly secret DoD missions.
Payton was originally scheduled to fly, along with the rest of the 51C crew, on STS-10. But problems with the IUS rocket booster stage on STS-6 caused that flight's postponement - first to STS-15 (41E), then to 41H, and finally to 51C.
51C was originally scheduled for Challenger, but tile problems forced a substitution to Discovery.
Had Navy Cmdr. David E. Vidrine not be pulled from his tentative assignment on STS-41-C, he, not Payton, would have been the first MSE in space.
Payton made an appearance at the Space Foundation in Colorado Springs, and through their generosity, was able to get my Space Shuttle: 20 Years book signed as well as a photo. I was fortunate enough to find a high-res picture of him sufficient to get enlarged as an 8*10 (although I don't know why the border has a Lewis - now Glenn - Research Center moniker.)
Payton did the inscription unasked: "Hart - Thank you for your support of America's space program."
Gary E. Payton
Ret. Air Force Col. Gary E. Payton was a major when he flew on STS-51-C/Discovery, the first Department of Defense shuttle mission. In doing so, he became the first Manned Spaceflight Engineer, one of a group of about 30 mostly Air Force astronauts trained to fly secret DoD missions.
Payton was originally scheduled to fly, along with the rest of the 51C crew, on STS-10. But problems with the IUS rocket booster stage on STS-6 caused that flight's postponement - first to STS-15 (41E), then to 41H, and finally to 51C.
51C was originally scheduled for Challenger, but tile problems forced a substitution to Discovery.
Had Navy Cmdr. David E. Vidrine not be pulled from his tentative assignment on STS-41-C, he, not Payton, would have been the first MSE in space.
Payton made an appearance at the Space Foundation in Colorado Springs, and through their generosity, was able to get my Space Shuttle: 20 Years book signed as well as a photo. I was fortunate enough to find a high-res picture of him sufficient to get enlarged as an 8*10 (although I don't know why the border has a Lewis - now Glenn - Research Center moniker.)
Payton did the inscription unasked: "Hart - Thank you for your support of America's space program."