Guy Gardner’s career spans combat missions, space exploration, and educational leadership, showcasing his dedication to aviation and inspiring future generations.

Guy Gardner began his career as an F-4 Phantom aircraft pilot in the Vietnam War, flying 177 combat missions, and later became an F-4 instructor and test pilot. He was selected to become an astronaut in 1980 by NASA and went on to pilot two Space Shuttle missions: STS-27 in 1988 and STS-35 in 1990. They carried a classified Department of Defense payload and the ASTRO-1 astronomy laboratory, respectively.

After his space missions, Guy took on several influential roles. He was head of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Flight, and Program Director of the Shuttle-Mir Program. He also served as Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Director of the William J. Hughes Technical Center and FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety, leading the federal agency responsible for overseeing and regulating civil aviation safety.

Dr. Norman Thagard is a licensed physician, former U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Captain and naval aviator with over 2,200 flight hours, and NASA astronaut. He has flown five missions and accumulated 140 days in space.

Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1978, Dr. Thagard’s first mission (STS-7 in 1983) involved deploying satellites and conducting medical tests to study physiological changes in astronauts. On STS 51-B in 1985, he managed satellite operations and cared for research animals, including rats and squirrel monkeys. During STS-30 in 1989, he played a crucial role in deploying the Magellan Venus-exploration spacecraft, the first U.S. planetary mission since 1978. This mission marked a significant milestone in planetary exploration, as Magellan mapped the surface of Venus using specialized radar instruments.

As payload commander on STS-42 in 1992, Thagard oversaw 55 experiments in microgravity, investigating the effects on materials and life sciences. This mission provided valuable insights into the growth of protein and semiconductor crystals, as well as the biological effects of zero gravity on various organisms. His final mission, Mir 18 in 1995, involved 28 experiments over 115 days, marking the first time an American astronaut flew on a Russian spacecraft. This mission highlighted international cooperation in space exploration and contributed to a better understanding of long-duration spaceflight. Thagard’s contributions to space exploration include significant advancements in scientific research and international collaboration. He retired from NASA in December 1995.