Richard Gordon

Richard Gordon was a test pilot in the U.S. Navy. He was passed by for the 1962 astronaut selection, but was accepted for the 1963 selection.

Flew in space the first time as the Pilot of Gemini XI in September of 1966, with Pete Conrad as the Command Pilot. Gordon made two space walks, while he and Conrad set an altitude record of 850 miles during the course of the three day mission.

Flew as the Command Module Pilot of Apollo 12, the second lunar landing mission, in November of 1969. His crewmates were Commander Pete Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan Bean. Gordon orbited the moon at 60 miles altitude, while Conrad and Bean landed and explored the Ocean of Storms.

Was the back-up commander of Apollo 15, in 1971. He was scheduled to land on the moon himself as the Commander of Apollo 18. However, Apollo 18 was cancelled due to NASA budget cuts. Gordon retired from both NASA and the Navy in 1972.