Richard F. Gordon Jr.

Dick Gordon was a great pilot.

He flew many fast planes for the Navy. He even won a big race in a plane.

Later, he became an astronaut. He flew to space in a small ship. He even went for a walk in space!

Dick also flew a ship around the Moon. He took many pictures from up high. He was a very brave explorer.

Dick Gordon was a brave pilot and astronaut.

He was born in Seattle, Washington, in 1929. First, he joined the Navy. He flew many fast jet planes. He even won a race from Los Angeles to New York. He flew 869.74 miles per hour in that race.

Later, he became a NASA astronaut. He flew in the Gemini 11 mission in 1966. During that trip, he went for a walk in space. This is called an EVA. An EVA is a walk outside a spacecraft.

He also flew on the Apollo 12 mission.

This mission went to the Moon. Dick stayed in the ship, called the command module. He orbited the Moon 45 times. He took many photos of the Moon from above. He spent over 315 hours in space. Dick Gordon died in 2017. He was 88 years old.

Richard Francis Gordon Jr. was a man who reached for the stars.

He was a naval officer and a skilled pilot. He also served as a NASA astronaut. This means he traveled into space in a spacecraft. He was one of only 24 people to ever fly to the Moon. His life was full of many different jobs. He worked in the Navy, in space, and even in professional football.

Gordon's journey to space began with flying fast jets. He first flew in the Gemini 11 mission in 1966. During that trip, he performed two spacewalks. A spacewalk is called an EVA, which stands for extravehicular activity.

During one walk, he attached a tether, or a safety rope, to a craft called Agena. He also grabbed a science package from it. Later, he flew on the Apollo 12 mission in November 1969. He was the command module pilot for that trip. While his crewmates landed on the Moon, Gordon stayed in the ship named Yankee Clipper. He orbited the Moon 45 times to take many photos.

Gordon was born on October 5, 1929, in Seattle, Washington. His father was a machinist named Richard Francis Gordon Sr. His mother, Angela Frances Gordon, was an elementary school teacher. He grew up as one of five children. As a young boy, he was a dedicated Boy Scout. He even earned the rank of Star Scout. He finished high school in 1947 in Poulsbo, Washington. Then, he went to the University of Washington to study chemistry.

He achieved many great things during his career. In May 1961, he won the Bendix Trophy race. He flew from Los Angeles to New York City. He reached a speed of 869.74 miles per hour. This set a new record for traveling across the country. In total, he spent 315 hours and 53 minutes in space.

He also worked to help design the Space Shuttle. After his time at NASA, he worked for the New Orleans Saints football club. He lived a long life and died in 2017 at age 88.

Many things in our world connect to his story. You might know about the Moon or the planets in our solar system. Gordon helped us see the Moon better through his photos. You might also know about the Navy or fast jet planes. He was an expert at flying those machines. Even schools can honor people like him. There is a Richard Gordon Elementary School in Kingston, Washington. He is remembered in the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame. His life shows how much can be done with curiosity and hard work.

Richard Francis Gordon Jr. was a versatile American aviator and explorer.

He served as a naval officer and a NASA astronaut. He was also a professional football executive. Gordon was one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon. He achieved this during the Apollo 12 mission. His career spanned many different fields of science and leadership. He remains a significant figure in the history of space exploration.

Gordon's path to space began with extensive training in aviation. After earning a chemistry degree in 1951, he joined the United States Navy. He became a Naval Aviator in 1953. He later attended the United States Naval Test Pilot School in Maryland. As a test pilot, he flew many different aircraft. These included the F-8U Crusader and the F4H-1 Phantom II. He logged over 4,500 hours of total flying time. Of those hours, 3,500 were spent in jet aircraft.

In 1961, Gordon demonstrated his incredible speed. He won the Bendix Trophy race from Los Angeles to New York City. He flew an F4H-1 jet during this competition. He reached a speed of 869.74 miles per hour. This flight set a new transcontinental speed record of 2 hours and 47 minutes. This achievement showed his skill as a pilot before he joined NASA. He was eventually selected as part of the third group of astronauts in 1963.

Gordon's first journey into space occurred in September 1966. He served as the pilot for the Gemini 11 mission.

This flight set a record for the highest-apogee Earth orbit. This term refers to the highest point in an orbit. During this mission, Gordon performed two extravehicular activities, or EVAs. An EVA is a spacewalk performed outside a spacecraft.

During one EVA, he attached a tether to the Agena spacecraft. He also retrieved a nuclear emulsion experiment package.

His most famous mission was Apollo 12 in November 1969.

Gordon served as the command module pilot for this mission. This was the second crewed mission to land on the Moon. His crewmates, Pete Conrad and Alan Bean, landed in the Ocean of Storms. Gordon stayed in lunar orbit aboard the command module named Yankee Clipper.

He orbited the Moon 45 times. While orbiting, he took photographs of tentative landing sites for future missions.

Gordon's total time in space was 315 hours and 53 minutes. He spent 2 hours and 41 minutes performing EVAs. After his flights, he worked in the astronaut office. In 1971, he became the chief of advanced programs. In this role, he worked on the design of the Space Shuttle. He eventually retired from both NASA and the Navy in January 1972. His expertise helped shape the future of American space travel.

After leaving NASA, Gordon moved into many different business roles. He served as an executive for the New Orleans Saints football club. He also worked in the oil and gas industry. He held leadership positions at companies like Energy Developers, Limited and Astro Sciences Corporation. He even served as a technical advisor for the CBS miniseries *Space*. His diverse career showed how skills from aviation can apply to many industries.

Richard Gordon died on November 6, 2017, at the age of 88.

He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He received many honors, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. He was also inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame. A school in Kingston, Washington, is named in his honor. His life connects the worlds of military aviation, space science, and business.