Dr. David R. Scott
Former Astronaut and Armstrong Center Director
Dr. David R. Scott was the director of the NASA’s Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center in Edwards, California from April 18, 1975 to October 30, 1977.
As a NASA astronaut, Scott flew on Gemini 8, Apollo 9, and was Spacecraft Commander on Apollo 15. He has logged 546 hours and 54 minutes in space, of which 20 hours and 46 minutes were in extravehicular activity.
In 1972, Scott was named as Technical Assistant to the Apollo Program Manager at Johnson Space Center. Prior to coming to the Dryden Flight Research Center, he was Special Assistant for Mission Operations for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in March, 1975 with the rank of Colonel and has more than 5,600 hours of flying time.
On the Gemini 8 mission in 1966, Scott and Command Pilot Neil Armstrong performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space. As Command Module Pilot for Apollo 9 in 1969, Scott was instrumental in completing the first comprehensive Earth orbital qualification and verification test of a “fully configured Apollo spacecraft.” In 1971, Scott commanded Apollo 15, which was the first extended scientific exploration of the Moon, doubling the lunar stay time of previous flight and utilizing the first Lunar Roving Vehicle to explore the Hadley Rille and the Appennine Mountains.
Scott received a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy in 1954, standing fifth in a class of 633, and Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics and engineer in aeronautics and astronautics from M.I.T. in 1962. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Astronautical Science from the University of Michigan in 1971. He graduated from the Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School and Aerospace Research Pilot School.
Among Scott’s special honors are two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, and for 1971, the Air Force Association’s David C. Schilling Trophy, the Robert J. Collier Trophy, and the Federation Aeronautique Internationale Gold Medal.
Scott is a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and Sigma Gamma Tau. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Flight Safety Foundation Inc.
