Edgar Mitchell

Edgar Dean Mitchell arrived in Hereford, Texas, on September 17, 1930, launching a career that would take him from the cockpit of a Navy jet to the surface of another world. He served as a United States Navy officer and aviator before becoming one of the most recognizable figures in space exploration. His journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management from Carnegie Institute of Technology, followed by his entry into the Navy in 1952. Commissioned at Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, he quickly proved himself as a Naval Aviator and test pilot. Mitchell pushed his education further while serving his country. He earned a second bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1961 and completed a doctorate in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT three years later. By 1965, he had graduated first in his class from the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School. During this intense period, he taught advanced mathematics and navigation theory to future astronaut candidates. These credentials paved the way for his selection by NASA. On February 5, 1971, Mitchell launched aboard Apollo 14 as the Lunar Module Pilot. He spent nine hours walking on the lunar surface within the Fra Mauro Highlands, making him the sixth person to set foot on the Moon. After returning to Earth, he did not fade into obscurity. Instead, he turned his attention to parapsychology and the study of consciousness. He founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences to explore the connection between mind and matter, carrying forward a legacy that extended far beyond the boundaries of space travel. Edgar Dean Mitchell passed away on February 4, 2016, at the age of 85.[edit]