Owen K. Garriott, born November 22, 1930 in Enid, Oklahoma, flew on Skylab 3 and the Space Shuttle Columbia. He was selected as an astronaut in 1965 and his first mission was aboard Skylab 3 from July - September 1973, doubling the amount of time astronauts spent in space from the previous record.
During the mission, the controllers in Houston were surprised to hear a woman's voice coming from Skylab 3, even calling Bob Crippen by name. She explained:
"The boys haven't had a home-cooked meal in so long I thought I'd bring one up." After several minutes in which she described forest fires seen from space and the beautiful sunrise, the woman said: "Oh oh. I have to cut off now. I think the boys are floating up here toward the command module and I'm not supposed to be talking to you."
Garriott had recorded his wife the night before liftoff and the crew was in on the prank.
Garriott's second flight was aboard Columbia (STS-9) November-December 1983 as a mission specialist. His son Richard flew aboard Soyuz TMA-13 in October 2008, becoming the first American to follow a parent into space.
Garriott's second flight was aboard Columbia (STS-9) November-December 1983 as a mission specialist. His son Richard flew aboard Soyuz TMA-13 in October 2008, becoming the first American to follow a parent into space.
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