Donald Peterson, Space Shuttle astronaut, born October 22, 1933

Donald Peterson, born October 22, 1933 in Winona, Mississippi, went into space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-6) as mission specialist in April 1983.  It was the maiden flight of Challenger.  He and fellow astronaut Story Musgrave performed an EVA which lasted 4 hours 17 minutes.  He remained in space for just over 5 days.

He passed away in May 2018 from Alzheimer's disease and bone cancer.

Remembering Space Shuttle astronaut Don Peterson (1933-2018)

For the second time in a week, a former astronaut has passed away.   Donald Peterson, who was a mission specialist on Challenger's maiden voyage (STS-6) passed away May 27 from Alzheimer's disease and bone cancer.  He was 84.

He was in the third group of astronauts assigned to the US Air Force's Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program, but when MOL was cancelled he went to NASA as an astronaut.

He served as astronaut support crew for Apollo 16 and then was assigned to the space shuttle program. During the STS-6 mission, he and Story Musgrave performed the first ever EVA of the shuttle program, logging just over 4 hours.

Challenger (STS-6), maiden voyage, launched 1983

STS-6 crew (L-R): Donald Peterson, Paul Weitz, Story Musgrave, Karol Bobko

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Challenger took off on her maiden voyage April 4, 1983.  It was the first mission during which an EVA was conducted.  Its crew consisted of Commander Paul Weitz, Pilot Karol Bobko, Story Musgrave and Donald Peterson. Weitz, the only non-rookie, had served as Pilot on Skylab 2.

They returned to Earth April 9.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Karol J. Bobko!

Karol Joseph "Bo" Bobko, born December 23, 1937 in New York City, is a veteran of three Space Shuttle flights. He graduated from the US Air Force Academy in 1959 and then received part of his pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma!

He was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1969 and was pilot for the maiden voyage of Challenger (STS-6) in April 1983.

He served as commander of Discovery (STS-51-D) in April 1985.

His third and final flight was commander of Atlantis (STS-51-J) in October 1985.

Remembering Paul J. Weitz, Skylab and Space Shuttle astronaut (1932-2017)

Astronaut Paul Joseph Weitz, born July 25, 1932 in Erie, Pennsylvania, passed away yesterday October 23 in Flagstaff, Arizona from myelodysplastic syndrome.  He was 85.

His first mission into space was aboard Skylab 2, the first manned mission  to the space station from May-June 1973.

He was commander of STS-6, the maiden voyage of Challenger in April 1983.