David Scott
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David Randolph Scott (born June 6, 1932) is an American retired test pilot and NASA astronaut who was the seventh person to walk on the Moon. Selected as part of the third group of astronauts in 1963, Scott flew to space three times and commanded Apollo 15, the fourth lunar landing; he is one of four surviving Moon walkers and the only living commander of a spacecraft that landed on the Moon.[2]

Key Information

Before becoming an astronaut, Scott graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and joined the Air Force. After serving as a fighter pilot in Europe, he graduated from the Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School (Class 62C) and the Aerospace Research Pilot School (Class IV). Scott retired from the Air Force in 1975 with the rank of colonel, and more than 5,600 hours of logged flying time.

As an astronaut, Scott made his first flight into space as a pilot of the Gemini 8 mission, along with Neil Armstrong, in March 1966, spending just under eleven hours in low Earth orbit. He would have been the second American astronaut to walk in space had Gemini 8 not made an emergency abort. Scott then spent ten days in orbit in March 1969 as Command Module Pilot of Apollo 9, a mission that extensively tested the Apollo spacecraft, along with Commander James McDivitt and Lunar Module Pilot Rusty Schweickart.

After backing up Apollo 12, Scott made his third and final flight into space as commander of the Apollo 15 mission, the fourth crewed lunar landing and the first J mission. Scott and James Irwin remained on the Moon for three days. Following their return to Earth, Scott and his crewmates fell from favor with NASA after it was disclosed that they had carried four hundred unauthorized postal covers to the Moon. After serving as director of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California, Scott retired from the agency in 1977. Since then, he has worked on space-related projects and served as a consultant for several films about the space program, including Apollo 13.

Early life and education

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Scott was born June 6, 1932, at Randolph Field (for which he received his middle name) near San Antonio, Texas.[3][4] His father was Tom William Scott, a fighter pilot in the United States Army Air Corps who would rise to the rank of brigadier general; his mother was Marian Scott (née Davis).[5] Scott lived his earliest years at Randolph Field, where his father was stationed, before moving to an air base in Indiana, and then in 1936 to Manila in the Philippines, then under U.S. rule. David remembered his father as a strict disciplinarian. The family returned to the United States in December 1939. By the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the family was living in San Antonio again; shortly thereafter Tom Scott was deployed overseas.[6]

As it was felt that he needed more discipline than he would receive with his father gone for three years, David was sent to Texas Military Institute, spending his summers at Hermosa Beach in California with his father's college friend, David Shattuck, after whom he had been named. Determined to become a pilot like his father, David built many model airplanes and watched with fascination war films about flying. By the time of Tom Scott's return, David was old enough to be allowed to go up in a military aircraft with him, and in David Scott's autobiography remembered it as "the most exciting thing I had ever experienced".[7]

David Scott was active in the Boy Scouts of America, achieving its second-highest rank, Life Scout.[8] With Tom Scott assigned to March Air Force Base near Riverside, California, David attended Riverside Polytechnic High School, where he joined the swimming team and set several state and local records. Before David could finish high school, Tom Scott was transferred to Washington, D.C., and after some discussion as to whether he should remain in California to graduate, David attended Western High School in Washington, graduating in June 1949.[9]

David Scott wanted an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point but lacked connections to secure one.[10] He took a government civil service examination for competitive appointments and accepted a swimming scholarship to the University of Michigan where he was an honor student in the engineering school. In the spring of 1950, he received and accepted an invitation to attend West Point.[10] Scott attended Michigan on a swimming scholarship, set a freshman record in the 440-yard freestyle, and the team captain during Scott's year there, Jack Craigie, recalled that the West Point swimming coach, Gordon Chalmers, was happy to get Scott from Michigan, one of the dominant programs of the time.[11]

Scott still wanted to fly and wanted to be commissioned in the newly established United States Air Force (USAF).[12] The Air Force Academy was founded in 1954, the year Scott graduated from West Point; an interim arrangement had been made whereby a quarter of West Point and United States Naval Academy graduates could volunteer to be commissioned as Air Force officers.[13] Earning a Bachelor of Science degree in military science,[14] Scott graduated 5th in his class of 633 and was commissioned in the Air Force.[15]

Air Force pilot

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Scott did six months of primary pilot training at Marana Air Base in Arizona, beginning there in July 1954.[15] He completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Webb Air Force Base, Texas, in 1955, then went through gunnery training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.[16]

From April 1956 to July 1960, Scott flew with the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron at Soesterberg Air Base, Netherlands, flying F-86 Sabres and F-100 Super Sabres.[16] The weather there was often poor, and Scott's piloting skills were tested.[17] Once, he had to land his plane on a golf course after a flameout. On another, he barely made it to a Dutch base on the edge of the North Sea.[18] Scott served in Europe during the Cold War and tensions were often high between the U.S. and Soviet Union. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, his squadron was placed on the highest alert for weeks but was stood down without going into combat.[19]

Scott hoped to advance his career by becoming a test pilot, to be trained at Edwards Air Force Base. He was counseled that the best way to get into test pilot school was to gain a graduate degree in aeronautics. Accordingly, he applied to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was accepted.[20] He received both a Master of Science degree in Aeronautics/Astronautics and the degree of Engineer in Aeronautics/Astronautics (the E.A.A. degree) from MIT in 1962.[21]

After receiving these degrees, Scott was stunned to receive orders from the Air Force to report to the new Air Force Academy as a professor, rather than to test pilot school. Although challenging orders was strongly discouraged, Scott went to the Pentagon and found a sympathetic ear from a colonel. Scott received changed orders to report to Edwards.[22]

Scott reported to the Air Force Experimental Flight Test Pilot School at Edwards in July 1962. The commandant of the school was Chuck Yeager, the first person to break the sound barrier, whom Scott idolized; Scott got to fly several times with him. Scott graduated top pilot in his class. He was selected for the Aerospace Research Pilot School, also at Edwards, where those intended as Air Force astronauts were trained. There he learned how to control aircraft, such as the Lockheed NF-104A, at altitudes of up to 100,000 feet (30,000 m).[23][24]

NASA career

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Scott in black suit and tie
Scott in 1964

In applying to be part of the third group of astronauts in 1963, Scott intended only a temporary detour from a mainstream military career; he expected to fly in space a couple of times and then return to the Air Force.[24] He was accepted as one of the fourteen Group 3 astronauts later that year.[25]

Scott's initial assignment was as an astronaut representative at MIT supervising the development of the Apollo Guidance Computer. He spent most of 1964 and 1965 in residence in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[26][27] He served as backup CAPCOM during Gemini 4 and as a CAPCOM during Gemini 5.[28]

Gemini 8

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After the conclusion of Gemini 5, Director of Flight Crew Operations Deke Slayton informed Scott that he would fly with Neil Armstrong on Gemini 8.[29] This made Scott the first Group 3 astronaut to become a member of a prime crew, and this without having served on a backup crew. Scott was highly regarded by his colleagues for his piloting credentials; another Group 3 astronaut, Michael Collins, wrote later that Scott's selection to fly with Armstrong helped convince him that NASA knew what it was doing.[30]

Three men, two of them in space suits, standing on a vessel
Scott (right) and Neil Armstrong (center) train for water egress.

Scott found Armstrong something of a taskmaster, but the two men greatly respected each other and worked well together.[31] They spent most of the seven months before launch in each other's company. One part of the training that Scott undertook without Armstrong was riding the Vomit Comet, where he practiced in preparation for a planned spacewalk.[32]

On March 16, 1966, Armstrong and Scott were launched into space, a flight originally planned to last three days. The Agena rocket with which they were to dock had been launched an hour and forty minutes earlier. They carefully approached and docked with the Agena, the first docking ever accomplished in space. However, after the docking, there was unexpected movement by the joined craft. Mission Control was out of touch during this portion of the orbit, and the astronauts' belief that the Agena was causing the problem proved incorrect, for once they performed an emergency undocking, the spin only got worse. With the spacecraft spinning, there was a risk of the astronauts blacking out or the Gemini vehicle disintegrating. The problem was one of the craft's Orbit Attitude and Maneuvering System (OAMS) thrusters firing unexpectedly; the crew shut down those thrusters, and Armstrong activated the Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters to negate the spin. The RCS thrusters were to be used for reentry, and the mission rules said if they were activated early, Gemini 8 had to return to Earth.[33] Gemini 8 splashed down in the Western Pacific on the day of launch; the mission lasted only ten hours, and the early termination meant that Scott's spacewalk was scrubbed.[34]

According to Francis French and Colin Burgess in their book on NASA and the Space Race, "Scott, in particular, had shown incredible presence of mind during the unexpected events of the Gemini 8 mission. Even in the middle of an emergency, out of contact with Mission Control, he had thought to reenable ground control command of the Agena before the two vehicles separated."[35] This allowed NASA to check the Agena from the ground, and use it for a subsequent Gemini mission. Scott's competence was recognized by NASA when, five days after the brief flight, he was assigned to an Apollo crew.[36] Along with Armstrong, Scott received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal,[37] and the Air Force awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross as well. He was also promoted to lieutenant colonel.[38]

Apollo 9

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Six men in flight suits
The prime and backup crews for Apollo 1. Scott is standing at left.

Scott's Apollo assignment was as backup senior pilot/navigator for what would become known as Apollo 1, scheduled for launch in February 1967, with Jim McDivitt as backup commander and Russell Schweickart as pilot. In that capacity, they spent much of their time at North American Rockwell's plant in Downey, California, where the command and service module (CSM) for that mission was under construction.[39]

By January 1967, Scott's crew had been assigned as prime crew for a subsequent Apollo mission and were at Downey on January 27 when a fire took the lives of the Apollo 1 prime crew during a pre-launch test.[40] During the fire, the inward-opening hatch had proved impossible for the astronauts to open, and Scott's post-fire assignment, with all flights put on hold amid a complete review of the Apollo program, was to serve on the team designing a simpler, outward-opening hatch.[41]

After the pause, Scott's crew was assigned to Apollo 8, intended to be an Earth-orbit test of the full Apollo spacecraft, including the Lunar Module (LM).[42] There were delays in the development of the lunar module and in August 1968, NASA official George Low proposed that if Apollo 7 in October went well, Apollo 8 should go to lunar orbit without a Lunar Module, so as not to hold up the program. The Earth-orbit test would become Apollo 9.[43] McDivitt was offered Apollo 8 by Slayton, but turned it down on behalf of his crew (who fully agreed), preferring to wait for Apollo 9, which would involve extensive testing of the spacecraft and was dubbed "a test pilot's dream".[44]

As command module pilot for Apollo 9 Scott's responsibilities were heavy. The LM was to separate from the CSM during the mission; if it failed to return, Scott would have to run the entire spacecraft for reentry, normally a three-man job. He would also have to go rescue the LM if it could not perform the rendezvous, and if it could not dock, would have to assist McDivitt and Schweickart in performing an extravehicular activity (EVA) or spacewalk, back to the CSM.[45] Scott was somewhat unhappy, though, that CSM-103, which he had worked on extensively, would stay with Apollo 8, with Apollo 9 given CSM-104.[46]

Astronaut halfway out of spacecraft, Earth in background
Scott stands in the open hatch of the Apollo 9 Command Module Gumdrop.

The planned February 28, 1969, launch date was postponed as all three astronauts had head colds, and NASA was wary of medical issues in space after problems on Apollo 7 and Apollo 8.[47] The launch took place on March 3, 1969. Within hours of launch, Scott had performed a maneuver essential to the lunar landing by piloting the CSM Gumdrop away from the S-IVB rocket stage, then turned Gumdrop around and docked with the LM Spider still attached to the S-IVB, before the combined spacecraft separated from the rocket.[48]

Schweickart vomited twice on the third day in space, suffering from space adaptation syndrome. He was supposed to do a spacewalk from the LM's hatch to that of the CM the following day, proving that this could be done under emergency conditions, but because of concerns about his condition, simply exited the LM while Scott stood in the CM's hatch, bringing in experiments and photographing Schweickart. On the fifth day in space, March 7, McDivitt and Schweickart in the LM Spider flew away from the CSM while Scott remained in Gumdrop, making him the first American astronaut to be alone in space since the Mercury program. After the redocking, Spider was jettisoned.[49] The LM had gone over 100 miles (160 km) from the CSM during the test.[16]

The remainder of the mission was devoted to tests of the command module, mostly performed by Scott; Schweickart called these days "Dave Scott's mission"; McDivitt and Schweickart had much time to observe the Earth as Scott worked. The mission stayed in space one orbit longer than planned due to rough seas in the Atlantic Ocean recovery zone.[50] Apollo 9 splashed down on March 13, 1969, less than four nautical miles (7 km) from the helicopter carrier USS Guadalcanal,[16] 180 miles (290 km) east of the Bahamas.[51]

Apollo 15

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Scott lands the Apollo 15 Lunar Module Falcon on the Moon on July 30, 1971, seen from the perspective of the Lunar Module Pilot. Starts at approximately 5000 feet from the surface.
A man in a dress shirt and tie wearing a headset
Scott in Mission Control during Apollo 11

Scott was deemed to have performed his duties well, and on April 10, 1969, was named backup commander of Apollo 12,[52] with Al Worden as command module pilot and James Irwin as lunar module pilot. McDivitt had chosen to go into NASA management, and Slayton had seen Scott as a potential crew commander; Worden and Irwin were working on the support crews for Apollo 9 and Apollo 10, respectively. Schweickart was ruled out due to the space sickness episode. This put the three in line to be the prime crew for Apollo 15.[53] Scott's status as backup commander of the next flight allowed him to sit in the Mission Control room as Apollo 11, with his old crewmate Armstrong in command, landed on the Moon.[54] That Scott, Worden, and Irwin would be the crew of Apollo 15 was announced on March 26, 1970.[55]

Lunar roving vehicle on Moon
Scott on the Lunar Roving Vehicle

Apollo 15 would be the first J Mission, which emphasized scientific research, with longer stays on the Moon's surface and the use of the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV). Already having an interest in geology, Scott made time during the training for his crew to go on field trips with Caltech geologist Lee Silver. The scientists were divided over where Apollo 15 should land; Scott's argument for the area of Hadley Rille won the day. As time dwindled towards the launch date, Scott pushed to make the field trips more like what they would encounter on the lunar surface, with mock backpacks simulating what they would wear on the Moon, and from November 1970 onwards, the training version of the LRV.[56]

Apollo 15 launched from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A on July 26, 1971. The outward flight to the Moon's orbit saw only minor difficulties, and the mission entered lunar orbit without incident.[57] The descent to the Moon by the LM Falcon, with Scott and Irwin aboard, took place on July 30, with Scott as commander attempting the landing.[58] Following difficulties caused by the computer-controlled flight path being to the south of what was planned, Scott assumed manual control for the final descent, and successfully landed the Falcon within the designated landing zone.[59]

Man must explore. And this is exploration at its greatest.

— David Scott[60]

After landing, Scott and Irwin donned the helmets and gloves of their pressure suits and Scott performed the first and only stand-up EVA on the lunar surface,[nb 1] by poking his head and upper body out of the docking port on top of the LM. He took panoramic photographs of the surrounding area from an elevated position and scouted the terrain they would be driving across the next day.[16] After deploying the LRV from its folded-up position on the side of the LM's descent stage, Scott drove with Irwin in the direction of Hadley Rille. Once there, Scott marveled at the beauty of the scene. While their exploits were followed by a television camera mounted on the rover and controlled from Earth, Scott and Irwin took samples of the lunar surface, including the rock Great Scott named after the astronaut, before returning to the LM to set up the ALSEP, the experiments that were to continue to run after their departure.[62]

Using a hammer and a feather, Scott validates Galileo's theory that objects in a vacuum will fall at the same rate.

The second traverse, the following day (August 1) was to the slope of Mount Hadley Delta. At Spur Crater, they discovered one of the most famous lunar samples, a plagioclase-rich anorthosite from the early lunar crust, that was later dubbed the Genesis Rock by the press. On the third day, August 2, they went on their final moonwalk, an excursion cut short by problems with retrieving a core sample. On their return to the LM, Scott, before the television camera, dropped a hammer and a feather to demonstrate Galileo's theory that objects in a vacuum will drop at the same rate. After driving the LRV to a position where the camera could view Falcon's takeoff, Scott left a memorial to the astronauts and cosmonauts who had died to advance space exploration. This consisted of a plaque bearing their names, and a small aluminum sculpture, Fallen Astronaut, by Paul Van Hoeydonck. Once this was done, Scott re-entered the LM, and soon thereafter, Falcon lifted off from the Moon.[57][63]

Apollo 15 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean north of Honolulu on August 7, 1971. The first crew to land on the Moon and not be quarantined on return, the astronauts were flown to Houston, and after debriefing, were sent off on the usual circuit of addresses to Congress, celebrations, and foreign trips that met returning Apollo astronauts. Scott regretted the lack of quarantine, which he felt would have given them time to recover from the flight, as the demands on their time were heavy.[64]

Postal covers incident

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A rectangle with the headline "An Apollo 15 Flown Lunar Postal Cover" with a logo in the middle. Below it are two smaller frames. One has some text certifying that what was below was flown to the Moon and back, signed by flight commander David Scott. Below it is an envelope with stamps, logos and, postmarks.
One of the covers that were taken to the lunar surface

The crew had arranged with a friend named Horst Eiermann to carry postal covers to the Moon in exchange for about $7,000 for each astronaut.[65] Slayton had issued regulations that personal items taken in spacecraft must be listed for his approval;[66] which was not done for the covers.[67] Scott carried the covers into the CM in his spacesuit; they were transferred to the LM en route to the Moon and landed there with the astronauts.[68] Scott sent 100 of them to Eiermann, and in late 1971, against the astronauts' wishes, the covers were offered for sale by West German stamp dealer Hermann Sieger.[69] The astronauts returned the money,[70] but in April 1972, Slayton learned of the unauthorized covers[71] and had Scott, Worden, and Irwin removed as backup crew members for Apollo 17. The matter became public in June 1972,[72] and the astronauts were reprimanded for poor judgment by NASA and the Air Force the following month.[73][74] The covers that the crew still had were initially impounded by NASA but were in 1983 returned to the astronauts in an out-of-court settlement, as the government felt it could not successfully defend the lawsuit, and that NASA either authorized the covers to be flown or was aware of them.[75]

The press release that announced the reprimands, dated July 11, 1972, stated that the astronauts' "actions will be given due consideration in their selection for future assignment",[76] something that made it extremely unlikely that they would be selected to fly in space again.[77] Newsweek reported that "there are no forthcoming missions for which he [Scott] is being considered".[78] Scott related in his autobiography that Alan Shepard, then head of the Astronaut Office, had offered him the choice between backing up Apollo 17 or serving as a special assistant on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, the first joint mission with the Soviet Union; Scott had chosen the latter.[79] Although a NASA spokesman had stated that Scott had no choice but to leave the Astronaut Corps, and this was reproduced in the press, Slayton's supervisor, Christopher C. Kraft, stated that the Public Affairs Office at NASA had erred, and the transfer was not a further rebuke.[80]

NASA management

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Dryden's wife next to a bust of Dryden, Scott by her side
Scott (right) as Center Director at Dryden, 1976

In his role with Apollo-Soyuz, Scott traveled to Moscow, leading a team of technical experts. There he met the commander of the Soviet part of the mission, Alexei Leonov, with whom he would later write a joint autobiography.[81] In 1973 Scott was offered the job of deputy director of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, located at Edwards, a place Scott had long loved. This allowed Scott to fly aircraft that reached the edge of space, and let him renew his acquaintance with the retired Chuck Yeager who was there as a consulting test pilot, and to whom Scott granted flying privileges.[82]

On April 18, 1975, at age 42, Scott became the Center Director at Dryden.[1] This was a civilian appointment, and to accept it, Scott retired from the Air Force in March 1975 with the rank of colonel.[83] Kraft wrote in his memoirs that Scott's appointment "pissed off Deke to his eyebrows".[84] Scott found the work interesting and exciting, but with budget cuts and the forthcoming end of Approach and Landing Tests for the Space Shuttle, in 1977 he decided it was time to leave NASA[85] and retired from the agency on September 30, 1977.[1]

Post-NASA career

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refer to caption
Scott in February 2009

Entering the private sector, Scott founded Scott Science and Technology, Inc.[1] In the late 1970s and the 1980s, Scott worked on several government projects, including designing the astronaut training for a proposed Air Force version of the Space Shuttle.[86] One of Scott's firms went out of business after the 1986 Challenger disaster; though the company played no part in the disaster, subsequent redesign of parts of the shuttle eliminated Scott's firm's role.[87] After Challenger, Scott served four years on the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, formed to advise the Secretary of Transportation on the possible conversion of ICBMs to launch vehicles.[88] In 1992 Scott was found by a Prescott, Arizona, court to have defrauded nine investors in a partnership organized by him.[87] He was ordered to pay roughly $400,000 to investors in the partnership, which was to create technology to prevent aircraft mechanical breakdowns, but which was never developed.[89]

Scott was a commentator for British television on the first Space Shuttle flight (STS-1) in April 1981.[88] He also was a consultant on the film Apollo 13 and for the 1998 HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon,[88] in which he was portrayed by Brett Cullen.[90] Scott consulted on the 3D IMAX film, Magnificent Desolation (2005), showing Apollo astronauts on the Moon, and produced by Tom Hanks and the IMAX Corporation.[88] He is one of the astronauts featured in the 2007 book and documentary In the Shadow of the Moon.[91]

The Chevrolet Corvettes owned by Scott (right) and Worden during the training for Apollo 15, photographed in 2019

From 2003 to 2004, Scott was a consultant on the BBC TV series Space Odyssey: Voyage To The Planets.[92] In 2004, he and Leonov began work on a dual biography/history of the "Space Race" between the United States and the Soviet Union. The book, Two Sides of the Moon: Our Story of the Cold War Space Race, was published in 2006. Armstrong and Hanks both wrote introductions to the book. Scott has worked on the Brown University science teams for the Chandrayaan-1 lunar orbiter. For NASA, he has worked on the 500-Day Lunar Exploration Study and as a collaborator on the research investigation entitled "Advanced Visualization in Solar System Exploration and Research (ADVISER): Optimizing the Science Return from the Moon and Mars".[88]

Scott had taken two Bulova timepieces, a wristwatch and a stopwatch, with him to the Moon without advance authorization from Slayton.[93] Scott wore the wristwatch on the third EVA, after his NASA-issued Omega Speedmaster lost its crystal. He sold the Bulova watch in 2015 for $1.625 million, after which the company marketed similar timepieces, whose accompanying material mentioned Scott and Apollo 15. Scott sued in federal court in 2017, alleging Bulova and Kay Jewelers were wrongfully using his name and image for commercial purposes, and in April 2018, a federal magistrate ruled he could proceed on some of his claims.[94] The case was dismissed by agreement of the parties in August 2018,[95] and in 2021, Bulova marked the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 15 with the issuance of a commemorative watch.[96]

Personal life

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refer to caption
Scott with his first wife Ann and their two children

In 1959 Scott married his first wife, Ann Lurton Ott. They had two children. In 2000, it was reported that he was engaged to British TV presenter Anna Ford; at the time he was still married to Ann Scott, although separated. His relationship with Ford had begun in 1999.[87] By 2001, Scott and Ford had separated.[97] He subsequently married Margaret Black, former vice-chairman of Morgan Stanley.[88] David Scott and Margaret Black-Scott reside in Los Angeles.[88]

Awards, honors, and organizations

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Deputy Administrator Robert Seamans presented Scott and Armstrong the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1966 for their Gemini flight.[38][98] Scott was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for the Gemini 8 flight.[99] Vice President Spiro Agnew presented the Apollo 9 crew with the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. At the ceremony, Agnew said, "I am proud that America has forged to the forefront and established the leadership in space to match our new leadership on Earth."[100] Scott received the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal for the Apollo 9 mission.[99]

Agnew also gave the Apollo 15 crew the NASA Distinguished Service Medal.[101] Scott earned his second Air Force Distinguished Service Medal for Apollo 15.[99] On September 15, 1971, the city of Chicago hosted the Apollo 15 crew in a parade attended by more than 200,000 people. Mayor Daley presented the crew with honorary citizenship medals.[102] On August 25, 1971, the Apollo 15 crew were honored with a ticker-tape parade in New York City. The city bestowed them with gold medals. Later that day, U.N. Secretary General Thant awarded the trio the first United Nations Peace Medal.[103][104] At the Air Force Association's annual dinner dance in September 1971, the Apollo 15 crew were presented with the David C. Schilling Trophy, the association's top flight award. Scott presented the Air Force and Air Force Association with items they flew to the Moon: sheet music of "Into the Wild Blue Yonder" and a U.S. Air Force flag.[105] The Apollo 15 crew and Robert Gilruth (director of the Manned Spacecraft Center) were awarded the 1971 Robert J. Collier Trophy, an annual award for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics.[106] Scott received the De la Vaulx Medal, the Gold Space Medal, and the V.M. Komorav Diploma from Fédération Aéronautique Internationale for 1971 for his role in the Apollo 15 flight.[107] Scott was awarded his third NASA Distinguished Service Medal in 1978.[16]

Scott, Worden, and Irwin were granted honorary Doctorates of Astronautical Science from the University of Michigan in 1971.[108] Scott was awarded an honorary doctor of science and technology degree from Jacksonville University in 2013. It was the first honorary degree bestowed by the university.[109]

Scott is a fellow of the American Astronautical Society, an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, and Sigma Gamma Tau.[16]

In 1982 Scott was inducted with nine other Gemini astronauts into the International Space Hall of Fame in the New Mexico Museum of Space History.[1][110] Along with twelve other Gemini astronauts, Scott was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1993.[88][111]

On August 23, 2024, he received an honorary promotion to brigadier general in recognition of his service to the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and deputy director of the Dryden Flight Research Center.[112]

See also

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Notes

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References

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Sources

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
David Randolph Scott (born June 6, 1932) is a retired United States Air Force colonel and NASA astronaut who became the seventh person to walk on the Moon as commander of the Apollo 15 mission in 1971. Best known for his pioneering role in lunar exploration, Scott piloted the first successful space docking during Gemini 8 in 1966, served as command module pilot on Apollo 9 in 1969 to test the lunar module in Earth orbit, and led Apollo 15's extended stay on the lunar surface, where he and astronaut James Irwin drove the Lunar Roving Vehicle for the first time, covering 27 kilometers across the Hadley–Apennine site. Over his three spaceflights, he accumulated 546 hours and 54 minutes in space, including 20 hours and 46 minutes of extravehicular activity.[1] Born in San Antonio, Texas, Scott graduated fifth in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree, followed by master’s and engineer degrees in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1962.[1] He completed U.S. Air Force pilot training in 1955 and served as a fighter pilot with the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron in the Netherlands from 1956 to 1960, accumulating over 5,600 hours of flying time in his military career.[2] Selected as part of NASA's third astronaut group in October 1963, Scott underwent rigorous training and also graduated from the Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School and Aerospace Research Pilot School.[1] During his NASA tenure, Scott's missions advanced key aspects of the Apollo program: Gemini 8 achieved the first docking with an Agena target vehicle but was cut short due to a thruster malfunction, requiring a safe abort and reentry; Apollo 9 validated the command and lunar modules in a 10-day Earth-orbital flight; and Apollo 15 marked the first "J-class" mission with extended lunar operations, scientific sample collection, and the use of the rover to traverse previously inaccessible terrain.[3] He served as backup commander for Apollo 12 and later held administrative roles, including technical assistant to the Apollo program manager in 1972, special assistant for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, and director of NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center from 1975 to 1977.[2] Scott retired from the Air Force and NASA in March 1975 and October 1977, respectively.[4] In his post-NASA career, Scott founded private corporations in 1978 focused on project management, opto-electronic sensors, and commercial space applications, serving as president of Baron Company, Ltd., to pursue space-related opportunities.[2] He contributed to the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee following the 1986 Challenger disaster and provided technical advisory roles for films including Apollo 13 (1995), HBO's From the Earth to the Moon (1998), and IMAX's Magnificent Desolation (2005), as well as collaborations on lunar exploration projects like Brown University's Chandrayaan-1 and NASA's 500-Day Lunar Exploration Study.[2] Among his honors are two NASA Distinguished Service Medals, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1970), the Robert J. Collier Trophy (1971), honorary promotion to brigadier general, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) (2024), the Charles McCaffree Award (2025), and induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1993.[1][5][6]

Early years

Early life

David Randolph Scott was born on June 6, 1932, in San Antonio, Texas, to Tom William Scott, a career U.S. Army officer and fighter pilot, and his wife, a homemaker.[1][7][8] The family resided initially at Randolph Field near San Antonio, where Scott's father was stationed as part of his military duties.[9] Due to his father's postings in the Army Air Corps, the Scotts relocated frequently during David's early years, exposing the young boy to various military bases across the United States and abroad.[2] Scott's childhood was shaped significantly by his father's aviation career, which sparked his lifelong passion for flying and service in the armed forces.[8] He gained early familiarity with aircraft through family connections and observations of his father's work as a pilot.[7] These experiences instilled a strong sense of discipline and ambition, leading Scott to pursue athletics and academics with determination; he developed interests in swimming and other sports that would continue into his later years.[2] In 1949, following another family move prompted by his father's transfer, Scott settled in Washington, D.C., and completed his secondary education by graduating from Western High School that June.[1][8] This period marked the end of his pre-collegiate years, during which the nomadic military lifestyle had honed his adaptability and reinforced his aspirations in aviation.

Education

David Scott attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree and ranking fifth in his class of 633, an academic distinction that reflected his strong performance in engineering and military studies.[3][9] Following his commissioning in the U.S. Air Force, Scott pursued postgraduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he earned a Master of Science degree in aeronautics and astronautics in 1962.[3] His studies at MIT focused on advanced topics in aerospace engineering, including an Engineer degree in the same field completed concurrently, providing foundational expertise for his subsequent roles in flight testing and space exploration.[10] Prior to West Point, Scott had enrolled at the University of Michigan in spring 1950 on a swimming scholarship, majoring in engineering.[9][8] This research aligned with his early interest in aviation, equipping him with specialized knowledge in aerothermal dynamics essential for military aviation and eventual astronaut duties.[3]

Military career

Commissioning and early service

Upon graduating fifth in his class of 633 from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June 1954, David Scott was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.[1] His West Point education, which included a bachelor of science degree in engineering, prepared him for a military aviation career.[1] Scott began his flight training shortly after commissioning, completing undergraduate pilot training at Webb Air Force Base in Texas in 1955, where he earned his pilot wings.[1] He then underwent gunnery training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas and Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, qualifying him for operational fighter assignments.[1] In April 1956, Scott was assigned to the 32nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, based at Soesterberg Air Base in the Netherlands, where he served until July 1960.[1] During this period, he flew the F-86 Sabre and transitioned to the F-100 Super Sabre, participating in routine operational patrols and air defense exercises across Western Europe amid Cold War tensions. These missions included intercepts and training operations near the Iron Curtain, contributing to NATO's aerial deterrence efforts in the region, such as over West Germany.

Test pilot roles

In 1962, following the completion of his graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, David Scott transferred to Edwards Air Force Base, California, where he served as a test pilot in the Air Force Flight Test Center.[11] During this time, he graduated from the Air Force Experimental Test Pilot School (Class 62C) and the Aerospace Research Pilot School (Class 63A).[1] As part of his duties, Scott conducted flight testing of advanced aircraft.[11] Scott also participated in the NF-104A Aerospace Research Aircraft program, designed to provide pilots with training in space-equivalent flight dynamics and reentry profiles using a rocket-augmented F-104 variant.[1]

NASA career

Selection and training

David Scott was selected as one of NASA's third group of astronauts on October 18, 1963, from a pool of 720 applicants. This cohort, dubbed the "Scientists' Group," emphasized candidates with advanced degrees in engineering and science, reflecting NASA's growing need for technically proficient personnel to support the Gemini and Apollo programs; Scott, a U.S. Air Force captain with a master's degree in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT, fit this profile perfectly.[12] His prior experience as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base was a key qualifier for astronaut selection, providing essential skills in high-performance aircraft handling. Following selection, Scott relocated to the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston, Texas, where he began intensive initial training common to all astronaut groups of the era. This included centrifuge runs to endure up to 10 G-forces simulating launch and reentry stresses, parabolic flights in modified C-131 aircraft for zero-gravity familiarization, and survival exercises in desert, jungle, and water environments to prepare for potential landing contingencies.[13][14][15] In addition to physical conditioning, Scott was assigned to Gemini program support duties, serving as capsule communicator (capcom) during several early missions to gain operational insight from mission control. He underwent specialized cross-training in Gemini and Apollo spacecraft systems, rendezvous and docking mechanics using simulators, and hands-on familiarization with prototype Apollo hardware, building expertise through 1966 in preparation for his first spaceflight.[1]

Gemini 8 mission

Gemini 8 launched on March 16, 1966, from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station's Launch Pad 19, carrying command pilot Neil Armstrong and pilot David Scott as its crew.[16] The mission's primary objectives included demonstrating rendezvous and docking with the uncrewed Agena Target Vehicle, which had launched 100 minutes earlier, along with evaluating spacecraft systems and preparing for an extravehicular activity (EVA).[17] Scott, in his role as pilot, supported navigation and systems monitoring during ascent, helping the spacecraft achieve orbit within six minutes of liftoff.[16] Following launch, the crew initiated rendezvous procedures, using radar for initial contact at approximately 206 miles and achieving visual acquisition at 87 miles.[16] Armstrong, with Scott's assistance in station-keeping and attitude control, executed the docking maneuvers, successfully linking Gemini 8 with the Agena at a closure rate of 1 foot per second—marking the first U.S. orbital docking and a critical advancement in spaceflight techniques for future missions.[17] The achievement validated key rendezvous dynamics, including ground-controlled and manual corrections, demonstrating the spacecraft's precision in demonstrating critical spaceflight techniques essential for the Apollo program.[16] Shortly after docking, an electrical short caused the Agena adapter's yaw thruster No. 8 to fire continuously, inducing an uncontrolled rotation in Gemini 8 at up to one revolution per second.[18] Scott cycled the Agena control switches to halt the firing, while Armstrong undocked the spacecraft and activated the reentry control system (RCS) thrusters to stabilize it, regaining attitude control after about 30 minutes.[18] This emergency led to mission abort per protocol, limiting the flight to 10 hours and 41 minutes across seven orbits, with the planned three-day duration and EVA canceled.[16] The crew executed a safe reentry over Africa, splashing down in the western Pacific Ocean approximately 500 miles east of Okinawa at 4:22 p.m. EST, just 1.6 miles from the targeted point, and were recovered by the USS Leonard F. Mason.[16] Post-flight analysis confirmed the thruster malfunction stemmed from a short circuit in the wiring harness, with no definitive root cause identified beyond potential cold flow issues during manufacturing; this prompted NASA to add a master switch to the Orbital Attitude and Maneuvering System (OAMS) for subsequent missions.[18] The crew's performance was lauded for calm and effective crisis management, with Scott and Armstrong each receiving the NASA Exceptional Service Medal for their actions.[16]

Apollo 9 mission

Apollo 9, launched on March 3, 1969, from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A aboard a Saturn V rocket, marked the first crewed flight of the complete Apollo spacecraft stack, including the lunar module (LM).[19] David R. Scott served as command module pilot (CMP), supporting commander James A. McDivitt and lunar module pilot Russell L. "Rusty" Schweickart, with the crew drawing on their collective experience from prior Gemini missions to execute complex orbital maneuvers.[3] The mission's primary objectives centered on verifying the LM's performance in Earth orbit, demonstrating crew operations, and testing docked vehicle configurations essential for subsequent lunar missions.[20] During the 10-day flight, a pivotal sequence occurred on the mission's fourth day when the LM, nicknamed "Spider," undocked from the command and service module (CSM) "Gumdrop." Scott, remaining in the CSM, conducted rendezvous and docking simulations, leveraging his Gemini 8 docking expertise to guide the vehicles through separation, station-keeping, and a successful redocking after approximately 48 hours of independent LM operations. Schweickart then performed a 37-minute extravehicular activity (EVA) on March 6, exiting the LM to evaluate the suit's mobility and test communications while tethered to the spacecraft, simulating aspects of lunar surface operations. Scott followed with a 48-minute stand-up EVA from the CSM hatch on March 7, photographing Earth and the docked vehicles to assess visibility and equipment functionality, further validating life support systems under prolonged use. These activities included endurance testing of the LM's environmental control systems, ensuring they could sustain a crew for the duration required for lunar missions. The crew completed 151 Earth orbits before splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean on March 13, 1969, approximately 341 kilometers north of the Bahamas, with the mission lasting 10 days, 1 hour, 54 seconds.[19] Apollo 9's success provided critical validation of the Apollo hardware's integration and reliability, paving the way for translunar flights by confirming the LM's structural integrity, propulsion systems, and crew transfer procedures without incident.[21] Scott's contributions as CMP were instrumental in these verifications, ensuring seamless CSM-LM interactions that would underpin the program's lunar landing capabilities.[3]

Apollo 15 mission

Apollo 15 launched on July 26, 1971, at 9:34 a.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A, carrying Commander David R. Scott, Command Module Pilot Alfred M. Worden, and Lunar Module Pilot James B. Irwin.[22] As the mission's commander, Scott oversaw the translunar injection and lunar orbit insertion, achieving a precise descent orbit of 58.5 by 9.6 miles. On July 30, 1971, Scott piloted the Lunar Module Falcon to a successful landing in the Hadley-Apennine region near Hadley Rille at 6:16 p.m. EDT, approximately 0.5 kilometers from the planned site, marking the fourth crewed lunar landing.[22][23] The crew spent 66.5 hours on the lunar surface, with Scott and Irwin conducting three extravehicular activities (EVAs) totaling 18 hours and 37 minutes.[22][24] The mission introduced the Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), which Scott and Irwin used for extended traverses covering 27.8 kilometers at speeds up to 13 km/h, enabling exploration up to 5 kilometers from the landing site.[24][23] During the EVAs—spanning July 31 and August 1–2—Scott led geological sampling and documentation, including the collection of 77.3 kilograms (170 pounds) of lunar material, such as the ancient anorthosite "Genesis Rock" and basaltic samples from the rille's edge.[22][24] They also deployed the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) 110 meters west-northwest of the Lunar Module, installing instruments like a passive seismometer, heat flow experiment, and solar wind spectrometer to monitor lunar processes remotely.[23][24] Scott's prior experience from Apollo 9 informed the efficient execution of these surface operations, emphasizing scientific productivity over prior missions' shorter stays.[22] A highlight of the third EVA on August 2 was Scott's demonstration of Galileo's principle of gravity in a vacuum, dropping a 76-gram aluminum geological hammer and a falcon feather simultaneously from about 1.3 meters; both hit the lunar surface at the same time, confirming that objects fall at equal rates regardless of mass in the absence of air resistance.[25] Meanwhile, Worden conducted orbital science from the Command Module Endeavour, including multispectral photography and deploying a subsatellite for particle studies.[23] The crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on August 7, 1971, at 4:46 p.m. EDT, after a 12-day, 7-hour, 12-minute mission, 6.6 miles from the recovery vessel despite one parachute issue.[22][23] Apollo 15's achievements advanced lunar science through enhanced mobility and extended exploration under Scott's command.[24]

Postal covers incident

During the Apollo 15 mission in July and August 1971, the crew—commander David Scott, command module pilot Alfred Worden, and lunar module pilot James Irwin—secretly carried 398 unauthorized postal covers to the lunar surface aboard the Lunar Module Falcon for potential private sale, stashing them primarily in Scott's spacesuit pocket to evade pre-flight manifests.[26] These lightweight envelopes, featuring a cachet designed by Scott depicting the mission insignia, were part of a deal with German stamp dealer Hermann Sieger, arranged through U.S. intermediary Walter Eierman, under which each astronaut stood to receive about $7,000 upon return.[27] Ground personnel, including NASA officials aware of similar past practices, were indirectly involved but not central to the smuggling.[28] The incident surfaced shortly after splashdown when Sieger sold 100 of the covers in Europe for approximately $1,500 each, totaling over $150,000, prompting media reports and alerting U.S. authorities to the unauthorized items.[29] NASA launched an internal investigation in late 1971, joined by the U.S. Postal Service and a Senate subcommittee in 1972, which confirmed the covers violated astronaut conduct policies prohibiting personal commercialization of mission-flown items and NASA's fiduciary standards for government resources.[27] The probe revealed the crew had also carried 243 authorized covers, bringing the total to 641, but focused on the ethical breach of smuggling for profit without disclosure.[26] In response, the crew forfeited their anticipated payments, returned any related proceeds, and impounded the remaining 298 covers at NASA's direction, demonstrating remorse; Scott, as commander, bore primary accountability for failing to log the items pre-flight.[27] NASA issued formal reprimands to all three astronauts in July 1972, grounding them from future flights—Scott was reassigned to administrative roles, Worden to non-flying positions, and Irwin retired soon after—though no criminal charges were pursued due to lack of intent to defraud the government.[29] These career setbacks effectively ended their operational astronaut tenures.[26] The scandal prompted NASA to overhaul policies on personal items in space, limiting astronauts to 12 items (0.5 pounds each) per mission requiring administrator approval and explicitly banning any post-flight sales or endorsements, influencing oversight for subsequent programs like Skylab and the Space Shuttle to prevent similar ethical lapses.[26] It underscored the tensions between astronauts' financial incentives and NASA's public trust mandate, serving as a cautionary lesson for maintaining mission integrity amid growing commercialization pressures.[28]

Management positions

Following his astronaut missions, David Scott leveraged his operational expertise to assume key administrative roles at NASA, focusing on program management and international cooperation during the agency's transition from Apollo lunar landings to orbital stations and reusable spacecraft. In 1972, Scott was appointed Technical Assistant to the Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where he supported ongoing administrative and technical aspects of the Apollo program.[3] Later that year, in July 1972, he transitioned to Special Assistant for Mission Operations for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), NASA's first collaborative mission with the Soviet Union.[4] In this capacity, Scott led a delegation of 35 NASA engineers to Moscow in July 1973 to conduct the initial technical negotiations covering docking mechanisms, flight procedures, and crew training protocols for the joint flight.[2] These efforts were instrumental in fostering U.S.-Soviet cooperation and facilitating the successful ASTP launch in 1975, which symbolized a pivotal shift in post-Apollo international space endeavors.[30] In March 1975, Scott retired from the U.S. Air Force as a colonel to take a civilian role as Director of the NASA Hugh L. Dryden Flight Research Center (now Armstrong Flight Research Center) in Edwards, California, serving from April 18, 1975, to October 30, 1977.[3] Under his leadership, the center managed advanced aeronautics testing and contributed to NASA's post-Apollo evolution, including oversight of Skylab mission support activities and preparations for the Space Shuttle program.[2] Notably, during his directorship, Dryden conducted the Approach and Landing Tests for the Space Shuttle Enterprise orbiter, a series of eight flights from February to October 1977 that validated the vehicle's unpowered landing capabilities and aerodynamic stability—critical steps toward operational shuttle flights. Scott retired from NASA in 1977, concluding 14 years of service that bridged exploratory missions with the next generation of space transportation.[4]

Post-NASA career

Business and consulting

After retiring from NASA in 1977, David Scott founded Scott Science and Technology, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in space project management, investor relations, and aerospace advisory services.[31] The company provided expertise drawn from his extensive NASA experience, supporting various commercial and governmental space initiatives through the 1980s and beyond, including work on opto-electronic sensors and commercial space applications.[4][2] Scott served as a technical advisor for major films depicting space missions, including the 1995 production Apollo 13, where he consulted with director Ron Howard to ensure technical accuracy in portraying NASA operations; HBO's From the Earth to the Moon (1998); and IMAX's Magnificent Desolation (2005).[2][32] He also contributed to space tourism and commercial ventures, such as his role as president of the Baron Company, Ltd., a Bermuda-based entity pursuing opportunities in the emerging commercial space sector.[2] In the 1980s and 1990s, Scott held board positions and advisory roles with private aerospace firms, including service on the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) from 1986 to 1990, where he advised the U.S. Department of Transportation on policies to foster commercial space activities following the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.[2] He participated in scientific teams for Brown University's Chandrayaan-1 mission, NASA's 500-Day Lunar Exploration Study, and the ADVISER research project.[2] He participated in investments in aerospace startups, notably acquiring a significant stake in International Space Technologies (IST) in 2000 through a partnership with World Associates, Inc., aimed at developing innovative space launch systems.[33] These efforts highlighted his contributions to discussions on commercial space policy, emphasizing sustainable growth in private-sector space exploration.[2]

Writing and public engagement

In 2004, Scott co-authored Two Sides of the Moon: Our Story of the Cold War Space Race with Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov and writer Christine Toomey, offering parallel personal accounts of the U.S. and Soviet space programs from their early lives through the Apollo-Soyuz collaboration.[34] The book highlights shared challenges in human spaceflight, such as training rigors and mission risks, while contrasting the ideological drivers of the Cold War rivalry.[34] Scott has contributed forewords and articles reflecting on his Apollo missions, drawing from firsthand experiences to elucidate lunar geology and mission operations.[2] He has also appeared in numerous interviews and documentaries focused on lunar science, including the 1999 PBS NOVA series To the Moon, where he discussed Gemini 8's emergency docking and Apollo 15's scientific objectives.[35] In a 2018 BBC interview, Scott described the physical sensations of lunar walking and the geological insights gained from Hadley Rille, emphasizing the Moon's regolith properties and their implications for future exploration.[36] As of August 2025, he featured in a BBC article on the last Moon walkers, sharing stories of Apollo 15 and advocating for renewed lunar missions.[37] Throughout his post-NASA career, Scott has delivered speaking engagements at universities, museums, and conferences to promote STEM education and space policy.[38] For instance, in 2023, he addressed Jacksonville University on leadership lessons from Apollo 15, underscoring the value of interdisciplinary teamwork in advancing scientific discovery.[39] In August 2024, he received an honorary promotion to brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force at a ceremony in St. Augustine, Florida.[5] His talks often highlight the role of engineering and geology in space missions, inspiring students to pursue careers in aerospace.[38] Scott has advocated for renewed lunar exploration from the 2000s onward, expressing disappointment over the post-Apollo hiatus and urging a return to the Moon for scientific and inspirational benefits.[40] In a 2016 interview, he affirmed that existing technology enables such missions and criticized political and budgetary barriers, aligning with later initiatives like NASA's Artemis program aimed at sustainable lunar presence.[40]

Personal life

Family

David Scott married Lurton Ann Ott in 1959.[41] The couple had two children: a daughter, Tracy, born around 1961, and a son, Douglas, born in 1963.[42] [43] During Scott's military service and NASA career, the family relocated several times, including a posting in the Netherlands from 1956 to 1960 and later to Houston, Texas, where they settled in Nassau Bay near the Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center).[44] Lurton Scott played a key role in supporting the family through these transitions and during her husband's spaceflights, including Gemini 8 in 1966, Apollo 9 in 1969, and Apollo 15 in 1971.[45] The astronaut families, including the Scotts, received media coverage from LIFE magazine, which documented their daily lives, children's perspectives, and emotional support amid the high-stakes missions, helping to humanize the space program for the public while preserving some privacy.[45] The Scotts separated in the late 1990s and divorced in 2001.[46] Scott remarried Margaret Black, a financial executive, later that year; the couple had no additional children.[2] Tracy Scott pursued a career in sociology and academia, becoming a senior lecturer at Emory University, while details on Douglas Scott's professional path are limited.[47]

Later years

Following his extensive career in space exploration and management, David Scott retired to a quieter life, residing primarily in Los Angeles, California, with his second wife, Margaret Black-Scott, the former vice chairman of Morgan Stanley and founder of Beverly Hills Wealth Management LLC. The couple also maintains a home in Jacksonville, Florida, where Scott has been involved in local honors and events in recent years.[2][48] As of November 2025, at age 93, Scott remains alive and active in selective capacities, including low-profile participation in space-related commemorations that reflect on his Apollo legacy. His enduring presence underscores the long-term vitality of the Apollo-era astronauts.[6]

Recognition and legacy

Awards and honors

David Scott received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal for his roles on Gemini 8 in 1966 and Apollo 9 in 1969. He was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal twice, including for his command of Apollo 15 in 1971.[1] He received the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross for his role as pilot on Gemini 8, which achieved the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit.[49] Scott also earned two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, one in 1969 and another in 1971, recognizing his service as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base and his leadership in aeronautical research.[1] Scott was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon in 1970 for his contributions to the Apollo program.[2] In 1971, he received the Robert J. Collier Trophy, along with his Apollo 15 crewmates, for their pioneering lunar mission.[2] In recognition of his pioneering spaceflights, Scott was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on March 19, 1993.[2] On August 23, 2024, Scott received an honorary promotion to brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force, honoring his lifelong service as an astronaut and Air Force officer.[5]

Organizations and memberships

Throughout his career and post-retirement, David Scott maintained active affiliations with several professional organizations in aerospace, test piloting, and space exploration, reflecting his expertise and contributions to these fields. He is a fellow of the American Astronautical Society, an organization dedicated to advancing space science and exploration.[1] Scott also holds fellow status in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, a prestigious group for professionals involved in flight testing and evaluation.[3] These affiliations underscore his ongoing ties to professional communities that shaped his career.

References

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